In short: with a single ticket, you often stay in the transit area without going through immigration or customs, except in cases like the US or entering the Schengen area. With separate tickets, you almost always go through both at the layover, because you collect your bag and enter the country.
Immigration and customs: what’s the difference?
- Immigration (passport control) checks that you’re allowed to enter the country: a valid passport and, depending on your nationality, a visa or an online authorisation.
- Customs checks what you’re carrying: your bags, and anything you may need to declare.
On arrival, they usually come one after the other: passport control first, then baggage reclaim, then customs.
With a single ticket: the transit area
At many large international airports, a passenger connecting on the same ticket stays in the transit area: they don’t go through the layover country’s immigration or customs, their checked bag goes through to the destination, and they only go through a security check again. That’s not the case everywhere: some countries have no transit area, and some connections require changing terminal or airport.
When you go through the checks even with a single ticket
- United States: arrival formalities happen at the first US airport. Even when connecting, you go through immigration and customs, usually collect your bag and drop it off again for the next flight. You need an ESTA or a visa, even for a simple transit. Exception: from some foreign airports with preclearance, US formalities are done before departure.
- Schengen area: if you arrive from outside and your next flight goes to another Schengen country, you go through passport control at the first Schengen airport. If instead you leave the Schengen area for a third country, you can usually stay in the transit area.
- United Kingdom: it all depends on whether you go through border control. Depending on your nationality and route, you need a transit visa, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) or nothing: your airline can tell you if you’ll go through border control, and the UK government website says which document to apply for.
With separate tickets: almost always
With two independent tickets, the first flight ends at the layover. Most of the time, you have to:
- go through the layover country’s passport control;
- collect your checked bag;
- go through customs with that bag;
- check in again for the second flight and drop off your bag;
- go back through security, and for an international flight, exit passport control.
The direct consequence: you need the right to enter the layover country, even for a few hours. Check it with our stopover visa tool, then on the country’s official website. Without a checked bag, some airports let you stay in the transit area if you already have your boarding pass, but it’s never guaranteed. More in our guide to baggage and layovers.
How much time should you allow?
There’s no duration that works everywhere: immigration queues vary with the airport, the time of day and how many flights land at once. With separate tickets, add the time to collect your bag and check in again before the desk closes. Work it out with our layover calculator, and keep a real margin.
Before you go
- A passport valid for the whole trip (some countries require several months of validity).
- A visa or online authorisation for the layover country if you have to enter it, applied for in advance.
- Boarding passes for both flights, and the departure terminal of the second one.
- Nothing prohibited in your bag: fresh food, meat or plants are often banned on entry, even for a layover.
Frequently asked questions
Do you go through customs on a layover?
With a single ticket, often not: you stay in the transit area, except in countries like the US. With separate tickets, almost always, because you collect your bag and enter the layover country.
Do you need a visa for a simple layover?
If you stay in the transit area, many travellers don’t, but some countries require a transit visa depending on your nationality. If you go through immigration, as you do with separate tickets, the country’s entry rules apply. Check with our stopover visa tool.
Does my bag go through customs at the layover?
With separate tickets, yes: you collect it and clear customs with it. With a single ticket, your bag usually goes through to the final destination, except in the US, where you collect it at the first US airport.
What if I miss my second flight because of the queues?
With separate tickets, the second airline usually has no obligation to you. Read our guide to missed connections before you go.
Sources
- European Commission, the Schengen area
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ESTA and transit FAQ and preclearance
- UK government, transit through the UK