Will I get my luggage during a layover?

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.



Whether you collect your luggage during a layover depends primarily on the type of ticket you booked and the customs regulations of the transit country. If your journey is booked on a single "through-ticket" (one booking reference), your bags are typically tagged to your final destination and will be automatically transferred between planes. However, a major exception occurs during international-to-domestic transfers: for example, if you fly from London to New York and then on to Los Angeles, you must collect your bag at your first point of entry (NYC) to clear customs before re-dropping it at a dedicated transfer desk. Conversely, if you are transiting between two international flights in a major hub like Dubai or Singapore, you generally do not see your luggage. If you have "self-transited" by booking two separate tickets on different airlines, you will always need to collect your bags, exit the secure area, and check them in again for your next flight, which requires allowing significant extra time for immigration and security.

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If you checked a bag, you'll have to collect it from baggage claim from the international flight. 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.

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If luggage has been checked through to its final destination, it will generally remain in the baggage system and will not need to be claimed despite a layover. This is true whether the layover is several hours overnight or the same amount of time during the day.

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Do you have to go through security again for connecting flight? Yes, passengers usually have to re-clear security for connecting flights. It is recommended that travelers allow enough extra time before their connecting flight to pass through security and customs again.

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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 you checked a bag, you'll have to collect it from baggage claim from the international flight. You'll need to clear customs and immigration. Next, you'll recheck your luggage for the domestic flight.

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Many airlines offer complimentary transit visas or VOA (visa on arrival) and hotel accommodations to transiting passengers with extra-long layovers. In such cases, they tag your bags to the final destination and you cannot reclaim them even if you wish.

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Airlines will transfer your checked bags if a codeshare or interline agreement exists between them. You can find out what agreements your airline has by visiting their website.

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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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For domestic layovers, your checked luggage will be tagged to your final destination, so there's nothing for you to do while on your layover. Your bags will get taken off the first flight and loaded onto the second flight.

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If the time between flights is 1–2 hours, your checked baggage will probably make the connection. If there's more than three hours between flights, there's no excuse for your baggage not making it.

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When it came to airlines that lost the most baggage, that same study found that Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines came in ninth out of 17 major airlines. “Of all national airlines, American Airlines lost the most bags in 2022, losing 850 bags per 100,000.

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45 minutes is nowhere near enough time for the baggage crew to move a bag between planes. Second, both flights are on the same airline, which usually means both gates are on the same concourse.

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It can take as little as 5 minutes or as long as 90 minutes depending on a multitude of factors as well as the motivation of the baggage runner. Airlines are aware of tight connections way before the plane hits the ground. Whenever possible, an expedite runner is sent to connect Shocons (short connections).

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Baggage transfer For most transfers, you don't have to pick up your checked baggage. Airport staff will ensure it gets onto your next flight, so you only have to pick it up at your final destination.

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In most cases, your baggage will be checked through to your final destination. No further action is required on your part.

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Transfer and luggage Your luggage will be transferred automatically to your connecting flight. If you have booked two separate flights and your luggage is not checked through, you should allow enough time to pass through security and border controls and the possibility that your arriving flight could be delayed.

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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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Thanks to the airport's compact size and the famous Swiss efficiency, the minimum connection time between flights is just 40 minutes. However, to avoid having to rush through the airport or stress about missing your flight in case of delays, choose an itinerary with a layover of at least one hour.

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If the missed connection is the airline's fault (a delayed initial flight due to mechanical problems, for example), the airline should rebook you on the next available flight. If the next outbound flight is the following morning, the airline should either book you on another airline or provide accommodations and meals.

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What happens to the baggage during a stopover? As a rule, you do not have to worry about anything in this case. The luggage will arrive at your destination even in case of unscheduled flight cancellations or rebooking due to a missed connecting flight.

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