Here are our Top Four Tips for Connecting Flights:
First, Be prepared!
Chicago O’Hare Airport Map (United Airlines)
Check your gates in advance and review an airport map. Have a rough idea of where you’re going ahead of time. Leverage your airline’s app and check it while you’re inflight. These gates can change!
Second, Read the signs.
Sign in the Atlanta Airport
Trust them. They may seem to be sending you on a wild goose chase, but they’re not. Trust the signs.
There are plenty of airports where the signs seem to make no sense, but they actually do. Frankfurt Airport is a great example of this. You’ll be doing U-Turns galore, but eventually, you’ll always get to your destination. Eventually. Trust the signs!
Third, if you’re in doubt, just ask for help.
There’s always someone who can help!
You can find someone in a uniform and there’s a pretty good chance they’ll be able to help you out.
On all of my many trips through airports around the world, I have seen countless aviation professionals offering help to passengers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most airports — and airlines — have customer service desks, but you don’t have to limit yourself to those resources. Look for someone in a uniform. There’s a good chance they can help you out!
Finally, stay calm.
It’ll all work out!
You probably have more time than you think. And, as a gate agent once told me, you’re never really late for your flight. You’re just early for the next one!
Each airport has a Minimum Connection Time, which is the shortest allowable connection. Your scheduled connection will not likely be less than that. And, if you’re late due to a problem with the airline, there’s a good chance you’re not alone and the airline is already actively working on fixing your problem.
Your Thoughts?
What have we missed? Let us know by leaving a comment below. What other tips and suggestions do you have for maximizing a connection?
Thanks Jeb me and Sam Chapman love you.
Thanks so much, Ollie. Definitely appreciate your support! – Jeb Brooks
Be amongst the first or last on the plane.
If you have any disability, let the airline know in advance.
It is tempting, but do not overeat or overdrink.
If you are sitting next to someone, do not let appearance scare you too much. With about three million miles, I have met unusual and great people. (And some nuts).
The nicer you are or pretend to be, with a flight attendant the easier the trip can be.
I have trusted you. Therefore, I like to pay attention and stay focused for the signs.
We had an hour and 20 minutes to clear immigration, do customs check at JFK and then recheck our bags for the ATL connection. Would that have enough? We re booked but Delta said that would not have been a problem. Your thoughts please. Thanks.
Hmmm…Twenty minutes seems very close for a flight at JFK. I’m surprised Delta would ticket that…
Thank you! I travel a lot!
New to air travel so please be patient. 1. If flying in and flight shows a 37 min. layover, do you think I will have enough time to catch a connection? Just your opinion.. 2. Will my luggage be removed from plane I am on and placed on other plane?
It depends on the airport you’re flying through. But, if you were able to buy the ticket, the connection is higher than the airport’s “Minimum Connection Time.” So, that means you should be able to make the connection. Here’s a link to a video we made about Minimum Connection Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l4ACoAQg64
Hi, not a US conection question:
At LHR, is it possible to leave the airport duriing a 14hr & 45min layover?
Yes. Clear customs, collect your bags and head out.
Be ready 2 /12 hours to 3 hours before the flight to recheck bags, clear security and get to the gate. That is to be safe. LHR is huge, and the lines can be awful
Hi Jeb, I am RDU based and am partial to Delta.. Wish you would review RDU-CDG Delta one flight.. It is convenient for me to go on this flight.. It was cancelled during COVID and had to go thru JFK most of the time to Delhi.. And I hate JFK.. Even the friendly Delta ground staff goes crazy and unfriendly at JFK..
and by the way, the signs at AMS for the lounge were terrible and not at all clear..
Thanks for this and your video about how to connect through the Atlanta airport.
This info has helped calm my anxiety about an upcoming trip with a layover at ATL. Thank you.
Domestic flight from DCA to ORD with a 57 minute layover to catch my flight to Denver – I’m a little concerned about the tight time frame. Any thoughts?
I just emailed Jeb about this the other day. I have very tight connections at two Delta hubs on a trip to Cancun recently. 55 minutes at MSP and then 1 hr 10 minutes at SLC. We were able to make both with time to spare and that included clearing customs on our return flight to SLC. Airlines won’t book you on a connection you can’t realistically make. The only hiccup would be a delay which could be unavoidable and you wouldn’t know that at the time of booking.