Is a 2.5 hour layover enough for an international flight?

Is a 2.5-hour international layover enough time?

Ugh, two and a half hours for an international layover? That's cutting it way too close for my liking. I nearly missed my flight from Heathrow to Hong Kong on December 12th last year – a terrifying experience, let me tell you. The flight was delayed, and immigration lines were insane!

My connecting flight was around $800 – I almost lost that. My heart hammered the whole time. Seriously stressful.

Three hours is really the bare minimum, even then, it’s risky. Unexpected delays happen, baggage can get lost, you could get stuck in customs. It's just not worth the panic.

Four hours, that's a sweet spot for me. Gives you breathing room.

Bottom line: 2.5 hours is risky for an international layover. Aim for more if you value your sanity and money.