[MrDarwin]

PHL international to domestic is awful. I’ve had hair raising connections even when arriving on time with a 3-4 hour connection time. However IMO domestic to international is fantastic – the airside bus transfer means no need to go through security again so you can be in the lounge with a glass of bubbly awaiting departure within 10 mins of arriving. IAD can be quite the maze to navigate. I actually don’t mind BOS but perhaps that’s just familiarity (and I did wait 20 mins for the transfer bus in -15C once which was certainly refreshing after a long haul flight….!).

DOH and DXB I find relatively straightforward. SIN is excellent as is HKG and KUL. BKK is just a soulless depressing experience, it feels like you’re wandering through a great concrete multistory car park

[IanFromHKG]

I’ve just remembered another worst -DFW. Unbelievable queues to recheck bags. If memory serves I had a nearly three-hour connection, and still had to run to the gate!

[MartynSinclair]

Surely the answers depend on a number of factors:

1. Whether you are transiting with the same airline
2. Whether the transit airport involved has joint passenger flows OR sterile inbound / outbound passenger flows

Went BA to CX in HKG today… enjoyed the very brisk walk to Wing… and extremely efficient and common sense security, which took all of 30 seconds….

[richardofFrancepp]

Worst: JNB international to int or domestic. Luggage can go missing or tampered with. Much better go through immigration collect luggage and re-check in. Many bad experiences with luggage. Immigration slow but worthwhile for peace of mind!

[Carlton-Browne]

Zürich and Düsseldorf are probably my favourites. Obviously the small size of the latter makes it a dream. I’ve managed to get across Zürich in 15 minutes including transfer between Schengen and non-Schenghen and my checkin luggage made it too.

I’m not a fan of Frankfurt and that bloody tunnel though it’s got better of late. The worst is definitely CDG where I’ve never got through a connecting flight with luggage and bags have only made it half the times I’ve flown point-to-point. Absolutely woeful,

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

Not sure if it was a once off, Dallas has been the quickest international connection I have experienced, especially in the US. From leaving the Plane to arriving at the new gate took all of 15 mins, the place was empty, immigration queue was non existent…. This was transiting through from London- Mexico, You can also go through Miami, which in comparison is truly a degrading 3rd world experience.

[JCtraveller]

Thanks for all the responses very useful , I appear to have created quite the topic for discussion!

[julmops]

For me the best connecting airport is Vienna.
35 minutes turnaround assured.
You arrive, you go up, up , up and then down, down, down …
No way you get lost and they have great wifi!

[Steptoe]

Best : LHR (Domestic to T5 International) Plane to lounge in ten mins

Worst : LHR (International to Domestic) It really does not work and to make it even worse they have taken out the fast track. I have taken to going out through arrivals up in the lift and back in through South security. It may not be any quicker, but a lot less frustrating

[Onghockguan]

Dubai Airport is one of the worst connecting airports. Baggage handlers go through the bags and they open some of them and steal stuff???? How come the UAE is crime free but this sort of thing goes on behind the scene??? How do they know expensive stuff are in the luggage????

[trippleF]

Agree with MartynSinclair’s criteria and on the basis you are connecting with the same airline or alliance I vote

Best: SIN, MUC
Worst: ORD, FRA

If different airlines, avoid airports with long transits between terminals, I.e. Most major airports. But here are my votes:
Best: AMS, SIN
Worst: FRA, JFK

Hope this helps. Would be nice to see the output of our research.

[richardofFrancepp]

Landed from flight CDG/Doha/JNB all on QR biz class.

Doha airport is terrible since moving to new building. We walked at least 1km, from gate D3 through transit area and the back to D20. Absolutely chaotic and after the old Doha premium terminal a great disappointment. Will give QR and Doha a miss in the future. Why these long distant route marches with 6 hours flying behind one and 9 hours flying to come.

[Luxembourger]

Re AMS, for anybody who’s interested I went through this week for the first time since they’ve introduced the new security arrangements. When they were announced, I had thought this would mean simply displacing the security checks elsewhere, but they haven’t done this. Instead, they have simply abolished the gate security on the non-Schengen gates and the security check immediately after passport control when you pass from non-Schengen to Schengen. It’s a bit strange as it makes you wonder why they didn’t do this before but one has to assume that there is a reason.

So, one big hassle removed in the Schipol transfer process. But if my experience this Tuesday was anything to go by, the other one remains in the form of the sometimes huge queues to get through passport control from non-Schengen to Schengen. Sometimes, it’s a doddle and you are through in a couple of minutes. On other occasions it can be dire, as it was on this trip. Although I am KLM Gold, I was refused access to the fast track (and indeed, as is often the case, it was far from clear whether there was one, though there certainly did appear to be one by the time I reached the end of the very long queue). Also, don’t think of saving time by using the electronic readers as there are none, unlike in the case of the reverse direction (frequently unmanned). The only good thing was that I made the connecting flight and had they still had the security check there I very much doubt if I would have. But this is an issue they need to do something about – that plus the frequently surly staff in that area.

[DavidGordon10]

Luxembourger – I agree with all that you write.

Generally, I should comment that CDG has a bad press here but all my transfers there in the last year (~20, including two in the last week) have been very smooth.

[Onlyplanes]

My top connecting airports in Europe are Zurich and Munich, efficient and quick.

LHR and CDG is not bad when connecting within the same terminal. Otherwise, they are terrible.

US airports are terrible for connecting flights (especially International to domestic or international) as there is no transit area. They should have a specific CPB booth for connecting passengers with the possibility to recall luggage for inspection if necessary. US airports should push for this change.
If they don’t, Canadian airports will probably get most of the connecting passengers as they are gradually implementing specific US preclearance only for US-bound passengers or Canadian immigration for international or Canadian-bound passengers.

[Author]

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