Do I have to go through customs if I have a layover in London?

CONNECTING FLIGHTS If your baggage is checked through to your final destination, that's where you clear customs. If you're collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight yourself, you need to pass through customs at Heathrow.



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Everyone who boards an aircraft at Heathrow has to be security screened to UK government standards. Even if you've already been through security checks at another airport, we're obliged to screen you again before you fly from Heathrow.

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Customs and immigration are usually required at the connecting airport for international flights. You don't always have to for domestic flights. In most cases, passengers on layover flights must clear customs and immigration at the first point of entry.

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Most people who have a layover in London try to leave the airport if they have 6 hours or more (depending on which airport you fly into). But there are a few things you should take into consideration on whether you CAN or SHOULD leave the airports to go outside in London.

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The Best Way To Spend an 7-8 Hours Layover in London
  1. Visit Buckingham Palace.
  2. Take a Spin on the London Eye.
  3. Browse the Stalls at Borough Market.
  4. Shop till You Drop on Oxford Street.
  5. See Big Ben and Parliament Up Close.
  6. Admire St Paul's Cathedral.
  7. Take a Walk in Hyde Park.
  8. Check Out Covent Garden.


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The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

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Do You Have To Go Through Customs During A Layover? Customs and immigration are usually required at the connecting airport for international flights. You don't always have to for domestic flights. In most cases, passengers on layover flights must clear customs and immigration at the first point of entry.

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Arriving in a foreign country might require you to go through immigration and clear customs, even if you're only staying there for a brief layover. If you're flying on two separate itineraries with checked bags, you'll have to retrieve your luggage and recheck it.

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For domestic to domestic layovers, you normally won't have to go through security again during your layover. However, for all international layovers, you will normally have to go through security again, but this will depend on individual airport policy.

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What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

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If your itinerary was purchased as one ticket (as in: you have only one itinerary and one confirmation number), and the connection time was too short and you miss the second (or third) flight, you can rest easy, no matter what happens. The airline will simply put you onto the next available flight, free of charge.

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You might have to go through customs during a layover, especially if your layover is in the Schengen Area (which consists of most countries in the EU). For example, if your final destination is Paris, France, but you have a layover in Madrid, Spain, you will actually go through customs in Spain, not France.

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You'll need to pick-up your luggage, then check it in again for the next flight. Top Tip: A wait at the airport between two connecting flights is called a layover. For more travel advice, check out our guide to dealing with a short layover.

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When layover flights are booked with the same airline, your baggage will be automatically transferred through to your final destination. However, if the two flights are with different airlines, you may have to claim and re-check your baggage during your layover.

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If your flights were booked under one ticket, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If your flights were booked under separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and recheck them before your connecting flight.

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Two to three hours is the minimum recommended time for an international layover, but more might be needed. Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020.

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Transit. Another point of confusion is layover vs stopover or transit. Once again, a layover is a stop that lasts less than 24 hours, while a stopover lasts 24 hours or more. On the other hand, Transit is simply the act of returning to the same aircraft after your layover at the airport.

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If you have a layover and both flights are part of the same itinerary and booked on a single ticket, you typically do not need to check in again. Your checked baggage is usually tagged through to your final destination, and you would proceed directly to your connecting gate after going through security.

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London is home to some of the world's top theaters, and taking in a show in the West End is the perfect way to enjoy your London layover. Or, you could hop on the London Underground over to London Bridge, eat the street food at Borough Market and catch a play at either the National Theatre or Shakespeare's Globe.

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If you are passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country, you may need a UK transit visa. Transit visas are required by some nationals who are passing through the UK en-route to another country within 24 or 48 hours.

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