2026 layover guide
Baltimore (BWI) connection time
At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, plan on at least 50 min for a domestic connection, 1 h 30 min if you change terminals outside security, and 2 h 20 min if you're arriving from abroad. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 30 min
By a walk through the main terminal, with another security check
Customs, bag recheck and security
Some changes mean security again
Quick answer
Plan on at least 50 min for a domestic connection at BWI, 1 h 30 min if you change terminals and 2 h 20 min after an international arrival. Some terminal changes mean going through security again.
- Domestic, same terminal
- 50 min (comfortable: 1 h 30 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 30 min by a walk through the main terminal
- From abroad
- 2 h 20 min, including customs and bag recheck
- Hub airlines
- Southwest Airlines
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate20 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at BWI
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Domestic to domestic, same terminal Checked bags transfer automatically | 50 min Comfortable: 1 h 30 min |
Domestic to domestic, changing terminals, inside security By a walk through the main terminal | 1 h Comfortable: 1 h 30 min |
Domestic to domestic, changing terminals, outside security Includes another TSA check | 1 h 30 min Comfortable: 2 h |
International arrival, connecting domestically Customs, bag recheck and TSA | 2 h 20 min Comfortable: 3 h 15 min |
Same, with Global Entry and PreCheck Faster customs and security | 1 h 50 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 1 h 50 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around BWI
Terminals
One terminal with Concourses A, B, C, D and E.
Changing terminals
Concourses A, B and C, used mostly by Southwest, share one secure area, linked since January 2026 by the new A/B connector. Concourses D and E share another. Moving between the two sides means leaving security and going through TSA again.
Customs and international arrivals
Arriving from abroad, you clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), collect your checked bags, drop them at the recheck belt and go through TSA security again before your connection. International flights arrive at Concourse E.
Tips for connecting at BWI
- •Most Southwest connections stay within Concourses A, B and C, so there's no second security check.
- •The light rail stop is next to Concourse E; the Amtrak and MARC station is a free shuttle ride away.
Plan your trip through BWI
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
BWI connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at BWI and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 50 min for a domestic connection, 1 h 30 min when you change terminals and 2 h 20 min after an international arrival.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport official website
- AirlineGeeks: BWI opens its A/B connector (Jan 9, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (airlines, terminals and ground transportation)
Read how we collect and check this data, or tell us if something's out of date.
Cheap flights, any connection
Pick your home airports and we'll email you when fares drop well below normal. You book directly with the airline.
Free plan available · 14-day free Premium+ trial · Cancel anytime