Connecting flights | Security | Virgin Atlantic help centre (2023)

Connecting flights guide by airport

London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow has five airport terminals, and Virgin Atlantic arrive and depart from Terminal 3. To help you make your connection, here are some important things to keep in mind:

Minimum connection times:allow at least 60 minutes for connections within the same terminal, and at least 90 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals. You'll need to allow extra time if you need to collect your bags and go through security

After landingfollow the purple ‘flight connections’ signs to the transfer area and check the screens for Departure Gate information

If your connecting flight is with Virgin Atlantic, visit the Terminal 3 transfer area and see one of our team to verify your documentation for your connecting flight

If your connecting flight leaves from a different terminal, simply follow the purple ‘flight connections’ signs and take a free flight connections bus that will transfer you between terminals

For more information on connecting at London Heathrow, pleasevisit Heathrow Airport’s guide

Which terminal? How do I connect at Heathrow?

Virgin Atlantic to Virgin Atlantic

Terminal 3 to Terminal 3

All Virgin Atlantic flights arrive and depart at Terminal 3.

After landing follow the purple signs to Flight Connections. Go to the Virgin Atlantic desks in the transfer area so the team can check you in for your connecting flight.

If you're in a hurry, there is also a quick route through the transfer area to the departure gates, but please expect walking times of up to 20 mins.

Virgin Atlantic to Delta

Terminal 3 to Terminal 3

All Virgin Atlantic flights and Delta flights arrive and depart at Terminal 3.

After landing follow the purple signs to Flight Connections.Go to the Virgin Atlantic desks in the transfer area so the team can check you in for your connecting flight.

If you're in a hurry, there is also a quick route through the transfer area to the departures gates, but please expect walking times of 20 mins.

Virgin Atlantic to Air France / KLM

Terminal 3 to Terminal 4

All Virgin Atlantic flights arrive and depart at Terminal 3 and Air France / KLM flights arrive and depart at Terminal 4.

After landing follow the purple signs to Flight Connections and take a free flight connections bus that will transfer you between terminals. Please ensure you leave extra time between flights (at least 90 mins) and this should be longer if you need to collect your bags.

Visit the Air France/KLM desk in in the transfer area to verify your documentation for your connecting flight.

Other airline to Virgin Atlantic

Any other terminal to Terminal 3

After landing follow the purple signs to Flight Connections and take a free flight connections bus that will transfer you between terminals. Buses leave every 10 minutes.

When the bus arrives continue to follow the purple signs to flight connections.

Visit the Virgin Atlantic transfer desk in in the transfer area to verify your documentation for your connecting flight.

For more information on connecting at London Heathrow, pleasevisit Heathrow Airport’s guide

Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport's three terminals are located conveniently close to one another and you can walk between terminals.

Virgin Atlantic flights arrive into Terminal 2. Transferring from Terminal 2 to either Terminal 1 or 3 should take no more than 5 to 15 minutes, with moving walkways throughout the terminal buildings. Meanwhile, T1 and T3 are an easy two minute walk from one another.

If your connecting flight leaves from a different terminal, simply follow the yellow ‘flight transfer’ signs to your departure terminal once you have passed through immigration and customs.

If you are arriving into Terminal 2 on a Virgin Atlantic flight and connecting onto another flight, then your bags will be checked through to your final destination, and there is no need to collect your bags.

We reccommend that you allow the following minimum connection times:

75 minutes for all connections.Please leave more time if you need to collect your bags

For more information on connections, please visit Manchester Airport’s guide

Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport

To help you make your connection, we recommend that you allow the following minimum connection times:

70 minutes for connections within the same terminal

Leave at least 90 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals

You will be required to go through security

If your connecting flight leaves from a different terminal, simply follow the yellow ‘’transfer” signs

Please leave more time if you need to collect your bags

You can also visit the AirFrance transfer counter to get answers to all your questions, obtain boarding passes, change flights and seat.

For more information on connections, please visit Charles de Gaulle Airport’s guide

Amsterdam - Schiphol Airport

All gates are situated under one roof. Area 1 is dedicated to flights to and from Shengen (within the EU), which includes gate zonesB, C and partly D. Areas 2, 3 and 4 arededicated to non-Schengen flights and includegate zonesG, F and E. This means no need for trains or buses, making connections quicker. To help you make your connection, we recommend that you allow the following minimum connection times:

40 minutes for flights within Europe

50 minutes for an intercontinental flight

Follow the transfer passenger signage

Please leave more time if you need to collect your bags

You can also visit the KLM transfer desk or self-service transfer kiosks to get answers to all of your questions, obtain boarding passes, change flights and seat.

For more information on connections, please visit Schipol Airport's transfer page

New York - JFK Airport

All Virgin Atlantic and Delta flights depart and arrive into Terminal 4

International to domestic connections

Allow at least 1 hour and 40 minutes connection time. When you arrive you will need to clear immigration, collect your bags, check in with the next airline, clear security and head back to the departure area. You can use ‘Quick Connect’ if you show your onward boarding pass/ticket to one of the T4 agents in the customs hall. You must collect your bags. Once you exit the customs hall if you are travelling with Delta, you can recheck your bags (recheck area in on the left as you exit) then proceed to TSA Security. For all other carriers, please proceed to carrier designated terminal/check-in area.

Domestic to International connections

When you arrive check the departures screens for your gate number and head straight to the gate. Allow at least 45 minutes connection time and please remember to check in online before you arrive. Per UK regulations, we will need to scan you passport again before you board so please see a Virgin Atlantic team member at the gate.

If you need to connect between terminals

Take the AirTrain which operates between all passenger terminals for free.

To make your connection, follow signs for AirTrain
You will need to reclear TSA security once you arrive in your departure terminal

For more information on connections, please visit JFK's information page

Atlanta - Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport

Atlanta has a domestic and international terminal with concourses A to F and T. To help you make your connection, once you arrive you will need to clear immigration, collect your bags, check in with the next airline, clear security and head back to the departure area.

We recommend that you allow the following minimum connection times:

45 minutes for domestic to international connections

90 minutes for connections international to domestic

A complimentary airport bus runs every 6-10 minutes between concourses T and F. Journey time is roughly 15-20 minutes, but may be more during busy periods

Plane trains run between concourses, each with a journey time of roughly 10 minutes

You can also visit the airline transfer desk to get answers to all your questions, obtain boarding passes, change flights and seat.

For more information on connections, please visit Atlanta's information page

Connecting in Atlanta

Virgin Atlantic to Domestic US connection

If you have an onward boarding card and your bags have been tagged to your final destination:

Clear immigration and claim bags.

Proceed toward exit hall but turn left for connections. Bags will be surrendered to the transfer bag attendant, and passengers will proceed through the security to connecting flight terminals.

Trains will transport them between the 7 terminals.

If you have not yet checked in with your connecting airline:

If your connecting flight is with Delta Airlines, proceed to the Delta desk in the connections / transfer area

For all other airlines:

Proceed to the check-in desk for your connecting airline

Domestic carriers are located in the domestic terminal. To travel to the domestic terminal, proceed to the exit, board the domestic transport bus to the domestic terminal. Bus ride is approximately 15 minutes. Buses run every 20 minutes.

Virgin Atlantic to international connections

When you departed the UK, our team will have tagged your bag with a purple ITI (international to international) tag, which means there is no need to collect your bag.

Simply proceed to immigration, check screens for your departing flight information and then follow proceed to your connecting flight