Different airports have different guidance.
As a continent, Europe is home to a wide variety of airports that see a good deal of connecting traffic. Located between Asia and the Americas, many of the flag carriers of its constituent nations leverage this strategic position to sell connecting itineraries through their main hubs. But how long do you need to transfer at these?
London Heathrow
London Heathrow (LHR) is the UK’s largest and busiest airport, as well as being home to flag carrier British Airways. The oneworld founding member operates flights out of Terminals 3 and 5 at Heathrow, meaning that, while some connections are relatively straightforward, others require a more comprehensive transfer.
For this reason, BA advises passengers whose connection requires an inter-terminal journey to allow at least 90 minutes between their flights. For passengers connecting within the same terminal, this figure drops to just 60 minutes. Elsewhere, Heathrow advises passengers connecting in Terminal 4 after 20:30 local time to allow an extra 20 minutes, with the reason being ongoing airport works.
Frankfurt
Germany’s Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a key connecting hub for German flag carrier Lufthansa, and the Star Alliance founding member operates a myriad of flights from this sprawling facility. Its minimum connection time is rather short.
Indeed, Hamburg-based legal specialists MyFlyRight note that the figure given is just 45 minutes, regardless of whether the flights are domestic or international. This could have the potential to pose problems, given that Frankfurt Airport consists of two passenger terminals. However, most connecting itineraries at the airport will involve Lufthansa flights arriving at and departing from T1.
Amsterdam Schiphol
KLM’s Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) base is one of Europe’s most notable connecting hubs, with over a third of its users being transit passengers. Simple Flying was among these in September while traveling from Bremen to Norwich via Amsterdam.
KLM advises that the minimum connection time when transferring between Schengen flights is just 40 minutes. This refers to 26 European countries between which flights operate without border control. Meanwhile, if a non-Schengen flight requiring a passport check is involved, the minimum time increases to 50 minutes.
Paris Charles de Gaulle
Over in France, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is a popular airport among European travelers looking to leverage Air France’s long-haul connections to visit the likes of Réunion and the French West Indies. The website easyCDG refers to similar guidance to London Heathrow, recommending 60 minutes for single-terminal transfers, and 90 for connections that require inter-terminal travel.
Madrid Barajas
Spain’s Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) is an ideal facility for passengers visiting Spanish-speaking Central and South America, with Iberia serving many destinations in the region. The Spanish flag carrier recommends at least 45-55 minutes when connecting between its T4/T4S flights, and as many as 165 minutes when other airlines and terminals are involved in the transfer.
Source SimpleFlying.com