IATA defines minimum connecting time as the shortest interval required to transfer a passenger and luggage between scheduled arrival and scheduled departure at a location. Its station-standard MCT data supports connection planning. The measure concerns the connection, rather than the duration of either flight. Source: IATA: Minimum Connecting Time

Check the exact connection

Ask the booking provider to validate the planned flights against the applicable connection rules. Supply the airport, terminals, airlines and travel date. This gives the check a specific itinerary instead of relying on a remembered minimum from a different journey.

Consider the traveller’s needs

Discuss assistance requirements and the practical transfer route with the airline or airport. For a self-transfer, review baggage collection and check-in deadlines separately. This helps assess whether the connection is suitable without treating a published minimum as a promise that every transfer will succeed.

Written and updated by Travelgenix. Sources checked on 19 October 2026. Practical advice and examples are Travelgenix editorial guidance.