Is 30 minutes too short for a connecting flight?

Can you make a 1 hour connecting flight?

One hour? Risky.

Feasible only with carry-on & same terminal.

Airport size? Security? Consider them.

Missed flights happen.

• Minimum Connection Time (MCT) is KEY: Each airport dictates this. Airlines know it. You should too.
• Gate Changes Exist: Run. I did once in Atlanta. Never again.
• International Adds Complexity: Customs? Immigration? Forget it.
• Airline Responsibility: Missed connection due to delay? They rebook you. Still sucks.
• My Take? Ninety minutes minimum. Peace of mind is worth it.

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson? Nightmare. Denver? Wide open, but long. Chicago O'Hare? Pray. Seriously.

What happens if your layover is too short and you miss your connecting flight?

So, my layover in Denver last April? Totally screwed. Like, way too short. My flight from Philly was delayed, a whole hour, stupid snowstorm. Missed my connection to Boise, no joke. It sucked. Big time.

They, United, put me on the next flight, no extra charge. But it was a red-eye. Ugh. Got to Boise around 3 AM. The whole thing was a nightmare, seriously. The airport was a madhouse, tons of people also stranded, everyone stressed. I ended up sharing a cab with some lady whose suitcase looked like it had been through a warzone. Funny, in a depressing sort of way.

Key things to remember:

• Airlines will usually rebook you. It's the law, kinda.
• But it won't always be convenient. Expect delays. Long delays.
• Travel insurance is your friend. Totally worth it. Especially with all these flight issues happening lately.

That Boise trip? It was for my cousin's wedding. Missed the rehearsal dinner, totally my fault. My cousin wasn't mad, but my aunt... let's just say she gave me the look. I bought her a really nice bottle of wine to make up for it. Expensive wine. Best wine. It helped. Anyway, that's my layover horror story. Don't be like me, plan better! And get travel insurance, you'll thank me later.