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Grant cites four main combinations: Domestic-domestic, domestic-international, international-international, and international-domestic. The type of flight is going to play a role in how these times are calculated. However, the minimum amount of time needed to connect between flights, for the most part, is implicitly provided by the airlines through itineraries they offer, which have factored in distance between airport gates, how long it takes to sort baggage, and deplaning. airports at least two hours before the flight leaves to make sure they are checked in 30 minutes before departure and at the gate at least 15 minutes before takeoff.
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For example, Delta advises passengers to arrive at U.S. Airline and Airport ResourcesĪirlines are relatively straightforward about telling fliers when they should arrive at the airport for the first flight of the day, but timing connections is a process that more or less happens behind the scenes. John Grant, senior analyst at aviation data specialist OAG, puts it this way: While “there is no empirical evidence or data to support” the anecdotal three-hour rule as a blanket policy, it's still a “a very wise piece of travel knowledge based on experience,” he says. To keep it simple, having three hours between each connecting flight means that there’s a good chance you’ll be covered by that time frame and most likely have time for an Auntie Anne's pretzel (or three). The actual minimum amount of time you need to connect for each flight varies based on a lot of factors, including whether the flight is domestic or international, whether or not you have luggage that needs to be transferred, boarding times, and how far you'll have to walk between gates (we see you, 6,800,000-square-foot Atlanta airport). Here's what you should know: How Long Should You Leave Between Connecting Flights?
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And while there’s no one magic number for how long travelers need to change flights, knowing how connections work-and some tips for timing them-can make the process of switching flights a lot less painful. No matter how much of a savvy flier you think you are, odds are you've found yourself sprinting through the airport at breakneck speed to make a connection at one point in time (hey, it happens to the best of us).