Connecting Flights in the USA: Transit, Domestic Flights and TSA Rules

If you change planes in the USA, you always enter the country: US airports have no international transit area without border control, unlike Frankfurt or Amsterdam. That is why even a pure transit requires an approved ESTA or a visa. At the first US airport you clear immigration and customs, collect your bags, check them in again and go through TSA security once more. When arriving from Europe, realistically allow two to three hours to connect.

Our overview Traveling to the USA for the first time only touches on domestic flights. This guide explains in detail how connecting works, sensible connection times, preclearance, faster entry programs, TSA carry-on rules, baggage fees and your rights if you miss a connection. All information reflects the situation as of November 2026. It is non-binding guidance. Decisions on entry rest solely with the US authorities, and your airline's terms also apply.

Is there transit without entry in the USA?

No. Every passenger arriving from abroad goes through immigration with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the first US airport, even if they fly on to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean two hours later. Transit without entry does not exist.

It follows that German citizens need an ESTA even for a pure transit, as the FAQ on the official ESTA website states explicitly. Since 16 October 2026 the authorization costs USD 40.62 and is valid for two years. Apply only via esta.cbp.dhs.gov or the official "ESTA Mobile" app, ideally as soon as your trip is planned and no later than 72 hours before departure. Our guide ESTA application step by step shows how it works.

Anyone who is not ESTA-eligible needs a visa even for transit, such as a transit visa (C) or a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. This applies, for example, to travelers with a temporary passport or a German children's passport, and to people who have been to Cuba since 12 January 2021. The German Federal Foreign Office points out that this rule explicitly applies to transit as well. Our Visa Check tells you in a few minutes whether ESTA is an option for you.

Important: Without a valid ESTA or the right visa, your airline will not let you board in Germany. Since 3 November 2026, airlines also require every passenger on a flight to the USA to declare that they have not been in the DR Congo in the past 21 days (CDC order due to Ebola, currently in force until 18 December 2026).

How does connecting work at the first US airport?

Whether you connect in New York, Chicago, Atlanta or Los Angeles, the process is the same everywhere. Even if your bag was checked through to your final destination in Germany, you must collect it at the first US airport.

1. Leave the aircraft and follow the "Immigration" or "Passport Control" signs. Join the line for visitors.
2. Immigration: The CBP officer takes a photo, matches it with your passport using facial recognition and asks about the purpose and length of your trip. Mention your onward destination too. The officer then creates your electronic I-94 record.
3. Collect your bags: At baggage claim, take your suitcase off the belt, even if it already carries a tag for your final destination.
4. Customs: Pass through customs with your bags. You must declare food; for details see US entry: CBP and customs.
5. Re-check your bags: Right after customs there is usually a drop-off belt for connecting baggage ("Connecting Flights" or "Bag Recheck"). Put your bag back on it. A new check-in is not needed on a through ticket.
6. TSA security: You briefly leave the secure area and go through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening again. The carry-on rules below apply.
7. Go to your gate: Check the departure screens for the terminal and gate of your connection. At large airports you may need a train or bus to change terminals.

A common pitfall is duty-free shopping: according to TSA, liquids over 100 milliliters from a duty-free shop may be carried on a connecting flight only in a sealed security bag with the receipt, if bought within the past 48 hours. TSA still recommends packing them in checked baggage. In practice this is easy: after customs, simply put spirits or perfume into your suitcase before you re-check it.

How much connection time is realistic?

Each airport sets a minimum connecting time (MCT) together with the airlines, and booking systems only sell connections on one ticket that meet it. Such a connection is legal, but not necessarily relaxed: the MCT assumes everything runs normally. Long immigration lines, a late departure from Europe or a slow baggage belt are not factored in.

For immigration alone, allow 15 to 60 minutes under normal conditions, and more at large hubs during peak times. Flights from Europe often land in the same time windows. Add baggage, re-check, TSA screening and walking within the terminal. That leads to these rules of thumb:

These values do not apply to separate tickets. If you miss the second flight, that is your risk, and you also have to check your bags in again. Plan generously, for example half a day, or stay overnight at the connecting airport.

Preclearance: clearing US entry before departure

With preclearance, you complete US immigration and customs at the departure airport abroad, where CBP officers work in a dedicated area. You then arrive in the USA like a domestic passenger: according to CBP, you skip the CBP and TSA lines on arrival and proceed directly to your connecting flight or the exit. Short connections become much easier.

According to CBP, preclearance operates at 16 locations in 6 countries (page last updated June 2026):

• Ireland: Dublin and Shannon, the only locations in Europe
• Canada: ten airports, including Toronto Pearson, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary
• United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi
• Caribbean and Atlantic: Aruba, Nassau (Bahamas) and Bermuda

For travelers from Germany, a routing via Dublin is the most relevant option. If you fly via Canada, you additionally need a Canadian eTA for the connection there; according to Canada's immigration department it also applies to transit and costs CAD 7. Preclearance does not replace your ESTA. Allow more time at the departure airport, because the US inspection takes place before boarding.

Faster entry: Mobile Passport Control and Global Entry

Two CBP programs can noticeably shorten immigration when you connect:

• Mobile Passport Control (MPC): The free iOS and Android app captures your passport data, a selfie and your customs answers; after landing you submit everything and use a dedicated lane. Up to 12 people can be included in one submission. According to CBP, MPC is available at 63 locations, including 37 US airports and 15 preclearance locations (as of October 2026). However, only ESTA travelers who have previously entered the USA with ESTA are eligible. It does not work on your first trip with an ESTA.
• Global Entry: Members of this Trusted Traveler Program clear immigration via facial recognition at a terminal or with the Trusted Traveler App, which replaced the former Global Entry app on 9 September 2026. Membership costs USD 120 and is valid for five years. Germans first undergo a check by the German Federal Police. Global Entry generally includes TSA PreCheck, which also speeds up security screening when you connect.

For frequent travelers with regular connections, Global Entry almost always pays off. Read all about the application process in our Global Entry basics. We are happy to support you with your application and interview preparation; see our services.

TSA rules for domestic flights: what applies at security?

Security screening at US airports is handled by the TSA. Its rules are similar to Europe's but differ in the details. The officer at the checkpoint always has the final say.

Liquids: the 3-1-1 rule

Liquids, gels, creams, pastes and aerosols are allowed in carry-on bags if each container holds no more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and all containers fit into one clear bag of about one quart (just under one liter). One bag per person is allowed. Exempt are medications and baby and child nourishment in reasonable quantities; declare them at the start of screening. At lanes with modern CT scanners you often do not need to take the bag out, but the quantity limit still applies.

Shoes, jackets and electronics

Since 8 July 2025, travelers generally no longer have to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints, except during additional screening. Belts, jackets and, depending on the lane, laptops still go into the bin at standard lanes. With TSA PreCheck, belts, light jackets, laptops and liquids can stay with you or in your bag.

Power banks and lithium batteries

According to TSA, power banks and loose spare lithium batteries belong in carry-on bags only; they are prohibited in checked luggage. Batteries up to 100 watt-hours (Wh) are unproblematic. Larger spare batteries of 101 to 160 Wh require airline approval, with a maximum of two per person. The watt-hours are usually printed on the device; otherwise multiply volts by amp-hours. A typical 20,000 mAh power bank at 3.7 volts has about 74 Wh. Some airlines also regulate whether you may use power banks on board.

Lighters

A disposable or Zippo lighter is allowed in carry-on bags. In checked bags, lighters are allowed only without fuel, or up to two fueled lighters in a case approved by the US Department of Transportation. Torch lighters are prohibited in both.

Food

Solid foods such as bread, cookies or sandwiches may go in your carry-on. Liquid or spreadable foods over 100 milliliters, such as yogurt, jam or peanut butter, belong in your checked bag. Baby food in reasonable quantities, as well as breast milk and formula over 100 milliliters, is allowed but screened separately. Note for your international arrival: you must declare fruit or sausage brought from Europe, and many agricultural products may not be imported at all.

TSA locks

TSA may open checked bags. If you want to lock yours, use a TSA-recognized lock that officers can open with a universal key; the packaging tells you whether a lock qualifies. Other locks may have to be cut during an inspection, and TSA is not liable for that damage. After an inspection, you will find a "Notice of Baggage Inspection" in your bag.

What can go in your carry-on?

REAL ID: does it affect me as a foreign traveler?

Since 7 May 2025, TSA has required a REAL ID-compliant card or another accepted document for domestic flights. This mainly concerns driver's licenses and ID cards issued by US states. Nothing changes for you: a foreign passport is explicitly on the list of accepted documents. The list does not include foreign national ID cards, so always bring your passport to security. According to TSA, children under 18 do not need to show ID on domestic flights. Anyone without an accepted document can, since 1 February 2026, use the "TSA ConfirmID" process for USD 45, with no guarantee of success.

Baggage fees on domestic flights

Whether a checked bag costs extra depends mainly on how you booked:

• Through ticket: If your journey begins or ends in the USA, US law (14 CFR 399.87) requires airlines to apply the baggage allowance from the start of the itinerary to the entire trip. If your transatlantic ticket from Frankfurt includes one bag, that generally also applies to the domestic connection on the same ticket.
• Separate domestic ticket: The rules of the US domestic fare apply. Many US airlines charge for the first checked bag, at major carriers currently up to USD 45 each way, and more for the second (as of November 2026). The cheapest fares ("Basic Economy") often restrict baggage further. A weight limit of 50 pounds (about 23 kilograms) per bag is common.

Check the baggage terms before booking and compare the total price including bags. Sometimes a through ticket with a domestic connection is cheaper than a cheap separate flight plus baggage fees. If you are picking up a rental car at your destination, our guide Renting a car in the USA covers insurance, tolls and traffic rules.

Missed your connection: what are your rights and what should you do?

Even with a buffer, a connection can fall apart. A clear sequence helps:

1. Contact the airline immediately: via the app, at the transfer desk or by phone. On a through ticket, the airline will usually rebook you free of charge on the next available flight.
2. Do not buy a new ticket on your own before the rebooking is settled, or you may be stuck with the cost.
3. Collect evidence: boarding passes, confirmation of the delay and receipts for meals or hotels.
4. Check your claims: depending on route and airline, European or US rules apply, see below.

EU passenger rights: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies to all flights departing from the EU and to flights into the EU operated by an EU airline. If you reach your final destination three hours or more late because a feeder flight was delayed, you are entitled to compensation. A single booking is required; on a trip from Germany, a connecting flight within the USA on the same booking counts as well. For distances over 3,500 kilometers, which covers practically every trip from Germany to the USA, compensation is up to EUR 600. There is no claim in extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, or if your feeder flight was on time and you missed the connection because of long lines at immigration or security.

US rules: US law provides no statutory compensation for delays. Since 2024, however, you are entitled to an automatic refund of the ticket price if a flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you decline the alternative offered. According to the US Department of Transportation, a significant change means a delay of three hours or more on domestic itineraries and six hours or more on international itineraries. Refunds must be issued within seven business days for credit card payments.

Tip: Separate tickets are the biggest risk factor. If a delayed feeder makes you miss a separately booked flight, the second airline generally owes you neither rebooking nor a refund.

Next steps

Before booking, check whether ESTA is enough for your connection or whether you need a visa. Our Visa Check gives you an initial assessment. What happens on arrival is explained in US entry: CBP and customs, and with Global Entry frequent travelers save time on every connection. We are happy to support you with visas, appointment preparation and Global Entry; see all our services.