We’ve all been faced with the stress of trying to make a tight flight connection.
Often, when I’m booking flights, a curious scenario emerges: a cheap flight with a tight connection of 35-45 minutes. Yikes! How is this even possible when it takes 10-15 minutes to get off the plane and the doors to the next flight close 10-15 minutes before take-off? The plane would literally have to be parked at the next gate for this to be a success.
Of course, even if you do book an itinerary with a long layover, that could change due to a late take-off for that first flight. The reality is this: a plane is taking off whether or not you are on it. And don’t you want to be seated on that flight, according to plan?
For tips on how to manage a tight connection—because, yes, it is possible to pull it off—these seasoned flight attendants weigh in.
First, Talk to the Flight Attendants
While the captain is in charge of flying the plane, flight attendants manage the cabin. If you have a tight connection, tell them. “Inform them of your situation and see how they are willing to help,” advises flight attendant Hunter Lihas. “Any time we have any sort of extended delay, I will always make an announcement upon landing and kindly ask passengers not making connections to remain seated.” This allows passengers with tight connections to deplane first.
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“Resources are limited inflight, but asking and clear communication can go a long way,” says flight attendant Candace Torian.
Sit Near the Front of the Plane and Book an Aisle Seat
Just last weekend, about to board a flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth, I noticed the arrival time in Dallas had been adjusted to the point where my companion and I would now have 40 minutes to make our connecting flight. I asked an American Airlines employee at the gate to move us up—and he did. Now we were in row 8–not 19–and added precious minutes to our deplaning time. This is also a case where you may want to pay more to upgrade to an economy-plus seat when choosing seats. “If that fails, but there is a seat available after the flight attendants do their inflight service,” says flight attendant Charli Edwards, “ask if you can move closer to the front before landing so you can get off the aircraft sooner due to your tight connection.”
“Request to be reseated discretely if the flight isn’t full,” adds Torian.
Even if you’re “all window, all the time” when choosing a seat, with a tight connection, every minute matters while deplaning. “This will give you direct access to getting off the plane as fast as possible,” explains Lihas. “If you are stuck in the window seat, you are unfortunately stuck on other people’s timelines.”
As in, the slow-moving folks in the middle and aisle seat in your row.
“It might not make a huge time difference, but when you’re running late, every second counts,” says Edwards. “You don’t want to be trapped at the window!”
Do Not Gate-Check or Check-in a Bag
You might think you’ll save time by gate-checking your bag so you can dash off the plane and not waste time retrieving your luggage from an overhead bin. This is 100% true… until you wait in line for that gate-checked bag on the jetway. This can easily add another 10 minutes to your journey in trying to reach your next gate on time. Either check the bag all the way through to your final destination or take it with you on board.
For super-tight connections, it’s possible a checked bag may not make it to your flight in time. Opt for carry-on luggage instead.
“If your connection is less than 35 minutes, try and bring only carry-on items,” suggests Torian. “There isn’t a guarantee your checked bag will make it on time to your final destination with such a short window.”
Pack Up Your Items Before Landing
Let’s face it: you know when the plane’s landing. Just check your boarding pass! Even if you forget the actual time of arrival, the captain will make an announcement when it’s time for pilots to start their descent. At this point, start packing up your stuff. Don’t wait until the plane’s at the gate. “Be prepared to go as soon as the door opens,” says Lihas. “Make sure if you’ve taken anything out of your bags (cords, tablets, headphones, etc.) that it’s all put away and you’re not scrambling to grab everything at the last minute.”
Edwards has seen the disastrous effects of not being ready to get off the plane. “I’ve seen people who say they’re in a rush be so frazzled when it’s actually time to deplane they are a hot mess,” she says. “Their bags are hanging all over the place, they’re leaving their chargers and AirPods and they have to double back for whatever rolled on the ground in their haste to leave the aircraft. When the seatbelt sign is off before initial descent starts, use the restroom, pack everything into your personal item, and be ready to go as soon as you land.”
Ask Your Seatmates if You Can Jump the Line
As mentioned above, flight attendants are happy to make an announcement to let passengers with tight connections deplane first. “My airline actually has a PA specifically for the situation, but keep in mind that other passengers don’t always listen,” says Edwards.
If that happens, and more people are rushing off the plane than sitting tight—a clear sign there are rude passengers in your midst—ask others around you if they also have tight connections, and if not, would they mind if you go ahead of them to deplane? If you’re in a middle or window seat, start with your row and then do the same in other rows as you try to get off the plane quickly. Most people will be accommodating if you ask nicely and politely.
Download the Airline’s App and Set up Flight Notifications
The most accurate, up-to-date information about departing gates and times, not to mention what gate your plane is arriving at, is on an airline’s app—not the departure/arrival boards in the airport. It’s also been a long time since flight attendants routinely announced gate numbers for connecting flights just before landing. Take matters into your own hands and check the app the minute the plane hits the runway when you’ve got cell service again.
“My airline’s app is super helpful when I’m traveling. It tells me what gate I’m arriving to, which gate I’m going out of, and exactly how much time I have until boarding starts and ends for the following flight,” says Edwards. “It also updates me if there’s any gate changes, lets me know if my bags are going to be transferred if I checked them, and even has an airport map so I know exactly where I’m going.”
Flight notifications, such as gate changes and adjusted arrival and departure times that are texted to you, can also be helpful. You’ll need to sign up for these before your trip. “Gates can change,” says Torian. “Set up for flight notifications direct from the airline to get the most recent flight information.”
Remember to Pack Light
Would you rather run through the airport wearing a backpack or dragging a roller bag? (Pretty sure we know the answer.) “A small carry-on is a game-changer when making tight connections,” says Edwards. “It makes it easier to get off the plane; you don’t have to wait for any bags, and you can move through the airport a lot quicker.”
Book Connecting Flights With the Same Airline
You might save money by booking that second flight on a different airline, but now you’ve lost continuity. And there’s little to no chance the flights are in the same concourse or even the same terminal. “Book your second leg on the same airline,” says Torian. “This sometimes works in the passenger’s favor, such that the connecting flight is going out of the same terminal, and you won’t have to walk as far or take a train or skyline.”
Know the Connecting Airport
Even if this is your first time switching planes at a particular airport, maps of that airport do exist. They are either online or in an airline’s app. What is the estimated walking time between terminals? Is taking the Skytrain faster? These are two questions that you can answer even before knowing your arrival and departing gates. “Familiarize yourself with your connecting airport,” says Torian. “Does your second leg depart from the same terminal?”
Even if you have just a basic understanding of the airport, that’s going to help when you learn you must travel on foot from Terminal B to Terminal C, for example, and know what that requires. You might choose to run and not walk, or forego a coffee break or restroom stop.
