Free tool
Layover time checker
Is your connection long enough? Tell us what happens between your flights, from changing terminals to passport control, and see whether your layover is comfortable, tight or risky, with practical advice. Free, no sign-up.
Your connection
Risky
25m short
Layover 1h 30m · rough time needed 1h 55m
- Leave the plane and walk (large airport)~25m
- Change terminals~20m
- Passport or immigration control~30m
- Security screening again~20m
- Boarding usually closes before departure~20m
- On a single ticket, the airline should only sell connections that meet its minimum connection time, and will normally rebook you if a delay on the first flight makes you miss the second.
- This connection is shorter than the steps it involves. Consider a later onward flight, or confirm with the airline that the connection is protected.
- Not sure about passport control? Check whether you enter a new country or area, such as the Schengen area, at the connecting airport.
Step times are rough planning assumptions, not official minimum connection times. Airlines and airports set those per airport; check with your airline for your exact flights.
How the estimate works
The checker adds a rough time for each step of your connection: about 15 minutes to leave the plane and walk at a smaller airport or 25 at a large hub, 20 for a terminal change, 30 for passport control, 20 for security again and 30 to collect and re-check bags. It allows 20 minutes because boarding usually closes before departure, and 10 more for each extra factor such as travelling with children.
With separate tickets it adds a 90-minute buffer, because a late first flight is your risk rather than the airline's. These are planning assumptions, not official figures: real times vary by airport, time of day and queue lengths.
One ticket or separate tickets?
This matters more than the number of minutes. When both flights are on one ticket, the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination and should only sell connections that meet its minimum connection time. If a delay makes you miss the second flight, it will normally rebook you.
With separate tickets, the second airline usually has no obligation to wait or rebook you. Combining tickets can save money, as our guide on how to find cheap flights explains, but leave a much longer gap.
If you miss your connection
On a single ticket, go to the airline's transfer desk or use its app to be rebooked, and keep receipts for any food or accommodation. Depending on where you're flying and why you were delayed, you may have rights to care and, in some cases, compensation; check official sources such as the EU's air passenger rights pages or the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
Plan the rest of the trip
Our free AI trip planner builds a day-by-day itinerary around your flight times, with a budget estimate. No sign-up needed.
Frequently asked questions
How does the layover time checker work?
You enter your layover length and what the connection involves, such as changing terminals, passport control or re-checking bags. The checker adds a rough time for each step and compares the total with your layover to show how much margin you have.
Is this the airline's minimum connection time?
No. Airlines and airports set official minimum connection times for each airport. On a single ticket, the airline should only sell connections that meet them. This tool uses transparent planning assumptions to judge how comfortable a connection feels.
Why does 'not sure' count as yes?
If you don't know whether you'll change terminals or go through passport control, it's safer to plan as if you will. The checker then suggests how to find out, for example by asking at check-in.
What if my flights are on separate tickets?
The checker adds a large buffer and a warning. With separate tickets, the second airline usually isn't responsible if a delay on the first flight makes you miss it, so you may need to buy a new ticket.
Working out costs too? Try our free trip budget calculator.