What happens if I miss my connection during a layover?

If both flights are on the same ticket, the airline is typically obligated to rebook you on the next available flight at no additional charge. If the flights are on separate tickets, the airline has no obligation to rebook, and the traveler bears the cost of a new ticket. Navan monitors itineraries in real time and initiates automatic rebooking when connections are at risk.

What is the difference between a layover and a stopover?

A layover (or connection) is a brief transfer between flights, typically under 4 hours for domestic itineraries or under 24 hours for international ones. A stopover is an extended stay of 24 or more hours at an intermediate city, sometimes available at minimal additional cost. Stopovers may trigger extra hotel and meal expenses that should be addressed in the company's travel policy.

Can I leave the airport during a layover?

For domestic layovers of 3 or more hours, leaving the airport is possible but requires clearing security again upon return. For international layovers, leaving may require a transit visa depending on the country. Business travelers should weigh the time spent on transit and security against the available time outside the airport, and factor in the risk of missing the next flight.

Are connecting flights with layovers cheaper than nonstop flights?

Connecting itineraries are typically 20-50% cheaper than nonstop flights on the same route, though the discount varies by market and demand. For business travel, the fare savings should be weighed against the time cost and disruption risk. Navan displays both nonstop and connecting options with total travel time, so travelers can make informed tradeoffs between cost and schedule reliability.

Navan - Business Travel Solutions & Expense Management

Layover

A layover is the scheduled waiting period between connecting flights at an intermediate airport, during which a passenger deplanes from one aircraft and boards another to continue their journey to the final destination.

Victoria Landsmann

•May 31, 2026•

4 minute read

Key Takeaways

A layover is the time a traveler spends at an intermediate airport between connecting flights on the way to a final destination. Layover duration, airport layout, and connection type (domestic vs. international) all affect whether a connection is comfortable or risky.

Industry guidance recommends 75-120 minutes for domestic connections and 2-3 hours for international connections, though official minimum connection times (MCTs) at many airports are significantly shorter [1].
A 2025 Perk survey found that 26% of business travelers missed at least one connection in the previous 12 months, with U.S. companies spending over $17 billion annually covering disruption-related costs including rebooking, hotels, and meals [2].
Navan factors connection times and airport-specific MCTs into booking search results, flagging itineraries with tight connections so travelers and travel managers can assess risk before booking.
The difference between a layover (waiting between connecting flights) and a stopover (an extended stay of 24+ hours at an intermediate city) matters for both pricing and travel policy purposes.

What is a Layover?

A layover is the scheduled period of time a traveler spends at an intermediate airport between two flights on a multi-leg itinerary. During a layover, the passenger exits one aircraft and waits at the connecting airport until boarding the next flight to their final destination.

Layovers exist because airlines operate hub-and-spoke networks. Rather than offering direct flights between every pair of cities, carriers route passengers through central hubs where they connect to flights serving smaller markets. This system allows airlines to serve more destinations efficiently, but it means many itineraries require at least one connection.

The duration of a layover can range from less than an hour to a full day or more. Short layovers (under 90 minutes for domestic, under 2 hours for international) save total travel time but increase the risk of missed connections if the first flight is delayed. Longer layovers provide a buffer but extend the total journey and reduce the traveler's productive time.

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How Long Should a Layover Be?

The answer depends on whether the connection is domestic or international, the airport layout, and the traveler's risk tolerance.

Minimum connection times (MCTs) are the shortest layover durations that airlines will sell on a single itinerary. These are set by airlines and airports based on ideal conditions and assume no delays, no long security lines, and familiarity with the terminal layout. MCTs vary significantly by airport [1].

Connection Type	Typical MCT	Recommended	Comfortable
Domestic → Domestic (same terminal)	45-60 min	75-90 min	90-120 min
Domestic → Domestic (terminal change)	60-90 min	90-120 min	120+ min
Domestic → International	75-120 min	120-150 min	180 min
International → Domestic (with customs)	120-180 min	180-210 min	240 min
International → International	120-180 min	180-240 min	240+ min

International connections take longer because passengers typically clear customs and immigration, reclaim and recheck bags, and pass through security again before accessing the departure gate.

What Happens During a Layover?

The layover experience depends on the connection type and airport.

Domestic-to-domestic connections. The simplest scenario. If both flights depart from the same terminal, the passenger simply walks to the next gate. Terminal changes may require a shuttle, train, or walk between concourses, adding 10-30 minutes depending on the airport.

International-to-domestic connections. These are the most time-intensive. After landing, the passenger clears passport control, proceeds through customs, collects checked bags, rechecks them for the domestic flight, passes through security again, and reaches the domestic departure gate. At major hubs, this process takes 60-90 minutes under normal conditions and significantly longer during peak periods.

International-to-international connections. Some airports offer airside transit facilities where connecting international passengers never clear immigration, staying within the secure zone. Others require full customs processing and security rescreening. The airport determines which model applies.

Layovers and Business Travel Risk

For business travelers, a missed connection isn't just an inconvenience. It can mean a missed client meeting, a lost sales opportunity, or an unplanned hotel stay that disrupts the entire trip schedule.

A 2025 Perk survey found that 56% of business travelers experienced delays of more than an hour in the previous 12 months, 36% suffered cancellations, and 26% missed connections [2]. U.S. companies spent an estimated $17 billion annually covering disruption fallout, including rebooking, accommodation, ground transport, and employee overtime [2].

Risk reduction strategies for travel managers:

Book connections above MCT. Travel policies should set minimum acceptable layover times above the airline's MCT. A 90-minute domestic minimum and 3-hour international minimum significantly reduce missed connection risk without adding excessive travel time.
Prioritize nonstop flights when cost-effective. Eliminating the layover eliminates the connection risk entirely. For time-sensitive meetings, the fare premium for a nonstop flight is often justified by the avoided disruption cost.
Build in early-morning departure buffers. First flights of the day are least likely to be delayed because the aircraft is already at the gate. Connecting through an early-morning first leg reduces the cascading delay risk that builds throughout the day.
Enable automatic rebooking. When connections are missed, the speed of rebooking determines whether the traveler loses hours or an entire day. Platforms that automatically rebook travelers onto the next available flight minimize downtime.

Layover vs. Stopover vs. Connection

These terms are often confused but have distinct meanings that affect pricing, policy, and traveler experience.

Term	Duration	Key Characteristic
Connection	Under 4 hours (domestic) or under 24 hours (international)	A brief transfer between flights on the same itinerary
Layover	Same as connection; terms are often used interchangeably	The waiting period at the connecting airport
Stopover	24+ hours at an intermediate city	An extended stay, sometimes adding minimal cost to the ticket

For corporate travel and expense purposes, the distinction matters. A connection is a standard part of an itinerary. A stopover may trigger additional hotel and meal expenses and should be addressed in the company's travel policy. Some travelers intentionally add stopovers to explore an intermediate city, blurring the line between business and leisure travel.

Direct Flight: A flight that may include intermediate stops but doesn't require the passenger to change aircraft, eliminating layover risk while potentially adding travel time.
Minimum Connection Time: The shortest layover duration an airline will sell on a single itinerary, determined by airport and carrier-specific factors.
Automatic Rebooking: The process of automatically rerouting travelers when connections are missed, minimizing downtime caused by layover disruptions.

Sources

[1] OAG, "What Are Minimum Connection Times (MCTs)? An Insider's Guide." https://www.oag.com/blog/minimum-connection-times-insiders-guide

[2] Perk, "The State of Travel Disruption in 2025." https://d1klj75f0phv69.cloudfront.net/nl/blog/business-travel-chaos-survey/

Frequently Asked Questions About Layovers

A layover is the scheduled waiting period between connecting flights at an intermediate airport. During a layover, a passenger exits one aircraft and waits at the connecting airport until boarding the next flight to their final destination. Layover durations can range from under an hour to a full day or more, depending on the itinerary and airline scheduling.
For domestic connections, 75-120 minutes is recommended. For international connections involving customs and immigration, 2-3 hours provides a comfortable buffer. Official minimum connection times are often shorter (45-90 minutes domestic, 120+ minutes international), but these assume ideal conditions. Adding 30-50% to the MCT accounts for delays and terminal navigation.
If both flights are on the same ticket, the airline is typically obligated to rebook you on the next available flight at no additional charge. If the flights are on separate tickets, the airline has no obligation to rebook, and the traveler bears the cost of a new ticket. Navan monitors itineraries in real time and initiates automatic rebooking when connections are at risk.
A layover (or connection) is a brief transfer between flights, typically under 4 hours for domestic itineraries or under 24 hours for international ones. A stopover is an extended stay of 24 or more hours at an intermediate city, sometimes available at minimal additional cost. Stopovers may trigger extra hotel and meal expenses that should be addressed in the company's travel policy.
For domestic layovers of 3 or more hours, leaving the airport is possible but requires clearing security again upon return. For international layovers, leaving may require a transit visa depending on the country. Business travelers should weigh the time spent on transit and security against the available time outside the airport, and factor in the risk of missing the next flight.
Connecting itineraries are typically 20-50% cheaper than nonstop flights on the same route, though the discount varies by market and demand. For business travel, the fare savings should be weighed against the time cost and disruption risk. Navan displays both nonstop and connecting options with total travel time, so travelers can make informed tradeoffs between cost and schedule reliability.