2

SkyScanner website offers various flights that are marked as "self transfer". They explain it like this:

enter image description here

I do not have checked-in baggage. Do I still need to go through security and passport control?

How much time should I reserve between the flights, so that I can make it to the second flight?

I check several airports: Berlin, Vienna, Luxemburg and Barcelona.

Improve this question
4
  • 2
    Security and passport: it depends on the flights (from where and destination), not about "self-transfer". It is difficult to tell the time. It depends on risk you want to take (which should be taken into account in the "real price"). For minimum: check non-transfer flights (with other destinations, with frequent flights): you get an idea what airlines consider acceptable for a specific airport. -- So you may need to specify the flights. Commented Jul 22 at 10:58
  • 1
    IMHO (I am pretty risk-averse when it comes to flight connections) whether you have checked baggage or not, on a self-transfer you should always work to the published minimum transfer times for the specific airport and airline check-in & gate closure times. travel.stackexchange.com/questions/191511/… Commented Jul 22 at 11:21
  • 1
    What is the combination of flights? What are the travel dates? If you miss the second flight, when is the next flight? Will there be seats available on that flight? What will be the cost for that flight at the last minute? Is there a return flight on the same ticket which may get cancelled? Are you familiar with airport procedures? Are you a gambler? The usual rule of thumb is at least 4 hours between flights, but it may go down a bit or up a lot depending on the circumstances. Commented Jul 22 at 11:39
  • Also read this about why things may be more complex than one may think even without checked luggage. Commented Jul 22 at 16:14

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
19

Do I still need to go through security and passport control?

Depends on the exact routing. If you arrive from outside the Schengen area, you will need to go through passport control and customs at your arrival airport. If you leave the Schengen area, you will go through passport control and customs at your departure airport.

Obviously you don't have to collect and recheck bags, since you don't have any.

Whether you have to go through security again, depends on the exact details of your trip, the layout of the airport, the terminals/gates involved and when and how you can get the boarding pass for your second trip.

How much time should I reserve between the flights, so that I can make it to the second flight?

No one knows. Personally my rule of thumb is a minimum of 4 hours and there can be mitigating circumstances to increase or decrease this estimate based on the specifics of the flight details, status, airport, terminal layout, class of service, Known Traveler things (like Global Entry or TSA).

The main problem with self connections is that YOU own all the risk. If you don't make the connection, the second airline will simply consider you a no- show and has every right to cancel your entire ticket. Some are friendly and may work with you, but you can't rely on that. That means, you may be on the hook to buy a new same-day ticket on the spot, which can be very expensive. If there is none available, you may have to buy a next-day ticket and may have pony up for a hotel as well.

For a regular connection, the airline is responsible and will cover all incremental cost. For a self connection that's all on you. Since the factors impacting the timing of a connection are plentiful and complicated, I would only recommend this to experienced travelers, who understand the complexities and are comfortable the managing the risk around it.

Improve this answer
3
  • 6
    The fact that the issue is with the "next" flight also implies there's a risk asymmetry here. A self-connection between a short domestic flight and a long international flight is a big risk -- the international flights are often few & far between, and expensive -- whereas a self-connection between a long international flight and a short domestic flight is a lesser risk -- either because there's more domestic flights, or because there's alternatives. The risk also depends on the location where you get stranded: if you have citizenship it's easier than if you only have is a transit visa, etc... Commented Jul 23 at 13:23
  • 2
    Agree, @MatthieuM. I self connected IND-ORD-FRA on the IND-ORD leg. That flight got cancelled. It was a 1 hour flight and a 3 hour drive, so I just drove it. Also had an 8-hour window to work with... Commented Jul 23 at 15:03
  • 3
    4 hours seems like an overkill unless you want to account for flight delays/cancelations (but then even 4 hours may be not enough). With just a carry-on 2 hours is more than enough for the majority of airports. Commented Jul 23 at 15:32

You must log in to answer this question.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.