So, we have been working on a challenging and somewhat complex itinerary involving international flights and connections with split and separate tickets in multiple international airports. This has led to a lot of trial and error and near costly mistakes, which we hope to share with our readers. Here’s why it’s important to plan ahead and check if you need a transit visa before connecting at an international airport.
Connecting in international airports
Our plans take us through Brazil, and there is a mixed bag of information out there on connections. As Canadians, we need a visa to enter Brazil, and the more you search the more conflicting information you find. You don’t need a visa if connecting, you need a visa if your connection is over 10 hours, you need a transit visa, you only need a visa if you don’t have tickets on the same itinerary, or only if you stay in the same terminal. We read stories of people being turned back by gate agents without a visa (and it’s hard to tell if it was only misinformed gate agents or a necessity). Suffice it to say that all this was enough to instill enough fear in us to opt for the new $50 e-visa instead of taking a chance.
*As of June 17, 2019, the visa requirement for citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan will be lifted.
Connecting with split tickets
In particular, what can be challenging is the transfer within the airport’s secure area, if you don’t have a boarding pass for an ongoing flight because of a separate ticket. In our case, we were going to board our long-haul international flight well before the 24-hour online check-in time for the airline that we will be connecting to. This would now involve desperately looking for a lounge or a service desk to try and check-in or get boarding passes while connecting. Or with some luck using WIFI somewhere to check-in online and hope the connection airport accepts electronic boarding passes. Again, not something to leave to chance as it is not always the case!
In fact, one of our first choices of flights with a small regional carrier didn’t even offer online check-in. So, we had to change plans lest have to do customs, exit the secure area, check in at the counter, and do security again (adding at least a couple of hours to the connection).
International travel, different rules
In some places, you are UNABLE TO TRANSIT between international flights without a connection on the same ticket. This is the case in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where if you arrive on a separate ticket, and even if you have a continuation to another international destination and don’t want to exit you must do so and must therefore have a visa to enter Brazil and clear immigration and customs with your bags. Not just a challenge and expense for processing and obtaining the visa but you must also plan for lots of extra time.
The things we take for granted with local travel, don’t necessarily apply in international hubs and transit points. The prudent course would be to book flight straight through on the same ticket to your destination. But occasionally you’ll find that remote spots are only served by regional aircraft that may not have agreements with your international carrier. We actually laughed out loud when some carriers will price connections for a small $100 regional flight at $1,000 extra (yes, 10x that is not a typo!) to add that small hop to your itinerary. Akin to saying, sorry we really don’t want to do that for you!
Get pertinent information
Travel forums are filled with sad stories of people missing connections, being turned back at their origins when trying to board without paperwork, hunting for last-minute accommodations and tickets at great expense and inconvenience. Don’t become one to add to this list. Do your research, leave yourself ample time, and take insurance!
Here is an interesting site that gives you connection information and entry requirements as well as transfer requirements.
Check the IATA Travel Center with your data when planning your connections and flights; it might save you some headaches.
Entry and health requirements
As travelers it’s our responsibility to obtain the required documents and/or vaccinations. Do I need a passport and how long does it have to valid for (often 6 months)? Do I need to renew my passport? Do I need a tourist visa, work visa, or transit visa? What vaccinations do I need? Doing this at least 3 months in advance would be good; nobody wants to miss out on a trip for a technicality!
The importance of having proper documentation
Don’t risk being denied entry because you don’t have the proper documentation. Making sure that you do is your responsibility. On our recent trip to Roatan, Honduras, we heard from a fellow traveler that his travel companion was denied boarding because she didn’t have a passport. She thought she could travel to Honduras with her American driver’s license, how wrong she was! He was there alone diving and texting her pictures. It must have been really disappointing for her to be denied boarding. But ultimately it was her responsibility to do her research first.
Complying with the health requirements
Sometimes proof of vaccination is required to enter or even transit through certain countries. This is often the case if you plan on traveling or transiting from countries where there’s a risk of contracting yellow fever.
For example, next summer we will be traveling to South Africa and since we will be transiting through Sao Paulo, Brazil, we need to carry with us proof of our yellow fever vaccination. Even if we don’t plan on leaving the airport; without it we will be denied boarding for our flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Of course, had we chosen to transit through Europe, the yellow fever vaccine would not have been necessary. But we got a good deal for our international flight by going through Brazil—this story will be for another time…
Be sure to see a medical professional or to visit a travel clinic a few months before your departure since some vaccinations might need a booster to be fully effective. Other preventive medicines need to be taken at least a few weeks before departure: This is the case for malaria prevention. The pills need to be taken for 7 weeks before leaving, while abroad, and for 2 weeks after to protect you. Some vaccines last a lifetime, others a few years and some only a year or less.
Where to get the relevant information
Canadians can look up the Government of Canada website to get current info on travel advisories, entry and exit requirements, health, safety and more pertinent information here
Americans can obtain this information here
Related post: Tips for Travel Visa Applications
See our Travel Planning Guide