Is 90 minutes enough for an international layover?

Allowing yourself at least a 60-minute layover for domestic flights and a two-hour layover time for international flights can often be a much more comfortable and stress-free journey than booking a flight with a very tight connection.



A 90-minute international layover is considered a "tight but legal" connection in 2026. Whether it is "enough" depends entirely on your transit airport and whether you are on a "protected" single booking. For example, in efficient hubs like Zurich (ZRH) or Munich (MUC), 90 minutes is ample time. However, in massive airports like London Heathrow (LHR), Paris (CDG), or New York (JFK), 90 minutes can be extremely risky. You must factor in the time it takes to taxi to the gate (up to 20 minutes), clear transit security, and sometimes clear immigration or change terminals via a shuttle train. If your first flight is even 20 minutes delayed, you will likely miss your connection. If you have to re-check bags or are on separate tickets, 90 minutes is impossible. In 2026, many travel experts recommend a minimum of 2.5 to 3 hours for international-to-international connections to account for unpredictable security lines and the sheer distance between gates. If you do book a 90-minute layover, ensure you are seated near the front of the plane to deboard quickly.

People Also Ask

For international layover flights booked on one airline, two hours is often recommended to make your connection.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

At a minimum, I'd say you should plan for one hour for domestic layovers and two hours for international layovers. But this is not a hard, fast rule! If you have to go through security again on a domestic layover, you might need more time.

MORE DETAILS

If you miss your connection booked with the same airline that your were on for your first flight, and the issue is due to a delayed take off or anything else that's in the hands of your airline, it's the airline's responsibility to rebook you on the next available flight.

MORE DETAILS

Most (but again, not all) airports connect international terminals airside. When you're connecting from an international flight to a domestic one, you'll always have to exit and reenter security as you'll need to go through customs and immigration (unless you have gone through preclearance aboard, which is rare).

MORE DETAILS

The recommended layover time for domestic flights is normally one hour. However, as previously stated, you may require longer if your flights are booked with two different airlines, if you are traveling to a very busy airport or if you require special assistance.

MORE DETAILS

While, generally, the airline won't wait for connecting passengers, there might be some exceptions. If a flight is delayed, and there are many passengers who are connecting from this delayed flight onto the same connecting flight, the airline will hold the connecting flight for these passengers.

MORE DETAILS

No matter what airline you're flying, if you have a connecting flight that arrives in the United States from an international destination, you'll need to pick up your bags and recheck them on your next flight.

MORE DETAILS

To make an international to international connection: 45 minutes. Airport guidelines also suggest a minimum of 45 minutes for international connections, but given the size of the airport, allowing 60-90 minutes would provide a more comfortable buffer.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Minimum connecting time recommended by EASY CDG* 60 minutes for connections within the same terminal. 90 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals. * Only apply if travelling on a single ticket and any baggage checked through to your final destination.

MORE DETAILS

It depends on the airline,how late the connecting flight will arrive,crew duty hours, slots at the airports and how many passengers will be transferring. They will also check the passenger load on the next outbound flight.

MORE DETAILS

They will often wait a little while, especially if it's the last flight of the day and even moreso if there are multiple passengers making the same connection. I've had Delta wait for me after inbound connection delays on several occasions.

MORE DETAILS

When you're traveling outside of the United States, we suggest arriving at least 3 hours prior to your departure. You must be checked in at least 1 hour before your scheduled departure. Additionally, we recommend being at the gate and ready to board 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

MORE DETAILS

“When an airline makes a decision to connect you with a flight that has a 45-minute connection, it probably has you in the same concourse, or a concourse over,” Mayers says. “It knows that you will have enough time to get to your gate.”

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.

MORE DETAILS