How to Avoid Missing a Connecting Flight
Of all the troubles of air travel, missing a connecting flight is one of the most stressful and unpleasant. This can mean everything from missing out on precious vacation time to being late for your best friend’s wedding or important meeting. However, this is annoying, especially if it is not your fault and the airline is lagging behind.
While these situations are usually outside your control, there are ways to minimize the chances of this happening. It might take a little more time, effort, or even money, but it’s worth it if it gets you to your destination on time and doesn’t wear you down.
Please note when booking
Have you ever had to rush through an airport terminal to catch your next plane? There is a simple reason for this. When listing ticket configurations on the Internet, airlines use what is known as a Minimum Transfer Time , or MCT, to determine which flights match your requested route. It’s an automatic formula that is designed to get you to your destination as quickly as possible, but can also lead to very close relationships. You can only have 30 minutes to get from one plane to another, and if there is any delay with the first flight, you are almost guaranteed to miss your next flight.
So what’s a flyer to do? To get started, pay special attention to the transfer times when booking your tickets. The 35 minute stop may seem like you have time to use the bathroom and grab a quick bite, but it’s probably barely enough to get to the next plane. Most people will advise you to set aside at least one hour boarding time for domestic flights and two hours for international flights .
Deliberately book longer stays
Allocating yourself two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights, you will never have problems skipping connecting flights. If search results for your flight return with shorter stops, keep searching until you find something with a longer window. This gives some leeway for delays, toilet use, and food a little less awful than on airplanes.
It also gives you time for something I keep forgetting about: finding the next gate . If you are not very familiar with the airport you are flying to, you will need a little extra time to get your bearings. Eventually, you will need to get off the plane (which always takes longer than you expect), find the flight status board, find the list of flights, and then actually make it to your designated gate. And that’s even without taking into account all the other obstacles that airports can create in your path.
Check the airport and airline before traveling
Is there any construction work at the airport? Will your next flight be operated by another airline? Do you need to go through extra security? Do you need to go through customs? Do you need to change terminals? Do you need to take a bus or train to change terminal? Is your connecting flight the last flight of the day to this airport? Katherine Hamm of the Los Angeles Times says these are all questions you should ask yourself and try to answer before booking your tickets .
You will also need to consider your ability to read signs and navigate large buildings, as well as your fitness level. If you are poorly oriented or know that you cannot rush from gate to gate, take even more time for yourself.
Other strategies
As tempting as it may be to book different legs of your trip on multiple airlines, because it’s cheaper (ie what Kayak calls “hacking rates” ), it gives you less protection from missed connecting flights. For example, you will most likely have to collect your baggage and re-check it in with a second airline. Also, if your first flight is delayed and you miss a second flight from another airline, you may have to buy a completely new ticket for your second flight. So if that’s an option, always try to book connecting flights with the same airline (or alliance partners).
Plus, choosing seats as close to the front of the plane as possible will also help you establish tight connections because you’ll be the first to get off. Of course, this usually costs more money, but it can pay off in a few extra minutes.
This story was originally published on 09/20/17 and updated on 06/20/19 to provide more complete and up-to-date information.