Connecting flights can be a great way to get to your destination, especially if direct flights aren’t available or are too expensive. But navigating connecting flights can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a newbie traveler trying to book connecting flights. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make connecting flights a breeze.
What are Connecting Flights?
A connecting flight is a journey that involves two or more flights to get to your final destination. This happens when there isn’t a direct flight between your departure and destination airports, and it is detailed in your flight itinerary. Instead you’ll fly to an intermediate airport and then take another flight to your final destination.
Cost
Connecting flights can be cheaper than direct flights so they’re a great option for budget travelers. However, potential delays from the first flight can significantly impact costs, especially if they lead to missed connections. But you need to factor in the additional costs of layovers such as meals, transportation between terminals or even overnight accommodation if the layover is long. Delays can also lead to unexpected expenses so it’s always good to plan for contingencies.
Choosing the Airline
Flying with the same airline for both legs of your journey can make things much simpler. When you book your entire trip with one airline, your baggage is usually transferred automatically between flights and you’ll get more assistance if there are delays or cancellations. This will save you time and stress during your journey.
The downside is that there are often significant savings by flying with multiple airlines. Read on to learn more about self-transfer.
Preparing for Connecting Flights
Booking and Planning
When booking connecting flights with multiple airlines, you need to consider not just the price but also the logistics of the journey. For example, you need to factor in the time it takes to get between gates especially if your connecting flight is in a big or unfamiliar airport.
If you’re changing countries during your layover, check if you need a transit visa. Some countries require one even if you’re just passing through to another destination. Get this visa as early as possible to avoid last minute issues.
Interline Baggage Agreements
Interline baggage agreements are partnerships between airlines that allow airlines to transfer your checked baggage from one airline to the another so you don’t need to collect and recheck luggage during your layover. These agreements can make things easier, but often entail a more expensive trip overall. Make sure to check if your airlines have this agreement before booking.
Baggage and Airport Connections
Automatic Baggage Transfer
If you’ve booked your entire trip on a single ticket, your baggage will be transferred automatically between flights. This is one of the benefits of booking with a single airline or airlines that have interline agreements. Once you check in your luggage at the start of your journey, you won’t have to worry about it again until you reach your final destination.
Baggage Handling with Low Cost Airlines
When flying with low cost airlines, it’s different. They may not have interline agreements with other airlines so you’ll need to pick up your luggage at the connecting airport and recheck it for the next leg of your journey. This can be time consuming and you may need to go through security again so plan ahead.
Finding Your Next Flight
After arriving at your connecting airport, one of the first things to do is to follow signs to find the terminal and gate of your next flight. Airports are big and confusing so knowing exactly where you need to go will save you time. If your connecting flight is in a different terminal, allow enough time to get there as this may involve a shuttle, tram or even a long walk. Most airlines also now offer mobile apps that can help you navigate your entire journey, including your connections.
Hidden City for Connecting Flights
What is Hidden City Ticketing?
Hidden City ticketing is a travel strategy where a passenger books a flight with a layover at their intended destination instead of booking a direct flight to that destination. The passenger then exits the airport at the layover city and skips the last leg of the journey. This can sometimes result in lower fares as airlines price flights based on demand and competition on specific routes.
Hidden City often gets called Skiplagging – check out our Ultimate Guide for more info.
How to Book Hidden City Connecting Flights
By definition, a hidden city flight is a connecting flight, but if an itinerary has two or more stops, you may actually have a layover before your hidden city destination.
If this happens, make sure you carry only hand luggage as any checked baggage will be sent to the final destination on the ticket. To find hidden city flights, use a specialized service like Skiplagged which is designed to find these opportunities and make the booking process easy.
What Is a Self-Transfer Flight?
Self-transfer refers to the practice of booking a connecting flight with two or more airlines. For example, a trip from New York to Los Angeles with a connection in Chicago could mean flying United from NYC to Chicago, and Frontier from Chicago to LA.
The rub of a self-transfer is that you are more exposed for the second leg of your trip. If you book NYC to LA via Chicago, but United has a delay or messes up your flight from NYC to Chicago, Frontier will not do anything to help protect or reimburse you for your flight from Chicago to LA.
The advantage of self-transferring is that you can save quite a bit of money, especially if your travel pattern puts you through a discount airlines’ hub city.
Self-Transfer on International Connections
Self-transfer can be especially valuable on international travel, where the number of airlines serving a particular international route might be quite small.
For example, let’s say you want to fly from San Francisco (SFO) to Chiang Mai (CNX) – the largest airport in Northern Thailand – on United airlines.
United does not offer flights to Chiang Mai, so they would instead offer a flight from SFO to Taipei, and then use a code share with EVA Airways (the 2nd largest Taiwanese airline) to offer you a flight from Taipei to Chiang Mai.However, EVA airlines is generally much more expensive than Nok Air, Thai Smile, or other Thai discount airlines.
To self-transfer, you would book a flight from San Francisco to Taipei on United, and then transfer (within the airport) from your United gate to a Thai discount airline for the Taipei to Chiang Mai leg.
This method can often offer significant savings by opting to use a discount airline for part of your trip rather than a flagship airline for the entire itinerary.
What to Do if You Miss a Connecting Flight
Get Help Immediately
If you miss a connecting flight, the first thing to do is to find an airline staff. It is crucial to manage your time effectively for the second flight, as this can impact your overall travel experience. They will be able to tell you what to do next including if your checked baggage has already been sent to your final destination or if it will be held at the connecting airport.
Rebooking Options
Traveling on a single ticket gives you more protection in case of a missed connection. The airline will usually rebook you on the next available flight for free. But if you’re traveling on separate tickets, rebooking is your responsibility and can be costly.
Extra Costs for Separate Tickets
If you’ve booked separate tickets for each leg of your journey, missing a connection can be expensive. Airlines are not obligated to rebook you for free so you might need to buy a new ticket. This is one of the risks of booking separate tickets to save money and something you should be aware of when planning your trip.
Tips for a Seamless Connecting Flights
Leave Enough Time Between Flights
One of the best way to have a smooth connection is to leave enough time between flights. While tight connections may seem convenient, they leave no room for delays. Aim for at least an hour for domestic connections and two hours for international ones but more time may be needed for large or busy airports.
This is especially important for self-transfers, where you are solely responsible for making your connection.
Tell Airline Staff
If you’re having a tight connection, tell the airline staff. Let the flight attendants know about your situation and they may be able to help by informing the gate agents at your next flight that you’re on your way. Some airlines may even give you priority disembarkation if your connection is very tight.
Go Straight to Your Gate
Once you land, go straight to your gate even if you have lounge access or see dining options. Better to be early and relaxed than to miss your flight because you misjudged the time it would take to get there. If you have extra time, you can always go back to the lounge or restaurant after you’ve confirmed your gate and time.
Summary
Connecting flights may seem daunting but with proper planning and knowledge, it can be relatively easy. By understanding how connecting flights work, preparing well and following the tips above, you can book and travel with confidence and have a stress-free journey to your final destination.
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