How do you board a flight after a layover?

You might only receive your first boarding pass when you check-in for the first time. If so, then you will have to find the correct ticket counter at the layover airport and get your second boarding pass for the new flight.



Boarding a flight after a layover involves a few specific steps that vary depending on whether you are traveling domestically or internationally. If you are on a domestic layover with a single airline, you typically stay within the "airside" of the terminal; you simply get off your first plane, check the "Departures" monitors for your next gate, and walk there. You do not need to clear security again or reclaim your checked bags, as they are "checked through" to your final destination. However, if you are on an international layover or switching to a different airline that doesn't have a baggage agreement, you may be required to pass through immigration, collect your luggage, and re-check it at the departures counter before clearing security again. Once at your new gate, the boarding process is identical to your first flight: you wait for your boarding group to be called and present your second boarding pass (either on your phone or paper) to the agent. In 2026, most major airports feature "Transfer Desks" that can help you if your first flight was delayed and you missed your connection, ensuring you are rebooked on the next available flight.

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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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If you purposely choose to miss a connecting flight, or if you are otherwise responsible for missing it, the airline is under no obligation to pay you compensation or to rebook you. You can ask them to help you book a new flight, but this will have to come out of your own pocket.

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Is skiplagging illegal? No, but it's against most airlines' contracts of carriage or the rules people must follow to fly with the airline. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both put skiplagging first on their lists of prohibited booking practices.

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Generally, if you are on an internal flight, once you land for your stopover, you will pass through the transfer area that will take you to the gate for your next flight where check-in is not required.

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You'll need to clear customs and immigration. Next, you'll recheck your luggage for the domestic flight. Finally, you'll need to go through Transportation Security Administration screening. This may include a physical inspection of your luggage and personal items with a metal detector or a full-body scan.

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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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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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By default all connecting passengers have to go through security and plenty of airports do this for everyone regardless of where you come from (London (LHR), Paris (CDG), Doha (DOH), etc.)

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The practice goes by a few different names, including skiplagging or hidden-city flying. Passengers disembark at their layover city, leaving an empty seat on their next flight, and save money in the process. But airlines are cracking down on the practice, claiming it breaches their rules and costs them revenue.

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It's not against the law. But it is a violation of the contract of carriage you entered into when you bought your ticket. Many people do this. It's called “Hidden City Ticketing” and it's a practice that should be used lightly because the airline will just ban you in the future if you do this too much.

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When checking in your luggage in most cases it will be checked through to your last stop. When arriving at the connecting airport all you have to do is to go to your next gate and wait for the next plane, your next flight. There might be a security check in the terminal at the connecting airport.

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A direct flight is identified by a unique flight number. A transit flight, with a connection, has two distinct flight numbers. A flight that is not direct, or connecting flight, involves a change of aircraft.

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Yes, you can leave the airport during a layover, provided your passport allows you visa-free entry to the country you're in, and you have enough time between flights. In fact, some people intentionally book flights with longer layovers (which are often cheaper) so they get to see a new city.

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While skiplagging isn't illegal, American Airlines filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month against Skiplagged.com, accusing the company of unauthorized and deceptive ticketing practices and tricking customers into believing they've gained access to a secret loophole.

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But skiplagging is controversial, and many airlines frown upon it — so much that it can be punishable by miles or status cancellations and even a lifetime ban from the airline.

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Also known as 'hidden city' or 'throwaway' ticketing, this practice has become increasingly popular over the last few years. The cheap ticket hack involves buying a less expensive ticket with a layover in the city you want to travel to and then not catching the second flight.

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If you purposely choose to miss a connecting flight, or if you are otherwise responsible for missing it, the airline is under no obligation to pay you compensation or to rebook you. You can ask them to help you book a new flight, but this will have to come out of your own pocket.

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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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Throwaway ticketing is purchasing a ticket with the intent to use only a portion of the included travel. This situation may arise when a passenger wants to travel only one way, but where the discounted round-trip excursion fare is cheaper than a one-way ticket.

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Limit interaction with the airline's employees
He said passengers planning to use hidden city tickets should avoid in-person check-in and use online or mobile check-in instead. To avoid arousing suspicion when skiplagging, fly under the radar and avoid speaking to airline staff unless necessary.

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