How Do Layovers Work?
Layovers can be stressful. Whenever possible, I prefer nonstop flights, even if they’re a little more expensive. But sometimes the price difference is too big to justify, and sometimes it’s just not possible to get where you’re going without a connecting flight. So how do layovers work? What happens with your checked luggage on a layover? Do you have to go through customs and immigration if you’re only in the airport for a layover? Here’s everything you need to know about layovers and how layovers work to help make your journey a little less stressful.
How do boarding passes work with layovers?
Domestic layovers are usually pretty simple. Whether you’re flying within the US, Australia, Canada, or somewhere else, domestic layovers are relatively similar.
Assuming you booked both flights together on one itinerary (as opposed to two separate itineraries) you will get both boarding passes when you check in for your first flight. When you land at your layover airport, you need to look at the departures board and find the gate for your next flight.
International layovers can get a little more tricky. With so many variations of international layovers, there are also a variety of situations you could end up dealing with.
If your itinerary is entirely with one airline or even two airlines that are partners, in most cases, you will get both boarding passes when you check in for your first flight.
But if you used a booking engine and your flights are with two different airlines, especially airlines that aren’t really partners, you might only get your first boarding pass when you check in.
Then, at your layover airport, you’ll have to find a ticket counter for the airline that operates the second flight to get your second boarding pass.
Not sure if your flights are with partner airlines? Just ask at the ticket counter when you check in if you will be getting both boarding passes or if you will need to get the second one at your layover airport. They’ll tell you what to do.
>>Check out these layover perks you never knew about.
What happens with checked luggage on a layover?
For domestic layovers, your checked luggage will be tagged to your final destination, so there’s nothing for you to do while on your layover. Your bags will get taken off the first flight and loaded onto the second flight.
For international layovers, this varies depending on the airport and the country where your layover is.
If you fly from somewhere outside the US or Canada to an airport in the US or Canada, you will have to collect and recheck your luggage no matter where you’re going on your second flight.
In most other countries, as long as both of your flights are on the same airline or partner airlines, your luggage will get transferred from the first to the second flight for you.
Again, if you’re not sure, just ask the agent when you’re checking in if you will need to collect and recheck your luggage at your layover airport.
Avoid luggage worries by learning how to pack light and travel carry-on only! Check out the best carry-on luggage.
Do you have to go through border control/immigration and customs on a layover?
This only applies for international layovers. Whether you have to go through immigration and customs really varies on the airport and the country.
As with checked luggage, if you have a layover in the US or Canada, you will have to go through border control at the first point of entry into the US or Canada, even if your final destination is somewhere else.
So for example, if you are flying from Europe to Mexico with a layover in the US or Canada, you will have to get your passport checked and fill out the customs form, as well as collect and recheck your luggage, even though you’re not staying in the country or even leaving the airport.
Transit passengers
You are a transit passenger if you are not leaving the airport and not staying in that country. In this case, you often don’t have to go through immigration or customs. Look for a sign that says transit or transit passengers or transfer or connecting flights.
I’ve been able to do this in many airports, such as Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Bangkok, and there are many more. If you don’t go through border control, you’re not technically entering that country.
However, if you have a really long layover and you want to go check out the city, you will have to go through immigration and customs in order to leave the airport.
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Transiting through the Schengen Zone
Transiting through the Schengen Zone can be a little different since a flight from one Schengen country to another is considered domestic.
So for example, if you’re flying from the US to Paris and then onto Rome, you will go through immigration and customs in Paris but not in Rome.
If you have two layovers, it gets even trickier.
Let’s say you’re flying from the US to Frankfurt to Rome to Istanbul. When you arrive in Frankfurt, you will have to go through border control.
This is because domestic flights, which includes your flight from Frankfurt to Rome, are in a different section of the airport, so you’re leaving the international section and entering Germany, even though you’re not leaving the airport.
You won’t go through border control to enter Italy because you were already cleared in Frankfurt. But you will have to go through passport control in Rome to be stamped out of the Schengen Zone, and you’ll go through customs and immigration in Istanbul since Turkey is outside of the Schengen Zone.
It’s usually pretty obvious once you arrive. When you get off the plane, look for signs that say transit, transfer, or connecting flights. If you don’t see any, and the only option leads you to a passport check line, then you really don’t have a choice.
If you want to know ahead of time, ask the agent when you check in, or even one of the flight attendants on your first flight, if you will have to go through immigration and customs on your layover.
Do you have to go through security on your layover?
Like most things, this varies on the airport. The simple answer is you will probably have to go through security.
For most domestic layovers, you won’t have to go through security again. However, some airports have separate security checkpoints for each terminal, so if you land in one terminal and your next flight is in another, you would have to go through security again.
On international layovers, even those where there is a transit area, you will most likely have to go through security.
Some airports in other countries have security checks for each individual gate or a small group of gates. In this case, you will have to go through security again, but it should be a short line.
There’s also the chance your first flight lands in the same area your second flight leaves from, in which case you might be able to stay within the secured area and not have to go through the security check again.
Unfortunately this means any liquids you purchased beyond security at the first airport won’t make it through security at the layover airport.
For a better travel experience, check out these 30 airport hacks every traveler should know from my friend Eden at Mint Notion.
Do you need a transit visa for your layover?
Some countries require certain nationalities to get a transit visa in order to transit through the airport. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s worth researching before you book a flight with a layover, or at least before you board the flight.
For most nationalities, if you have a layover within the Schengen Zone and your final destination is outside of the Schengen Zone, you don’t need a transit visa. Again, verify this for your nationality.
The US requires transit visas for many nationalities, unless your nationality is on the list eligible for the visa waiver program. For more info, see here and here.
Since this is such a complicated area subject to variations based on your nationality, the country you will be transiting through, and how long your layover is, do a few online searches and check the website for the embassy of the country where your layover is to see if you need a transit visa.
If you’re still not sure, it’s also a good idea to check with the airline or even contact the consulate or embassy of the country you will be transiting through before you book your flight.
Whenever possible, I think it’s best to avoid layovers that require transit visas since there’s usually a fee involved. The hassle of filling out an application and paying a fee for a country you’re not even really going to just doesn’t seem worth it.
Make sure your layover is long enough, and don’t let layovers get you stressed out. Hopefully these tips and explanations of how layovers work will help you transit smoothly from one flight to another.
You might also be interested in:
- Best Carry-On Luggage
- 8 Things to do If You Think Your Layover is Too Short
- How to Maximize a Long Layover
- Can I Leave the Airport During a Layover?
Ahmad
November 23, 2021 @ 8:30 pm
It was clear and nice, but i have a question in case of booking through miles in Canada fro example so my flight will be
AUH 1 -> FRA 2 -> YUL where 1 is through Etihad and 2 through Aircanada in this case
· Do I have to pick up your baggage or/and have to check in again in Frankfort airport?
· Do I have to pass passport control in Frankfort airport ?
· Are both the flights in the same terminal? how can i check?
thank you so much
Ali Garland
November 30, 2021 @ 5:35 pm
Hi, sorry for the late reply! A lot of this depends on how your tickets were booked. Did you book each flight separately or are they all on one itinerary? It looks like Etihad and Air Canada are partner airlines, so there’s a good chance you booked this all as one itinerary. That means they should be able to transfer your luggage from one flight to the next (but definitely ask when you check your bags to be sure) so that shouldn’t be an issue when you’re in Frankfurt. And if your flights are all on one itinerary, you should also be able to get both boarding passes when you check in for the first flight. Since you’re not staying in Germany or anywhere else in the Schengen Zone, you should also be able to bypass passport control in Frankfurt. Once you get off the plane, look for signs that say “transfer” or “transit” or “connecting flights” and you should be able to make your way to your next gate. You will probably have to go through security again, but that should be the only thing you have to deal with in FRA. The best way to determine if you’ll have to change terminals is checking the airport’s website here. You can look up your Etihad flight arrival and your Air Canada flight departure, and it’ll show you which terminal.
J.Collins
September 27, 2021 @ 8:05 am
I found a lot of useful information here. Thank you, the only thing that I didn’t find was if fling within the U.S and have a layover that is 1:40 min are you required to stay on the plane if you are not changing flights?
Ali Garland
October 1, 2021 @ 2:25 pm
I think it depends on a few factors, but since the crew probably changes and the plane needs to be cleaned, they might actually require you to get off the plane. But this is probably a question for the airline.
K.A.N. S
July 13, 2021 @ 5:49 pm
Morning. Informative information, but I need answers specifically to a question on layover in Denver International Airport.
I’m travelling from Jamaica to Sacramento, with an eleven hours layover in Denver. Can I sit out such in the airport amids covid restrictions?
Ali Garland
July 16, 2021 @ 12:19 pm
Hi, I don’t know the exact restrictions in place at the Denver Airport, so you’d have to look at their website: https://www.flydenver.com/traveler_services/covid-19. 11 hours does seem like a long time to have to wear a mask, but it’s doable. Depending on the timing of your layover, you could consider leaving the airport and seeing a little of the city before your next flight, check out my post about things to consider if you want to leave the airport on a layover.
EMMANUEL JOHNSON
July 9, 2021 @ 12:13 pm
I am a Nigeria passport holder and I am traveling to Barbados, and I will transit in Canada and United States do I need a us transit Visa or a Canadian transit visa
Ali Garland
July 12, 2021 @ 10:23 am
Hi Emmanuel! I can’t really help with visa questions, but the US does require visas even if you’re just transiting through, and I believe Canada does as well. Both countries make passengers go through customs and immigration regardless of their final destination, so if Nigerian passport holders are required to have a visa to visit, you will be required to get a visa even just to transit. It might be better to transit through somewhere else or at least try to transit through only one or the other, not both. Check the embassy websites for both countries for more info.
Shannon
June 20, 2021 @ 8:12 pm
Hello, I just seen your blog. I am traveling from Canada to the USA will I need to clear customs in Toronto Pearson international Airport or will I have to clear it when I land in Newark NJ
Ali Garland
June 21, 2021 @ 11:26 am
Hi Shannon! The Toronto Airport (and several other Canadian airports) has US border control, so you will actually go through US customs and immigration while you’re in the Toronto Airport. Here’s some more info if you need it: https://www.torontopearson.com/en/departures/us-customs-pearson. This means you should arrive a little early to make sure you have time for the extra steps, but then once you land in Newark, you just grab your bags and you’re on your way!
Jason
June 19, 2021 @ 3:14 pm
Do I need to go through Immigration and Customs check if flying from Honolulu,Hawaii to Chicago,Illinois as a foreigner?
Ali Garland
June 20, 2021 @ 6:14 pm
Hi Jason, there is no customs and immigration when you’re flying domestically.
Annie
December 16, 2020 @ 12:35 pm
Helloo
I booked a flight from Nigeria to Melbourne.
The flight will connect from Nigeria to Dubai to manila to brunei and finally to Melbourne.
But due to the covid 19, brunei is not allowing transit.
My question is, can I stop at manila international airport and book another ticket to Melbourne using a different route?
Ali Garland
December 17, 2020 @ 4:19 pm
Hi Annie! I think your first option should be to contact the airline and see if you can change your itinerary if Brunei isn’t allowing transit passengers. Many airlines are allowing changes right now without fees, so maybe your airline is one of those. If you can’t change your flight, you could theoretically book yourself another flight from Manila to Melbourne. But if you’re doing that without rebooking the other part of your flight, you could run into issues with your checked luggage – they won’t be able to transfer it from the Dubai-Manila flight to the Manila-Melbourne flight if they’re separate itineraries, and you might not be able to retrieve it yourself depending on the timing and whether you need a visa to enter the Philippines to get to baggage claim. Also, if this is a round trip flight, you will be marked as a no-show for the Manila onward parts of the flight, and then the airline will most likely cancel your flights back to Nigeria. So my number one recommendation is to call the airline and see if there’s a way to rebook the entire thing, otherwise it could get messy.
Sidi
August 10, 2020 @ 12:31 am
I am an algerian passport holder , I have a visa to go to saint lucia …..do I need a transit visa to pass through paris airport ( Charles du gaul. Or orly ) .
Ali Garland
August 10, 2020 @ 4:25 pm
Hi Sidi! I really don’t know enough about the visa requirements for every country and passport holder, so I can’t say for sure. However, Algeria is not listed as a country that needs a transit visa on this list: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/transit-schengen-visa/. Here are a few other good sites to look at: https://visaguide.world/europe/france-visa/transit/ and https://france-visas.gouv.fr/web/france-visas/airport-transit-visa. If you are landing in CDG and your next flight leaves from Orly (or the other way around) you will need some type of visa. Your best option is to contact a Schengen visa agency and ask because they will know all the right questions to ask about your situation. There are a lot of factors that go into whether or not you will need a visa, and if so what type of visa, which is why I can’t tell you yes or no. Good luck though, I know visa stuff is a pain!
Bill Goodman
July 7, 2020 @ 7:33 pm
Is there a limit how much an airline can lengthen layovers without being considered a cancelled flight. I had 2 three hour layovers on the way from Calgary to Montreal to Zurich and ending in Tel Aviv.
The booking agency has informed me that each layover has been lengthened to approx 9 hours.
Can I demand to have a flight change?
Ali Garland
July 8, 2020 @ 11:51 am
Hi Bill! I’m not aware of any limit on how much an airline can change your layover, but often when they do make a drastic change like that, they give you an option to change your flight if the new flight no longer works for you. I don’t use booking agencies, so I’m not sure how that would work with them, but you probably need to start asking questions and see if there’s another flight option available that you can change to.
kayla Loveless
June 24, 2020 @ 4:59 am
Hey,
I am flying from Pittsburgh, pa to Mexico with a layover in Texas. Coming home from Mexico will I have to go through customs in the Texas airport and Pittsburgh since I wouldn’t be flying out of the U.S after entering Texas
Ali Garland
June 24, 2020 @ 10:45 am
Hi Kayla! You will go through customs and immigration when you land in Texas since that is where you enter the US. You will most likely also have to claim and recheck your luggage as well as go through security. Your flight from TX to Pittsburgh will be just like any other domestic flight, no customs or immigration since you already did it in TX.
Loretta
May 12, 2020 @ 6:45 am
What a great article! Thank you so much for the detailed information.
I have a question for my parents though.
They are Chinese, have valid visa , planning to fly from SFO to Vancouver, and then to Beijing.
Right now the rule from Canada border entry is transit is fine, within 24hrs, and not leaving the airport.
They have separate tickets booked from different airlines ( since the connected one was canceled) from SFO – YVR Lansing at 15:58, and YVR- Pek is the second day at 12pm. so they would need to pick up their checked luggage from the YVR and check in again ( I assumed).
Would this be considered as transit? I’m not sure since they will need to pick up their luggage. And probably that would lead them to have to go through customs, which means they are entering Canada, instead of just transfer?
Ali Garland
May 14, 2020 @ 3:26 pm
Hi Loretta! It is my understanding that they would have to go through immigration and customs, even if their flights were on one itinerary, because Canada is similar to the US in that everyone landing there has to go through those procedures, even if their final destination is in another country. I found this on Air Canada’s website: https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/home/fly/at-the-airport/airport-information/vancouver-Int-airport/us-int.html. Might be helpful for them. So then the issue is their luggage. It seems like sometimes you have to claim and recheck luggage anyway, but according to that Air Canada page, they might not have to in normal circumstances. So your parents need to make sure they can get to baggage claim, and unfortunately I can’t give you a definite answer on how that will work since they have a transit visa. It seems like they should have plenty of time to get their luggage, it’s really a question of how far they’re allowed to go. They should probably call the airlines and ask for help on this one. Are the airlines they’re booked with partner airlines? If so, that would make it easier to potentially get the luggage transferred automatically.
Loretta
May 14, 2020 @ 5:25 pm
Hi Ali,
Thank you for all the information. I was able to talk to Vancouver airport/ CBSA/ Canada covid support center . So basically as long as they don’t have checked in luggage, they can go through customs with their carry one luggage. And since they are not flying same airline, and they have an overnight layover, they can’t have their luggage directly to the final destination. And the solution we plan out is to have them ship their belongings with usps to Beijing, and fly with just carryons. They have Canada visa, so it shouldn’t be issue. My only concern now is that the hotel in terminal( fairmont hotel intermin Vancouver) is indeed in the terminal, but before security check. And apparently if they need to stay there then they have to go outside of security. They still need to check in their second day flight at the counter as well, which is also outside security check. I will have to call the CBSA( Columbus British border agency) to confirm would that be allowed. Since that’s considered as leave the airport as my understanding. The link you provide shows to check in the next flight on another lvl at the airport, so they do the same as their flight is the second day?
Ali Garland
May 25, 2020 @ 11:16 am
Hi Loretta, sorry I’m just seeing this now! Yes, they will most likely have to check in for the second flight in Vancouver since that flight is so many hours after the first flight. In my experience, airlines usually can’t check you in before 24 hours, so if they’re checking in for first flight more than 24 hours before the second flight takes off, they probably can’t get those boarding passes yet. Some airports have hotels that are within the secured area, but I can’t find any for Vancouver. I could be missing something though. I’m sorry I can’t say for sure that they’ll be allowed to leave the international area, but this has to have happened with other people before, so hopefully the border agency can help.
Mary
March 16, 2020 @ 5:38 pm
I have a 12 hour layover and would like to see if I can get on an earlier flight. How do I go about that? Where do I start and do you think if they can get me on an earlier flight that it will cost me?
Ali Garland
March 16, 2020 @ 7:24 pm
Hi Mary! Your best bet is to contact the airline directly. Sometimes they charge for that kind of change, sometimes they don’t, it just depends on the airline. And sometimes it depends on whether you’re trying to change it ahead of time or trying to get on an earlier flight when you’re already at the layover airport. If your flight is sometime really soon, just know that with all the current chaos, airline customer service phone lines have hours long waits, and I keep seeing recommendations to not call airlines about flights that are scheduled for more than 72 hours from now. Sorry I can’t help you with this one, but check with your airline.
frank brunetto
February 19, 2020 @ 10:31 pm
I will be flying from Atlanta to Casablanca, morocco. We will be departing atlanta on jetblu to jfk and changing to royal moracco to casablanca. there is a 2hr layover at jfk.
First question is will we have to go through international security again at jfk. Also will they check our luggage through at jfk? and is 2hrs at jfk enough to catch our connecting flight?
Thank you
Ali Garland
February 23, 2020 @ 7:58 pm
Hi Frank! The USA doesn’t have any formal exiting procedures for international flights, so when you check in at the airport in Atlanta, the airline agent will look at your passport, but that’s about it. I think the terminals at JFK are all connected beyond the security checkpoint, which means you shouldn’t have to go through TSA again while connecting there, but I can’t be 100% sure on that…it’s been a few years since I’ve connected through JFK. But you can find some more info here: https://www.airport-jfk.com/terminals.php. So assuming you don’t have to do security, 2 hours should be plenty of time. If you do have to go through security, the connection will take longer, but I still think you should be find with that amount of time. If you’re worried, check out my tips for short layovers, a few of them might help in your situation. Also, if you have booked both flights together on one itinerary, JetBlue should be able to tag your luggage to go to your final destination, and you would not have to pick it up in JFK. If your flights are NOT on one itinerary, or if there’s some strange reason why JetBlue can’t tag your luggage to Casablanca, you will have to pick it up and recheck it in JFK, which would also mean having to go through security there. This is the only situation where I worry about 2 hours, but it’s still not impossible. You should be able to call JetBlue customer service and ask them if they are able to transfer your luggage to your Royal Air Maroc flight.
S kumar
February 10, 2020 @ 6:15 am
Hii, actually i m confused about my flight,i have flight of lot polish airlines from india to warsaw and layover of 45 min in warsaw and then from warsaw to Amsterdam…so is this 45 min time will be enough to change the plane…both flights are of partner airlines…and di i need to go through immigration and customs in warsaw??
Thanks
Ali Garland
February 17, 2020 @ 12:29 am
Hi, yes you will go through immigration and customs in Warsaw because that’s where you’re entering the Schengen Zone. But your checked luggage should be tagged to go all the way to Amsterdam, though verify this when the airline when you drop off your checked bags. A 45 minute layover seems a little tight, but it’s not impossible. I’ve never flown through Warsaw, so I can’t give any firsthand advice, but basically just try to get through everything as quickly as you can and don’t make any stops until you’re at your next gate and see how much time you have left. Some of my tips for short layovers might be helpful for you.
Cindy
January 27, 2020 @ 1:47 am
Great article! Although I have traveled internationally before, it’s not frequent so I get concerned about all what I need to go through and where because I forget!
My adult daughter and I are going to Paris the end of April. United just made a minor change to our itinerary but could be minor enough to miss a connection. It will depend on whether we have to go through immigration/customs or not. Here’s our itinerary. The change made was the Montreal/Denver leg. Will 1 hour 10 minutes be long enough to catch our connecting flight? All tickets were booked at once through United so I’m assuming Air Canada and Lufthansa are United partners and we should expect our luggage to be checked all the way through?
Apr 25
SLC / ORD – 1 hour 24 minute layover (United Express)
ORD / MUC – 2 hour layover (United)
MUC / CDG (Lufthansa)
May 2
CDG / YUL – 1 hour 10 minute layover (Air Canada)
YUL / DEN – 2 hour 52 minute layover (Air Canada)
DEN / SLC (United Express)
On which legs should we anticipate going through Immigration and/or customs? Do you think the 1 hour 10 minute connection in Montreal is an issue?
Thanks so much and have a great day.
Ali Garland
January 27, 2020 @ 4:00 pm
Hi Cindy! I think your flight out on April 25 looks fine. The US doesn’t do any exiting passport control, so there’s really nothing extra to do there, other than the fact that the check-in agent will look at your passport. When you land in MUC, you’ll go through immigration and customs to get stamped into the Schengen Zone. Your checked luggage should be tagged to go all the way to Paris, no need to pick it up anywhere before that.
On May 2, you’ll go through exiting passport control in CDG. Then in YUL, you’ll have to go through customs and immigration and claim and recheck your luggage, plus you will also do US customs and immigration there because they have US border control. You can read more about that here: https://www.admtl.com/en/guide/customs-imigration-united-states. So it does seem like 1 hour 10 minutes is cutting it close.
I’m not sure what the right answer is here. That layover in Montreal does seem short, but it’s not impossible. Are there any later flights out of Montreal if you miss your connection? That would be worth looking at.
Cindy
January 28, 2020 @ 9:23 pm
Thank you for your response. I called United this morning and they assured me my luggage would be checked to Denver. At that point I will go through customs & immigration and have to recheck my luggage. He triple checked because I kept questioning him. I have nearly a three hour layover in Denver so if what United is telling me, I should be fine. I do have a friend who is an international flight attendant and I’m going to consult with him as well as soon as he comes back from the vacation he’s currently on. Thanks for taking the time to help out 🙂
Ali Garland
January 29, 2020 @ 4:48 pm
So strange, I’ve never connected through Canada before, but I’ve always been told they make you go through customs and immigration and claim and recheck your luggage, just like the US does, when you first enter the country. If you think of it after your trip, let me know what actually happens! So sorry it’s hard to get a definitive answer on this one.
Cindy
January 30, 2020 @ 4:38 am
Yeah, I’m also calling Air Canada this week and check with them. But I’ll let you know what I find out and again after I make the trip so you know. Thanks for all your feedback!
Ali Garland
January 30, 2020 @ 12:55 pm
Thanks Cindy!
dan
January 15, 2020 @ 6:17 pm
When does the 24-hr stopover start? The time of departure from the first flight or the arrival of the stopover?
We departed from San Francisco to Honolulu at 10 AM, Tuesday. The departure for New Zealand was at 12:05 PM the following day, Wed. The airline did not transit all our luggages from SF to NZ as it was more than 23:59 hours.
I pleaded that we arrived at 1:45 PM which is less than 24 hours from the departure of 12:05 PM.
Ali Garland
January 16, 2020 @ 2:12 pm
Hi Dan! It’s probably up to each airline, but in my experience, they aren’t able to take your luggage or check you in for a flight that’s 24 hours or more ahead. So if you’re checking in for San Francisco to Honolulu, and your Honolulu to Auckland flight leaves 26 hours later, chances are the airline wouldn’t be able to check you in for the Honolulu to Auckland flight or tag your luggage to make that transfer.
Holly
January 11, 2020 @ 3:31 pm
Good morning, flying from CLT to JFK and then to AMS with a small layover until final destination of LIS. On return trip from Madrid to JFK and then to CLT. Do I have to get my luggage, go through customs and recheck it in both AMS on the way over and JFK on the way back?
Ali Garland
January 13, 2020 @ 11:55 am
Hi Holly! For your outbound itinerary CLT-JFK-AMS-LIS, you shouldn’t have to pick up your luggage until you get to Lisbon, as long as your airline as able to tag your baggage to your final destination. As long as you’ve booked all flights together on one itinerary, it should work, but confirm when you check in and drop off your bags. You will go through immigration and customs in Amsterdam since it’s your entry point into the Schengen Zone. You probably won’t have to go through security in AMS, but I’m not 100% certain. I have flown through there a lot and never had to to security for a connecting flight, but it’s always possible.
On your way back, MAD-JFK-CLT, you will go through exiting passport control in Madrid to get stamped out of the Schengen Zone. Then in JFK, you will have to go through US immigration and customs, and you’ll have to claim and recheck your luggage, and go through security again.
Barb
January 11, 2020 @ 3:13 pm
Confused about how my connections will work. Flight is Bhm – Atl – Yyz – Yvr. First two flights are Delta. Last flight is Westjet (they are partners). At what point in time will we be going through immigration? And will we have to go through security multiple times? Also, we have pre-check but considering global entry… would that be beneficial?
Thank you!
Ali Garland
January 13, 2020 @ 11:46 am
Hi Barb! You’ll go through security in BHM, but you shouldn’t have to do it again in ATL since all the terminals there are connected beyond the security checkpoint. The US doesn’t do exiting passport control, so you won’t really do anything different there. If you check in at the airport in BHM, the agent who checks you in should look at your passport, but that’s about it. When you land in YYZ you will have to go through immigration and customs since it’s your entry point into Canada. You’ll probably have to go through security there, just depends on how the airport is set up, but the Toronto Airport website has a great tool for info about making connections, check it out here. If you’re doing the same thing in reverse to come back, you’ll actually go through US customs and immigration in Toronto because they have US border control there, so when you land in Atlanta, it will be like you’ve just gotten off a domestic flight. That means you’ll only have to find your next gate for your flight to BHM.
I don’t have precheck or global entry because I’ve been living in Germany for 8+ years…sorry I can’t give advice on that! But the last few times I’ve flown back and forth to the US, I felt like things moved pretty quickly for me even without it, even in Atlanta, so I’m not sure what the benefit is.
Natalia
December 24, 2019 @ 10:08 pm
Hey there! I just found your blog and am really enjoying it! 🙂
I just booked a flight for next summer from Seattle, WA, USA (SeaTac Airport) to London (Heathrow) with a 1 hr and 25 min layover in Reykjavik (KEF). I will only have a carry on, no checked luggage. Same thing on the way back to Seattle but the layover is 1 hr and 49 min. Is this enough time to go through customs and be on my way to London (and back to Seattle on the way back)?
Thanks!
Ali Garland
December 28, 2019 @ 11:10 am
Hi Natalia! You shouldn’t have to go through customs and immigration in Reykjavik since you’re not staying in Iceland or continuing on to a Schengen country. The UK is not in the Schengen Zone. So when you land in KEF, you just need to look for your next gate, and maybe go through security again. You’ll go through immigration and customs when you arrive in London. So I think that’s plenty of time for your layover in KEF, in both directions.
Melissa Henken
December 12, 2019 @ 9:39 pm
Flying out of CPH to EWR and then to BOS. I am checking an extra bag for which I will charged about $100. If I have to claim bags and go through customs in EWR then recheck, I am assuming that I won’t have to pay again for the extra bag. The connecting airline is a partner with the first, but I have not received an answer that I am comfortable with!
Thanks!
Ali Garland
December 16, 2019 @ 12:10 pm
Hi Melissa! You’ll need to check with your airline about how their checked bag fees work, but usually you pay for the entire flight itinerary, not per leg. Plus your bag will get tagged to go CPH-EWR-BOS even though you’ll have to claim and recheck it in EWR since that’s where you enter the US. So you probably won’t have to pay a second time. I’m sorry I can’t give you a definite answer about the fee, only the airline can.
Mei
November 29, 2019 @ 10:08 pm
i’m flying United Airline all the way through, from Toronto to San Francisco to Sydney, there is only 50 minutes layover at San Francisco. My question is it would be enough time for me? I was told no need to collect and re-check the luggage, but I’m not sure whether I need to go through passport custom and security check. I’m holding Canadian passport.
Ali Garland
December 2, 2019 @ 3:57 pm
Hi Mei! The Toronto airport has US border control, which means you go through US immigration and customs while you’re technically still in the Toronto airport. This also means when you land in San Francisco, it’s as if you’re coming from another US airport, so you won’t have to do anything with immigration or customs there, and your checked luggage should be transferred to your next flight. You can find more info about US border control at Toronto airport here: https://www.torontopearson.com/en/departures/us-customs-pearson.
Sonja
November 10, 2019 @ 10:07 pm
Hi, so thanks for the post, it was super helpful 🙂
But I’m still confused with my own flights/situation. So I’m flying from Mexico back to Bogotá, will have an overlay there for about 12 hours and then fly back to Frankfurt. The two flights are operated by two different airlines. On my first flight from Mexico, I only have carry-on luggage, so I wouldn’t need to pick up any luggage. But I’d still have to check my luggage for my second flight, right. So do I have to go through customs/immigration or do I ‘just’ need a transit visa or follow the sign ‘connecting flights’? I don’t want to leave the airport, but I need to check in again for my second flight.
Thanks in advance for a reply 😉
Ali Garland
November 11, 2019 @ 11:33 am
Hi Sonja! I’m confused as to why you have to check your luggage for the Bogota to Frankfurt flight if you’re not checking it for the Mexico to Bogota flight? If you’re able to take it as carry on for the first flight, you should be able to take it as carry on for the second flight, unless the airline for the second flight has a much stricter carry on luggage size policy. So here are a few suggestions: Look at the carry on size restrictions for both airlines, and if they’re similar, try to take your luggage as carry on for both flights. If the second airline allows a much smaller size than the first airline, the easiest thing is probably to be to go through immigration and customs, go find the check-in counter for your airline, and check your luggage. But if you’re going to do this, make sure you don’t need a visa to enter the country based on your nationality (check the Colombia embassy website), and be aware that the airline might not be willing to take your checked bag so far ahead of the flight. Which means you’d have to hang out for awhile until they open baggage check for your flight, and then after that, you can go back through exiting passport control and security. The other thing you could try once you land is follow the signs that say “transit” or “transfer” or “connecting flights” in order to bypass customs and immigration (but make sure you’re already checked in for your second flight and have your boarding pass printed or on your phone…you should be able to check in online), and then look for an info desk for your airline or even an airline in the same airline alliance (ex. if you’re flying on Lufthansa but there isn’t a Lufthansa counter, you might find an Avianca counter, and both are in Star Alliance) and explain your situation and see if they have a way of checking your luggage or pointing you in the right direction. Worst case, if they can’t help you, you could talk to the gate agents when it gets close to time for your flight and see if they can gate check your luggage. But I still think if you’re able to take it as carry on for the first flight, you should at least try to take it as carry on for the second flight, it’ll just make things so much easier. I hope this helps!
Ermis
October 23, 2019 @ 4:55 pm
Hello!
I have a connecting flight from my country Albania with a layover of 2h 50min in Istanbul airport. The itinerary is Tirana-Istanbul-Toronto so Toronto is my final destination.
My question is, do I have to go through security and check-in the luggage again in Istanbul or it will be checked to the final destination when I get both boarding passes before departure??
Best regards!
Ali Garland
October 24, 2019 @ 2:30 pm
Hi Ermis! In most cases like this, as long as you’ve booked the whole thing on one itinerary, your airline will be able to tag your checked luggage to go to your final destination, so you wouldn’t have to do anything with it in Istanbul, but verify this with the airline when you check in and drop off your checked bag. They’ll also give you both boarding passes. You should also be able to bypass immigration in Istanbul since you’re not staying there, so just look for signs that say “transit” or “transfer” or “connecting flights” once you land in Istanbul. You will probably have to go through security again, but I think you have plenty of time for your layover.
Ermis
October 24, 2019 @ 6:04 pm
I understand but I forgot to say that even though is a single intinerary, when I land at Istanbul, I have to pick another airline.
Ali Garland
October 24, 2019 @ 9:12 pm
I can’t say for sure, but it will probably still work. If you were able to book both flights on one itinerary, they’re probably partner airlines, and most likely they can tag your luggage to go all the way to Toronto. For example, if your Albania to Istanbul flight is on Turkish Airlines and your Istanbul to Toronto flight is on Air Canada, they’re both in Star Alliance, which means they often codeshare and the Turkish Airlines employee in Albania should be able to tag your luggage to go to Toronto. However, if you’ve booked through a search engine site like Expedia or something, and the two airlines are not partners, like if you have EasyJet to Istanbul (I have no idea if they actually do that route) and then Air Canada or Turkish Airlines to Toronto, your luggage will not get tagged to Toronto, and you’ll have to claim it and recheck it in Istanbul, which also means you’d have to go through customs and immigration. I hope that helps!
Bipin Patel
October 7, 2019 @ 1:02 pm
PP : 32,000/- (7 + 30 Kg)
25 Jan 2020 TG-2342
Layover time is very less , what to do pl suggest..
AMD(00:55) → BKK(06:55)
25 Jan 2020 TG-431 BKK(08:50) → DPS(14:15)
03 Feb 2020 TG-432 DPS(16:10) → BKK(19:25)
03 Feb 2020 TG-2341 BKK(20:30) → AMD(23:55)
With only one hour layover
Ali Garland
October 7, 2019 @ 5:21 pm
Hi! I wouldn’t worry too much about the short layover in BKK on 3rd February since you’re not staying in Thailand. You shouldn’t have to deal with immigration and customs since you’re just transiting. When you land in BKK, follow the signs that say “transit” or “transfer” or “connecting flights” and you should be able to bypass immigration, go through security, and continue on to your next flight. You don’t have tons of time to waste, but it should be manageable. I can’t make you any guarantees, but I’d personally be ok with this.
Susan Barry
October 4, 2019 @ 4:36 am
I am flying domestically but have a long layover in Toronto between flights. A Toronto friend wants to meet me. Do I have to exit the secure area and then go through security again or is she able to meet me in the secure area/airline lounge?
Ali Garland
October 4, 2019 @ 11:03 am
Hi Susan! Your friend can’t come into the secured area without a ticket, so if you want to meet her somewhere, you’ll have to exit the secured area. That means you’ll have to go back through security afterwards to make your second flight.
Chandra Seetharaman
October 2, 2019 @ 3:07 pm
I am travelling BLR-CDG-BOS. Arriving CDG at 7AM. Stopping in Paris for a day. Connecting flight next day 2PM to BOS.
What to do with my checked luggage. Will they be checked all the way to BOS in BLR in spite of the stop over?
Ali Garland
October 3, 2019 @ 11:52 am
Hi Chandra! Since your layover is more than 24 hours, I seriously doubt the airline will hold your luggage until the next flight. They probably won’t even check you in for the CDG to BOS flight when you check in for the BLR to CDG flight. So when you arrive at CDG, you’ll have to claim your luggage and bring it back the next day. If you’re getting a hotel (which seems like a wise idea given the length of your layover) you can just bring your luggage there. Even if you get to the hotel in the morning, too early to check in, they can usually hold your bag until check in time. Otherwise you can find a locker at a train station.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get back to the airport before your CDG to BOS flight since you’ll have to go through exiting passport control and security.
Also, if you’re looking for some tips for Paris, I have a Paris itinerary here. It’s for a week, but you can find a few things to do for your timeframe.
Grace
September 23, 2019 @ 5:04 am
This article was super helpful but I still got one question. I’ve never flown before so I’m unfamiliar with airports in all aspects. I’ll be taking a flight from LAX to DFW and then have a 2 hour and fifteen minute layover before I catch my flight from DFW to MAD. I don’t plan on leaving the airport, but is the layover time enough to catch a quick drink (or something quick) with a friend that lives in Dallas? I know they probably won’t be able to enter the “secured area” i guess but can I meet them somewhere in the airport for like 30 minutes and still be okay for my second flight?
Ali Garland
September 24, 2019 @ 11:36 am
Hi Grace! It should be fine to meet your friend at the airport in the non-secured area. You just want to give yourself plenty of time to get back through security again when you’re done, and remember that international flights often board earlier than domestic flights since they are bigger planes and have more people to get on. My recommendation is to see if you can find a cafe or restaurant in the non-secured area to meet at that’s close to wherever you’ll have to go through security to get back to your next flight.
John. T
August 28, 2019 @ 8:14 am
Hey I’m from Texas I’m flying from Fresno back to dfw the to Mexico I have a 17 hour layover and my passport is in Texas would the need my passport to board the plane to dfw
Ali Garland
August 28, 2019 @ 4:27 pm
Hi John! I’ve never been in this exact situation, but here are my thoughts: Airlines often can’t check you in for a second flight if it’s too far after the first one, although in my experience that limit is about 24 hours. So it looks like Fresno to Dallas is a little over 3 hours, which means you’d probably still be within 24 hours. So if you were checking in at the airport, they could probably print both boarding passes and would then want to see your passport because of the flight to Mexico. If you’re able to check in online, you might be able to avoid this. What normally happens if you check in online is your name will go on a list of people whose passports haven’t been checked, and then you’d just need to talk to a gate agent in DFW to show them your passport, which you would have picked up by then. My other thought is if someone in Fresno checking you in wants to see your passport, you could point out your long layover and ask that they just don’t check you in for the DFW to Mexico flight. I can’t guarantee it, but it might work. Mostly I’m leaning towards the idea that not having your passport for the first flight shouldn’t be a problem, but no guarantees. If you are still in TX right now, I’d recommend just bringing your passport to Fresno, but I’m guessing you’re already in Fresno if you’re asking this.
So long story short, try checking in online as a first option. If you get questioned at the airport, see if they can only check you in for the first flight. If you think of it, let me know how it goes!
Erika R
August 25, 2019 @ 10:43 pm
Hi there! I’m not sure if you’ve experienced this, but I’ll give it a shot. I am going to be flying to San Jose, Costa Rica from Austin, TX. I have a connecting flight in Houston, TX. Will I need to go through any kind of border control since the second leg of my flight is international but not the first? I’d imagine they’d need to see my passport but I’m not totally sure. For context, I am a US citizen.
Ali Garland
August 26, 2019 @ 10:34 am
Hi Erika! The US doesn’t have any formal exiting passport control. If you check in at the airport, the check-in agent will want to see your passport. If you check in online and don’t go up to the check-in counter (usually because you’re only traveling with carry-on luggage), typically what happens is you’ll be on a list with the airline and they still won’t let you board the flight without checking your passport. Sometimes they have a list of those passengers on a screen at the gate or they’ll call out the names, but sometimes there’s nothing. I’ve done it enough times now that I just go up to the gate agents as soon as I get to the gate, tell them I checked in online, and show them my passport so they can clear me in the computer. Otherwise you’re dealing with it during boarding and you’ll basically have to get out of line to deal with it, and that’s no fun. Also, if you check in online, you can go to the gate agent about your passport while in Austin, you don’t have to wait until Houston. But again, if you check in at the airport, that agent will look at your passport, and everything else will seem similar to a domestic flight.