Airport guides & services
The practical stuff.
Connections, bags, lounges, insurance and who to call when something breaks. Opinionated where it helps, with links to the official source where it matters.
Airport guides
Minimum connection times are the airport's published figures for same-terminal, same-airline transfers — allow more if you change terminals or airlines.London Heathrow (LHR)
Terminals: 2 (Star Alliance), 3 (oneworld, Virgin, Delta), 4 (SkyTeam, Gulf carriers), 5 (British Airways, Iberia). Terminals are linked by free trains and buses but moving between them takes 20–40 minutes; keep same-alliance connections together where you can.
Connections: official minimum is 60 minutes within a terminal, 90 minutes between terminals. Everyone transferring passes through "Flight Connections" security again. Getting in: Elizabeth line to central London in ~35 minutes is the best value; Heathrow Express is faster to Paddington but pricier. heathrow.com
Dubai International (DXB)
Terminals: 3 is Emirates and flydubai (vast; concourses A, B, C linked by train); 1 is most other long-haul carriers; 2 is low-cost. Connections: Emirates-to-Emirates within T3 is efficient with a 75-minute minimum; transit passengers don't clear immigration. Allow extra time for the walk — gates can be 15+ minutes apart. Free transit hotel sleep pods and showers are in Concourse B. dubaiairports.ae
Singapore Changi (SIN)
Four terminals linked airside by the Skytrain; Jewel (the waterfall) is landside, so you need at least 3 hours and a passport stamp to visit it mid-connection. Free movie theatres, gardens and a rooftop pool (T1, paid) make long layovers painless. Minimum connection is 60 minutes; the airport routinely beats that. Singapore's SG Arrival Card must be filed online within 3 days of arrival, including for transit passengers who exit. changiairport.com
New York JFK
Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8 (with the new Terminal 6 opening in stages) are linked only by the AirTrain, which runs outside security — every inter-terminal connection means re-clearing security. Allow 2 hours for a terminal change; 90 minutes within a terminal on international arrival (US immigration lines vary wildly; Global Entry or Mobile Passport Control helps). Into the city: AirTrain + LIRR to Penn Station (~35 min) or AirTrain + subway (~60 min, cheapest). jfkairport.com
Los Angeles (LAX)
Nine terminals in a horseshoe; Tom Bradley (TBIT/Terminal B) handles most international flights. Terminals 4–8 and TBIT are linked airside by tunnels and walkways, so American, Alaska, Delta (T2/3 via connector) and most international carriers connect without re-screening; Terminals 1–3 to the rest mean leaving security. The LAX/Metro Transit Center is now the hub for the Metro C and K lines and the FlyAway buses; the automated people mover connects it to terminals. Allow 2 hours for any international-to-domestic connection. flylax.com
Delhi Indira Gandhi (DEL)
Terminal 3 handles all international flights and full-service domestic; T1 is domestic low-cost (IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa) and is a 20–30 minute drive away — an international-to-T1 connection needs 3 hours and your bags will not be through-checked by most carriers. Print or save your e-ticket: security checks it at the terminal door. Delhi Airport Metro Express reaches New Delhi station in ~20 minutes. International transit without a visa is allowed if you stay airside and your onward flight is from T3 within 24 hours. newdelhiairport.in
Frankfurt (FRA)
Terminal 1 (Lufthansa and Star Alliance; concourses A/Z, B, C) and Terminal 2 (most others), linked by Skyline train. Schengen-to-non-Schengen connections cross a border control that can queue badly in the morning bank; the official minimum is 45 minutes but 75–90 is realistic for a comfortable transfer. The long-distance train station under the airport makes rail-and-fly to most of Germany easy. frankfurt-airport.com
Doha Hamad (DOH)
A single terminal built for Qatar Airways connections: minimum connection is 60 minutes, transfer security is quick, and the "Orchard" indoor garden sits at the centre. Transit passengers stay airside; stopovers in the city are visa-free for most nationalities, and Qatar Airways sells inexpensive stopover hotel packages. dohahamadairport.com
Baggage, in general
Always confirm with the airline — allowances vary by fare, route and status.| Fare type | Carry-on (typical) | Checked (typical) | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic economy / light | Often one small personal item only; a full-size cabin bag may cost extra on US and European carriers | None included on most carriers | Seat selection and changes usually cost extra or aren't allowed |
| Standard economy | One cabin bag (about 55 × 40 × 23 cm, 7–10 kg) plus a personal item | Transatlantic and long-haul: usually one 23 kg bag; US domestic: usually paid; India domestic: usually 15 kg | Weight limits on carry-on are enforced more strictly in Asia than in the US |
| Premium economy | Usually the same as economy, sometimes a higher weight | Typically two 23 kg bags | Lounge access is rarely included |
| Business / first | Two cabin bags on most carriers | Two or three bags at 32 kg each | Lounge access included; priority handling |
Lithium batteries and power banks go in the cabin, never in checked bags. Most carriers cap power banks at 100 Wh without approval and 160 Wh with it; several Asian carriers now ban using them in flight.
Services worth knowing
Lounge access
Four routes in: a premium cabin ticket, airline elite status, a lounge network via a credit card (Priority Pass, Amex Centurion, Capital One), or a paid day pass — roughly $30–75, bookable in advance through the lounge or the airport. Day passes are the best value on a 4-hour-plus layover.
Travel insurance
The two things that matter: medical cover abroad (US healthcare costs make this essential for visitors) and trip-cancellation cover that includes your actual reasons. Credit-card cover is often real but has strict conditions — read the "insured persons" and "pre-existing conditions" clauses before relying on it.
Trusted-traveller programmes
Global Entry (US arrival + TSA PreCheck), NEXUS (US/Canada), Registered Traveller (UK), and SmartGates (Australia/NZ, free with an e-passport) take the queue out of immigration. Global Entry's interview backlog is long; apply months ahead and use enrolment-on-arrival if you fly internationally.
When a flight is cancelled
The airline owes you a refund or rebooking regardless of fare type. Compensation beyond that depends on the law of the departure region — EU261/UK261 is generous; the US now requires automatic refunds for cancellations and significant delays. Our guide explains the rules.
Lost or delayed bags
File the report at the airport before you leave the baggage hall — the reference number (PIR) is what every later claim hinges on. Under the Montreal Convention the airline is liable for reasonable interim expenses and up to roughly $1,700 for a bag that's lost outright; keep receipts.
Airline contacts
Use the airline's own website or app for anything involving your booking — third-party "customer service" numbers that appear in search ads are frequently scams. Twitter/X DMs and WhatsApp (where offered) are often faster than the phone during disruption.