How tight is too tight when booking connecting flights?

Monday, 22 December 2025

Airlines work quickly to remedy the situation.

Grant Bradley is an aviation and business journalist.

OPINION: The holidays are a great time to book your next trip overseas and travellers taking multiple flights can be tempted to minimise connecting time at airports, especially if they don’t have access to a premium lounge.

But sometimes a connection can be too tight, especially for your bags.

While airports and airlines have become far better at tracing lost luggage, the weakest link remains the transfer window between flights. Even when passengers make their connection, bags don’t always follow - as happened to my wife and I on a trip to Thailand.

We got that sinking feeling after landing in Phuket, when we got an apologetic text from Singapore Airlines informing us that our bags weren’t on our plane and would be arriving the following day.

Our Air New Zealand flight had been delayed by heavy traffic into Changi, meaning an original 90-minute connection (which had worked fine on a previous trip) came down to a little under an hour.

That was enough time for us to get to another part of the airport and through re-screening but not sufficient for our bags to make the connecting regional flight. We were also tracking our luggage on the excellent Air NZ app which we noted later showed it was last handled 20 minutes after we took off.

But what followed was a study on how good airlines put things right.

We were directed to Singapore Airlines’ ground agent at Phuket International Airport, staff there on a busy Friday night knew exactly what our problem was, assured us our bags would be delivered to our hotel, (an hour’s drive away) the next day and gave us the equivalent of $250 straight off the bat for incidentals.

Sure enough our bags were delivered to our rooms 12 hours later.

The airline says that in cases where the last flight in your itinerary is operated by Singapore Airlines, it takes full responsibility for helping with baggage recovery. If your last flight is on a partner or another airline, it recommends reporting any missing bags to that carrier directly.

‘’In situations where baggage is delayed and the customer is a foreign national in the country of arrival, Singapore Airlines provides interim payments to help cover immediate needs,’’ says a spokeswoman.

Changi Airport is not only a passenger favourite, it’s one of the world’s most efficient. But airlines work around the minimum connecting time, around 60 minutes.

Consumer NZ says it continues to hear from travellers who feel caught out by connections that look fine when booked but unravel in practice.

“Yes, we receive the occasional complaint about missed connections,” a spokeswoman said. “In some cases, passengers aren’t given sufficient time to get from one flight to the next. However, generally speaking, airlines seem to have improved at dealing with disruptions.”

Agents at Shore Travel in Milford, Auckland, say there are a few variables they take into consideration when it comes to whether to accept the airline minimum connection time.

‘’It could be the airport - Los Angeles and Frankfurt we always allow extra time,’’ they said. When connecting two different airlines, Shore Travel allows extra time for baggage to also connect.

‘’Peak times can mean for busier airports or cancelled/delayed flights so we allow time for various scenarios. If a customer is older or not so able to rush between flights then we will choose a later connection.’’

It’s better to leave more time at the gate than rush to make a connection.

The agents advise customers to pack any essential medicines and a change of clothes in their hand luggage (which we had fortunately done) in case of delayed checked-in luggage.

House of Travel chief executive David Coombes advises leaving plenty of connection time.

“I’d far rather be sipping on a flat white because everything ran smoothly than sprinting through a terminal hoping for the best.’’

Connection times vary depending on whether you’re flying domestic, international or a mix of both, and his advice is to work with an expert who knows the right time buffers to avoid unnecessary stress when things don’t go to plan.

“If you’re travelling through the United States, allow extra time to clear customs and plan ahead by completing your ESTA online, keeping your visa, itinerary and accommodation details handy, and being ready for electronic device checks if they’re requested.”

Navigating airports varies with some terminals are straightforward while others are busy, complex or not well signposted.

‘’So don’t wing it, especially if it’s your first visit or the language is unfamiliar,” says Coombes.

Travellers who may want extra support can wear a Sunflower Lanyard for hidden disabilities, (recognised in around 330 airports in 70 countries) and Coombes says agents can also add a note to bookings if customers require airline assistance through the airport, for example if you use a wheelchair or need mobility support.

He reminds travellers to keep baggage tags until you’ve collected your luggage, because that barcode helps locate them fast if anything goes missing. Having a photo of it is also useful.

Consumer NZ says your rights depend on where you're travelling and the reason for the missed connection.

If a passenger misses a domestic connection due to an event within the airline's control (such as staffing or mechanical issues), the airline is required to offer a solution.

That could be a later flight, a flight on another airline, a bus trip or a refund. If you end up having to pay extra for transport, food, accommodation because of the delay, under the Civil Aviation Act you can claim back any additional costs you incur.

If a passenger misses an international connection due to an event within the airline's control, similar rules apply and the airline should help out. However, you can claim back up to about NZ$15,000 for any additional costs you incur as a result of any delay.

You may have additional rights if you're flying in the European Union.