Embrace the layover: It's time to give up on booking short connections to save airline miles - The Points Guy (2023)

FAQs

What does short connection mean when booking a flight? ›

When you only have a very limited time to make your connecting flight, this is called a short layover (or a tight connection). A layover is different from a stopover, which is normally over 24 hours and may allow you enough time to explore the place you're stopping.

Two hours. Mayers recommends two hours as a standard buffer between flights to be safe. This gives you a cushion in case things go wrong during your journey. You'll definitely want at least a two-hour window if you've booked a “hacker fare,” as opposed to flying with the same airline your entire trip.

The airline will simply put you onto the next available flight, free of charge. No need to worry uselessly.

Nonstops and direct flights earn point-to-point miles; connecting flights earn the sum of the miles from the individual segments. The latter, according to the laws of geometry, will always be greater than the former.

Definitely tell the flight attendants about your connection, and ask nicely if there's anything they can do to help you make it. They might make an announcement asking passengers who do not have a tight connection to remain in their seats while others deplane first, or they might be able to reseat you up front.

If you can't avoid connecting, don't book the shortest layover, because you'll be building in stress and the possibility of missing your flight. A 1-hour layover is not enough anymore. Thirty minutes, not a chance. In most cases, 3 hours is safe.

Naturally, this will require much more than the above-mentioned MCT and it is your responsibility to make sure that you have enough time to do all that. The rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of 3 hours between flights if they are not part of the same ticket.

How long does a layover need to be to leave the airport? Because layovers are your choice, you can leave whenever you like, but seasoned travelers, including McGee, seldom leave airports for less than six hours. After all, airports themselves aren't usually in bustling, interesting areas.

“Hidden city ticketing,” or booking a flight with the intention of getting off at the layover city rather than the final destination, is perfectly legal, but there are some factors to consider before making it a habit. According to Business Insider, hidden city ticketing is a sneaky way to save money.

The short answer is yes. It is possible to exit and reenter the airport. Whether or not you should depends on a range of factors, including if you're traveling internationally or domestically and how much time you have between flights.

Is a 45 minute layover too short for checked baggage? ›

Recommended minimum connection times

American: Reported to be 25 minutes. Delta: 30-minute minimum connection time. Southwest: At least 30 minutes if you have checked bags. United: 30-minute minimum for domestic, 60 minutes for international.

While not illegal, intentionally skipping segments on an itinerary does almost always violates airlines' contracts of carriage.

What is the difference between a layover and connecting flight? While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A layover is the time you spend at the airport between two flights. A connecting flight is the next flight in your itinerary that you're waiting at the airport to take.

Frontier Airlines offers the most rewarding domestic airline program, in terms of the value of miles earned. Both Alaska and Frontier still grant reward miles based on the number of miles flown versus flight cost.

The main difference between a stopover and layover is length of time. Stopover rules vary by airline, but are essentially longer layovers — at least 24 hours in length. Layovers, meanwhile, are connections less than a day in length depending on if you're flying domestically or internationally.

If you are yearning to speak with someone about your anxiety, don't be afraid to walk into the flight attendant cabin and tell them exactly what is going on. Be honest about your experience- you have anxiety and you are currently experiencing an anxiety attack.

This helps keep costs down and ensures that passengers can get to their destination on time. Additionally, having shorter layovers gives travelers more flexibility when booking flights since they don't need to worry about long waits between connections.

Convey Your Personality. Much of the cabin crew interview process naturally focuses on you and your personality. If a potential employer asks about your hobbies, avoid mentioning anything that might hamper your job performance during a layover.

Security-clearance programs are available at select U.S. and international airports. As a rule of thumb, on domestic routes, you need a minimum of 45 minutes between flights. That's because you don't have to go through security, customs, and immigration.

A one hour layover should allow you to make your connection on a domestic flight without any issues in the majority of cases. If there is a substantial delay to your original flight then you might run into some trouble but even then a lot of times you can still make your connection.

Is 60 minutes enough for a layover? ›

For peace of mind, particularly when connecting in a large city, try to schedule a layover of at least 60 minutes. If you have gate-checked items or are traveling with someone with special needs, extend your connection time to 90 minutes if possible.

If your incoming flight is on schedule it should be plenty of time. If you miss your connection the airline will rebook you on another flight. Usually your luggage will automatically be transferred.

If the airline you are traveling has issued a ticket with 40 minutes connecting time, yes indeed that's sufficient. Different airports have different minimum connecting times or M C T.

What happens if I miss my connecting flight? Airlines will rebook you on the next available flight if you miss your connecting flight due to something that's not your fault (flight delay or bad weather).

Yes, in the vast majority of cases you can leave the airport during a layover in the US and even when traveling internationally. However, whether or not you should leave the airport is an altogether different question.

Most airlines only provide free hotel accommodations for passengers that have a layover between 8-12 hours or overnight. However, each airline is different, so be sure to check your carrier's website. Some airlines like Air Canada, Hainan, and XiamenAir allow for layovers over 6 hours.

2 hours is not enough time to leave the airport regardless of whether you are travelling domestically or internationally. Most airlines recommend you check in for your flight 1:30–2 hours before your flight. You don't want to be stuck in the screening line with 30 minutes before your departure.

No, you cannot skip the first leg of any itinerary. As stated above, after you've skipped a flight, all remaining flight legs on your itinerary will be canceled by the airline. It may seem silly, but this is a common mistake many infrequent travelers make.

Yes, even the Skiplagged website itself warns against using this method often. Airlines could suspend your frequent flyer account and seize your miles like United has threatened, or worse. Some travelers who have used and abused this tactic have been sued.

Throwaway ticketing is purchasing a ticket with the intent to use only a portion of the included travel. This situation may arise when a passenger wants to travel only one way, but where the discounted round-trip excursion fare is cheaper than a one-way ticket.

Will my bags make a 30-minute layover? ›

There is never any guarantee that bags will make a connection, but a longer layover does increase the chances. A 53-minute connection will work under normal circumstances, but your chances would be far better will an additional hour or so, especially if your first flight is slightly delayed.

No, a layover of 90 minutes is not enough, to be absolutely safe you should get a layover is 2–3 hours long to give yourself enough time to go through customs, also with some international flights you will have to go to C baggage claim fee you're checked bag if you checked a bag, then you will have to recheck your bag.

Missing a Connection with the Same Airline

If you miss your connection booked with the same airline that your were on for your first flight, and the issue is due to a delayed take off or anything else that's in the hands of your airline, it's the airline's responsibility to rebook you on the next available flight.

But by skipping a leg of a connecting flight, you're breaching the airline's Conditions of Carriage, which gives them the right to cancel all of your frequent flyer points and any other bonuses. It's the only REAL penalty that airlines sometimes (but still very rarely) enforce.

Layovers are preferable if you want to save some money and have enough time in your travel schedule. Layover flights are usually cheaper than both direct and non-stop flights. Though you might spend a lot of time landing, disembarking and with layovers, you get to rest and stretch in between your journey.

The airline is aware of your connection and will sometimes tell you which gate you need for your next flight. They might even offer assistance if you have a short connection time. Crucially, if your first flight is delayed, and you miss your second, they will put you on another flight to your final destination.

A layover is a connection that lasts no longer than 4 hours for domestic flights and no longer than 24 hours for International flights. Layovers are fairly common, especially overnight layovers, but usually they aren't long enough to benefit you.

Based on BTS data from July 2021 to June 2022, two airlines topped an 80% on-time percentage. Hawaiian Airlines took the top prize with 86%. Delta Air Lines landed just behind Hawaiian with an 84% on-time percentage.

If your goal is to get or maintain a good credit score, two to three credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit, are generally recommended. This combination may help you improve your credit mix. Lenders and creditors like to see a wide variety of credit types on your credit report.

What airline is best for loyalty? ›

Winner: Alaska Airlines

After winning in 2022, 2021 and 2020, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan takes top honors for the fourth year in a row — but the competition is narrowing.

Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.

Two hours. Mayers recommends two hours as a standard buffer between flights to be safe. This gives you a cushion in case things go wrong during your journey. You'll definitely want at least a two-hour window if you've booked a “hacker fare,” as opposed to flying with the same airline your entire trip.

The recommended layover time for domestic flights is normally one hour. However, as previously stated, you may require longer if your flights are booked with two different airlines, if you are traveling to a very busy airport or if you require special assistance.

If you miss your connection booked with the same airline that your were on for your first flight, and the issue is due to a delayed take off or anything else that's in the hands of your airline, it's the airline's responsibility to rebook you on the next available flight.

What happens if a flight is delayed and you miss your connection? If you miss your connection due to a delay, usually the airline is responsible for providing you with a replacement flight to your destination. They will have to book you on the earliest possible flight available.

For domestic flights in the U.S. minimum connection times range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, and for international connections, from 1 to 3 hours.

Although it's difficult to say exactly how much time should be left between connecting flights, you should always try to have at least an hour for domestic connecting flights and at least two hours for international connecting flights.

If you are connecting on a different airline, airlines are not required to provide compensation if a delay on the first flight causes you to miss your connection. However, if your first flight is delayed for more than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation from the airline that caused the delay.

No, if your first flight is delayed and you won't make it in time to catch your connecting flight, the plane won't wait for you. However, if you're travelling on a through-ticket, the airline must rebook you on their next available flight to your destination, provided that there are seats available.

Do airlines know if your connecting flight is delayed? ›

They usually won't. However, if the delay is due to crew, mechanical problems, etc., then they will provide a hotel room for you if you miss the connection. In either case, they'll rebook you on the first flight with an available seat the next day.

Skipping the last leg of the flight, however, is perfectly legal, and the only risks are that the connecting airport may change ahead of time, or your bonus points might be canceled for not showing up.

The airline is obligated to offer you a full refund or the difference between the price of the original and the new ticket, if the latter is more expensive. You can also opt for a refund and a flight back to the airport you departed from. The airline is obligated to do this for free.

Technically, yes, but if you skip a flight on a multi-flight itinerary, any subsequent flights on your itinerary will be canceled—including your return flights. It's also important to note that if you skip your connecting flights often, the airline may impose penalties such as voiding your frequent flyer miles.

Recommended minimum connection times

American: Reported to be 25 minutes. Delta: 30-minute minimum connection time. Southwest: At least 30 minutes if you have checked bags. United: 30-minute minimum for domestic, 60 minutes for international.

As a rule of thumb, on domestic routes, you need a minimum of 45 minutes between flights. That's because you don't have to go through security, customs, and immigration.

Also known as point beyond ticketing, hidden city ticketing is a way to find cheaper nonstop tickets by booking a connecting flight to a final destination beyond yours, but ending your journey at a layover point.

Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.

On flights with layovers, your luggage will usually be transferred between the flights, so you only need to deal with your carry-on during the layover. However, you should confirm this with the check-in desk or call the airline beforehand.