Layover Connection Times
- Adam Garrett
- Mar 17, 2024
- 1 min read
Above - United Lounge Terminal C - Near 124 - rated 4/4 stars on Lounge Buddy (which is rare) - image by Adam
My Typical Scenario Where I Have Solid Lounge Access Freely Available & Mobile Work Flexibility
I enjoy traveling, &...
have a solid setup for lounge access via the
Amex business platinum (Centurion lounges and some lounges not available on the Ritz Carlton card),
Ritz Carlton credit card (access to unlimited guests in some cases at Priority Pass lounges, & access to restaurants within Priority Pass),
United business credit card (2 free lounge passes a year)
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard (unlimited AA lounge visits)
Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® (1 lounge pass per year w/ ability to get more w spending)
enjoy good food & non-alcoholic non-carbonated drinks that I don't need to make or spend on
have an excellent mobile office setup, with most of my work able to be done remotely. Even if I didn't have work that I could do remotely, I never have enough time in the day to do that which I want to do outside of work, so getting free food/drinks while engaging in my other goals (i.e. educational, devotional, etc.) would also be solid.
My Personal Preferences for Long Layovers in Lounges If Not More Expensive, No Events to Miss, Etc.
With the above context in mind, I prefer longer layovers as long as the following are true:
It doesn't mean an early morning or a late night
There's an accessible lounge with good food & seats where I can plug in and be effective without hurting my back
I'm not inconveniencing someone else who doesn't value long times in a lounge
I don't have to spend much more for a longer layover (not to exceed the value of the food/drinks that I would otherwise be getting essentially)
If I'm traveling alone or for work, I prefer a longer layover than most who don't have as good of lounge access options.
Conversely, if I'm traveling with my baby, I prefer roughly 1.5 hr-2.5 hour connections in locations where I would be able to visit a lounge in between legs.
Lounge Policy Differences Before Initial Departure vs Layovers
I also prefer to get to the airport 3 hours early if that's not too early in the AM & the lounge is open since lounge access often opens up to passengers 3 hours early as long as the lounge is open & otherwise accessible at that time. Conversely, even long layovers (i.e. 6 hrs) typically let you access the lounge throughout that time if it's between flights and the lounge is otherwise accessible.
Factors that Determine the Ideal Connection Time:
Minimum Connection Time Determined by Airline
You typically won't even be able to book a minimum connection time that is less than that determined by the airline as long as you book a single flight sequence with one airline. Depending on factors like the airline(s), the airport, and whether or not it's a domestic or international flight will help determine the minimum connection time you are allowed. That minimum connection time means that the airline thinks it's worth it to risk needing to rebook you on another flight of theirs as long as you are going from gate to gate without stops or with a <5-minute stop. They aren't factoring in you stopping by a lounge, getting something to eat at a sit-down restaurant, or otherwise.
In rare cases, these are too short for even the best of circumstances, i.e. a 15-minute minimum connection time that One Mile at a Time found with Ethiopian Airlines.
In addition to an airline's minimum connection time, a mileage-based currency could have a minimum connection time as well that's greater than that of the airline.
Airline Minimum Connection Times are Often Too Short to Make It
Perhaps my favorite travel hacking author is Ben Schlappig with One Mile at a Time. He argues in an article about AA's minimum connection time of 25 minutes at some airports that the minimum connection times need to be increased. He avoids 40 minute connections at most hubs even when it's allowed. He states the following:
"Keep in mind that just because you can book an itinerary with the minimum connection time doesn’t mean that you should. After all, if you book a really short connection, you’re increasing your odds of misconnecting...
As a pretty frequent American flyer, I find that most hubs have a minimum connection time of 40 minutes, and of course that’s already pushing it. The exception is Phoenix, which also has a 25-minute MCT, though that’s a hub I generally avoid (just due to the geography, given that I live in Florida).
25 minutes seems extreme for Austin (where all the gates are close to one another), and it seems even more absurd for Phoenix, where you have a huge terminal.
On the most basic level:
It can easily take 10 minutes to get off a plane, especially if you’re seated toward the back
American Airlines advises customers that “boarding ends 15 minutes before departure”
So that leaves you (*gets out calculator*)… zero minutes to make your connection... In general I think it’s time airlines overhaul their minimum connection times. I get that planes only make money when they’re flying, and that airlines have heavily banked hubs, and that customers want itineraries that look like they have the shortest possible travel time.
But then when things go even a little bit wrong, you see a half-mile long line at the customer service desks at American’s major hubs."
One airline employee remarked in response to his article the following:
"We have been commenting/complaining about this for years during numerous crew/employee town halls. We know it sets the passengers up for failure and disappointment but no one in upper management seems to care. It just leaves the front line employees there to clean up the mess… I guess upper managements version of “going for great / taking care of people on life’s journey” is a lot different from ours"
How Fast Can You Move in the Airport?
I'm faster than most when moving through an airport. I've literally ran from gate to gate before to make a connection after a leg was delayed. However, I've often been slowed down by others in my party if we were trying to stay together. Also, if I'm carrying a hefty personal item and a hefty carry-on, I won't be as mobile, and if I try to be, there's a decent chance I'll hurt my back.
Do You Need to Check Bags?
If so, you probably shouldn't get that tight connection because even if you can get to the next gate in time, your bags might not be so blessed.
The Airport Size/Efficiency You are Transiting Through
Some airports are much more efficient than others, and tiny airports don't even need to be that efficient for you to walk from the furthest gate to the only other gate in the whole airport.
Worst Airports for On-Time Connections
The Manual states that the following airports are the worst in the US for a tight connection:
state | |
Denver International Airport (DEN) | CO |
O’Hare International Airport (ORD) | IL |
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | UT |
John Wayne Airport (SNA) | CA |
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) | NY |
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | NY |
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) | MN |
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | TX |
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | CA |
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) | MI |
Will You be Freely Accessing a Lounge? If So, Is It a Good One?
For those with lounge access, whether via a credit card, status with an airline, or military status, it's good to check out the options for lounges that you will likely have. I recommend doing that on the Lounge Buddy app. The top metric to check, in my opinion, is the lounge's Lounge Buddy rating. The 2nd is whether or not the lounge offers premium free food. Some lounges have things like a pool, a free massage, games, places to sleep, showers, and more. If you have a bad back like me, be sure to look for comfy chairs, though you won't often find a well rated lounge without comfy seating arrangements.
Maximum Connection Time Determined by Airline
In some cases, people intentionally will book very long layovers so that they not only can experience the airport and what it has to offer, but also to experience the city that the airport is located in or near. Some airlines allow free or low cost stopovers on cash or points awards. Common examples include points bookings with a stopover in London or Istanbul. In some cases (especially in Europe & the Middle East), you can even get a free night at a hotel if you choose to include a long stopover.
In addition to an airline's minimum connection time, a mileage-based currency could have a maximum connection time as well that's greater than that of the airline. That said, in some cases, the maximum connection time on an online portal (i.e. Avianca Lifemiles) can be waived to a more typical time by calling over the phone to book (i.e. on United).
Related Conde Nast Article:
Travel Protections (i.e. use the right credit card)
Some airlines have much better travel protection policies than others, and the kind of ticket you get & whether or not you add an additional paid layer of protection helps to determine the level of protections within some airlines.
Some credit cards (i.e. the Ritz Carlton credit card, even when paying the fees on a miles based flight) also have much better travel protections than others, but you typically need to use your own credit card to book rather than your company booking for you in order for you to have access to credit card protections, if available on your credit card. Sometimes people will intentionally book a flight where a missed connection would be likely or a flight would be full just so that travel protections would be triggered &/or so that they could get a flight voucher.
What Will Happen if You Miss a Flight?
It's good to know about what will happen if you miss a flight. What flight alternatives would be available to you?
If your flight is the last flight to a destination for the day, consider the consequences of an overnight stay.
If your flight is to a doctor's appointment that required months of advanced notice, is it really worth a short connection and getting there quickly?
If you booked with Turkish Miles and Smiles flying United, those options could be very limited, and you may need to even wait a few days before you can get something for free, where many would opt to buy something separately rather than waiting around.
What Will You Miss if You Have a Long Layover?
If you have kids and you left your spouse to travel, you probably don't want a short layover due to the prospect of missing your connection. That said, you probably won't want a layover more than 2 hrs either as long as the pricing isn't too much higher to get a shorter layover/itinerary.
How Long Before Departure Does Boarding Stop?
While sometimes a flight will depart earlier than these times, it's good to know them anyways as your ticket may be given to someone else if you arrive at the gate 5 minutes early. That said, the below numbers are the airline minimums. Airport minimums may be higher. For instance, Gary Leff with View from the Wing reports the following, when the minimum time for boarding with AA is supposed to be 15 minutes:
"I’ve had passengers tell me they’ve arrived at their boarding gate in Charlotte more than 15 minutes to departure only to find their boarding door closed. And I’m told by employees on the ground there that at least some managers are enforcing 20 minute door closes when no more passengers are boarding (even if checked-in passengers haven’t yet boarded)."
The below are per TPG,
Airline | Domestic Deadline at Gate | International Deadline at Gate |
Alaska Airlines | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
American Airlines | 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
Delta | 15 minutes | 45 minutes |
JetBlue | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
Southwest (keep in mind that in this case, you especially want to arrive early if it is a full flight w/ middle seats due to seating style with no seat assignments) | 10 minutes required; 30 minutes encouraged | 10 minutes required; 30 minutes encouraged |
United Airlines | 15 minutes | 30 minutes |
Airline Reliability
It's best to budget some additional cushion for minimum time needed between flights for less reliable airlines.
According to Cirium, the most reliable airlines in North America for on time arrival are:
Airline | On time ranking (those <1% from next highest up have ABC also) | On time arrival | On time Departure |
Delta Air Lines (DL) | 1 | 84.72% | 84.24% |
Alaska Airlines (AS) | 2 | 82.25% | 84.32% |
American Airlines (AA) | 3 | 80.61% | 82.19% |
United Airlines (UA) | 3B | 80.04% | 81.03% |
Southwest Airlines (WN) | 4 | 76.26% | 75.36% |
Spirit Airlines | 5 | 71.16% | not listed |
WestJet | 6 | 69.29% | not listed |
Frontier Airlines | 6B | 68.68% | not listed |
JetBlue Airways | 6C | 68.33% | not listed |
Air Canada | 7 | 63.17% | not listed |
See airline reliability ratings here: US Airline Ratings
Special Needs Not Possible in Flight
If you have issues like a bad back, the need for a wheelchair, a baby that needs a diaper change, or otherwise, it might be good to have some extra time in between flights.
What To Do if You Have a Short Connection:
Don't Check Bags & Tips on Checked Bags if You Do
Even if you get on the plane, that doesn't mean that your checked bag will get beyond the connection. If you do check a bag, I recommend an iPhone Air Tag, even if you don't have an iPhone (i.e. me, though I have an iPad Pro). So much baggage is completely lost that there's a market for it. Also, have personally identifiable information clearly on your bag with a bag tag. I've been doing the latter since I was a kid. Also, use a credit card with baggage protections, if possible.
Skip the Lounge
While it might be tempting to try to go in and out of the lounge quickly (especially if the lounge offers grab and go options), consider carefully before missing your flight for the sake of some free food. Planes will leave before their scheduled departure without people in some cases.
If Not Too Short of a Connection, Prioritize Lounge Accessibility Over Quality
It's nice to see the amenities and ratings of lounges with ease on places like Lounge Buddy. That said, if you have enough time for a lounge, but not enough time to get to the best lounge (especially one outside of security), prioritize accessibility over the ideal so that you have more time to experience a lower quality lounge than to be in and out of a high quality lounge with no grab and go options.
Skip the Full Mobile Office Set Up
If you have an elaborate mobile office setup like me, but you'll only be in the lounge for 30 minutes or less, you may want to not spend 4 minutes for a full mobile office setup & tear down, but instead spend 1 minute on a partial mobile office set up for the 15 minutes you might have to eat and work.
Check Lounge Wait Times (if possible)
In some cases, while you might theoretically be able to access a lounge with a 1 hour connection time, it won't actually be possible because of
What To Do if You Have a Long Connection:
If Long Enough of a Connection, Prioritize Quality Over Accessibility
It's nice to see the amenities and ratings of lounges with ease on places like Lounge Buddy. If you have enough time for a decent amount of time at the best freely accessible lounge the airport has to offer without missing your flight, go for that quality as long as you don't have mobility issues. If you have mobility difficulties, see if you can get some support from the airport, like a ride on one of the golf cart looking vehicles. Some lounges are outside of security. Even if you have TSA Pre, be cautious about these; check wait times online prior for getting back through security.
Engage the Full Mobile Office Set Up
If you have an elaborate mobile office setup like me, and after spending 15 minutes on check in and getting food, you have the option to spent spend at least 30 minutes, or at least an hour, depending on personal preferences, consider getting your full mobile office setup. Here's one version of mine:
Engage More Long Term Amenities
Some amenities can't be engaged in well in under 15 minutes, like a massage, dip in a pool, or a nap in a dedicated bedroom. If it's been a long 1st flight, consider taking a shower if the lounge has one available.
Consider Lounge Hopping
If you have 3+ hours between flights, and the ratings are similar between lounges, with some lounges relatively close in proximity, it's not a bad idea to check out a few lounges if you want to experience a more diverse array of foods, drinks, and amenities. You might find that you prefer some of both or 1 over another.
Related:
Above: Centurion Lounge at LGA - image by Adam
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