Single Traveler Tips-Avoiding Missed Flights!

Be sure to note the current international airline practice to book connections only 45 minutes apart.  In Beijing and Miami, I found myself running between international terminals, immigration and security barely making my connections.

Be aware that even the same carrier may not arrive and depart in the same terminal, especially if you are traveling between countries or from domestic to international destinations.

The strangest delays? Having to go through security all over again when you never left the gates and being sent through immigration when you have been sequestered in a transit lounge!

Sometimes a long layover can be the best choice. One Christmas Day I flew solo to Beijing, on to Bangkok, next to Siem Reap and then caught a Mekong River cruise to Vietnam. The good news in all of this? While I was the last to board the Bangkok flight having, yes, had just 45 minutes to race through Beijing’s Immigration having arrived from overseas and then change terminals for a regional flight! What worked best? Before leaving home, I booked an airport hotel in Bangkok, It ended up to be the most elegant airport location possible. My 4-star Novatel had an elegant marble bathroom and a fabulous morning full breakfast in a restaurant overlooking a small lagoon.

As I head out in August for 6 countries in Europe, I found the perfect flight: a 22 hour layover in Lisbon. Rather than worrying about flight delays causing a missed connection, I will book a place to stay and get a good night’s sleep before heading to Eastern Europe.

For more options around the world, check out our new free, easy to use, solo travel search tool, the SoloTravelPricingTracker.net.