In order to reach many destinations, you may have to take flights with one or more stopovers, especially for international and/or intercontinental routes. This is an absolutely normal procedure, but we also suggest taking some precautions.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the stopover time between one flight and the next. As a general rule, both for a flight operated by the same company and for flights operated by different companies, we suggest considering flights that provide stopovers of no less than 2 hours for domestic flights and 3-4 hours for international and/or intercontinental flights.
We also suggest checking the Terminal from which each flight will depart; in fact, many airports have several terminals and it's important to make sure you have a good amount of time to move from one to the other. Once you've landed, we therefore suggest that you immediately check the Terminal and Gate of the next flight and how to get there (shuttle, train, etc.).
Another factor to consider is checked baggage. As a general rule, if you've purchased your flights with a single booking, and therefore have a single booking code or PNR, even if the airlines operating the flights are different, unless otherwise indicated, you won't have to collect your baggage during the stopover, but directly upon arrival at your destination. Otherwise, if you've purchased the flights separately and therefore have two booking codes or PNRs, whether the flight is operated by the same company or the companies are different, you will have to collect your checked baggage upon arrival at your stopover, check-in again (if you have not previously done so online) and re-check your bags for the next flight.
Therefore, make sure to allow for adequate time at the stopover, also considering the time required for security checks.
If you're traveling to the United States or Canada, or if the stopover is planned in one of these countries or in a non-European country, you may still have to collect your luggage and re-check it. In addition to considering the time required for baggage collection and re-boarding, keep in mind that you will need to go through security, which requires varying times.
For these reasons, here are some important tips to consider when booking a flight with a stopover:
- Choose flights with stopovers with adequate connection times
- Check the departure terminal of the flights in advance and how long it will take to transfer from one terminal to another
- When possible, check-in online for all flights on the route
- Check if you'll have to collect your luggage and proceed with the boarding procedures again (checking luggage, security checks, etc.) at your stopover
- Check the company or airport website for any details regarding stopover times, connection times between terminals, security checks, and baggage claim
- Consider purchasing fast track services that reduce transit time at security checks.
In addition to the airline's website, you can find useful information about the documents required for entry and transit, health and safety at your destination on your country's website with information about travelling safely.