Checklist for your connecting journeyVirgin 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.
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Connecting flights
Travel requirements
Don’t forget to check the requirements for your whole journey well in advance
Consider all the Countries you will be travelling through. For example, if you are transiting through the USA you will still need an ESTA or visa. You may also need to complete covid tests or documentation.
Travel requirements for Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays destinations
Travel requirements for other destinations
Travelling with a SkyTeam partner?
Find links and more for our SkyTeam partners here.
Check travel requirements on the SkyTeam Travel Requirements map
Check in and bag drop
Virgin Atlantic online check in opens 24hrs before flight departure
If Virgin Atlantic is operating the first flight sector in your itinerary, you’ll be able to check in online here 24hrs before your flight departs. If your first flight is with a different airline, please visit their website.
You’ll need a Boarding Pass for each flight segment in your itinerary. Bags may be tagged to the final destination on your ticket, however you may still need to collect and re-check them during your journey. Our agents will advise you what to expect at the Bag Drop counter, and you can also check whether you'll need to collect your bags here.
If you are unable to check in online, please see an agent at the airport who will assist you.
Find out more about Check in and Baggage allowances
Check carry-on allowances with the SkyTeam carry-on calculator
Airport and transfer experience
Plan your connection and make sure you have enough time
Check which Terminals your flights arrive into and depart from and whether you need to collect your luggage.
Some countries require you to collect your bag at the first airport on arrival into that country, for example the USA. The check in agent will advise you of this when you drop off your bag.
Connecting flight guides by airport
To help you connect seamlessly onto your next flight, here is some useful information about connections at our key airports
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow has five airport terminals, and Virgin Atlantic operated flights arrive and depart from Terminal 3.
To help your connection run smoothly:
- After landing follow 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, please visit Heathrow Airport’s guide
Which terminal? How do I connect at Heathrow?
For more information on connecting at London Heathrow, please visit 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.
For more information on connections, please visit Manchester Airport’s guide
New York - JFK Airport
All Virgin Atlantic and Delta flights depart and arrive into Terminal 4
| International to domestic connections | 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. 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.
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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.
- 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.
Check out our guide to connecting in Atlanta
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:
If you have not yet checked in with your connecting airline:
For all other airlines:
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| 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 |
Bengaluru - Kempegowda International Airport
All Virgin Atlantic operated flights depart and arrive into Terminal 2
Bengaluru Airport has two terminals. Your onward flight (including domestic flights operated by our codeshare partner IndiGo) may depart from Terminal 1.
| Virgin Atlantic to domestic connections | If you are connecting domestically you must collect your bags and clear immigrations and customs. If you are connecting with IndiGo, you can then proceed to the IndiGo transfer desk. If you are connecting with another airline, you may proceed directly to the airline check in desk on Level 3 after collecting your bags and clearing customs. |
| Virgin Atlantic to international connections | If you are connecting internationally on a single ticket, and your bag is tagged to your final destination, proceed directly to the transfer desk located before immigration. You do not need to collect your bag as it will be automatically transferred to your next flight. If you are booked on separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and clear immigration and customs, then proceed to the airline check in desk on Level 3. |
| If you need to transfer between terminals | If your connecting flight is from Terminal 1, there is a free shuttle bus you can use to transfer between terminals. Follow signs to the 'Inter-Terminal Transfer point'.
Please note: all international departures are from Terminal 2.
Security screening and immigration checks will be conducted when transferring between terminals, as well as when entering the departure gate area. E-cigarettes are prohibited. All electronics including chargers are to be removed from hand luggage and placed in trays available at the security screening point. |
Delhi - Indira Gandhi International Airport
| Wayfinding during your connection | Customers arriving in Delhi and connecting onto a domestic flight within India should follow the signs to arrivals / baggage claim, and must clear Immigration, then collect their bags and clear customs. Check your itinerary for the terminal your connecting flight is departing from and proceed to re-check / drop your bags at that terminal. |
| How to transfer between Terminals | For transfers to Terminal 1, there is a complimentary shuttle available from pillar number 10 outside the arrivals hall. Alternatively, you can take any of the taxis or Ubers. It will take approximately 30 mins to transfer between Terminal 3 and Terminal 1. For transfers to Terminal 2, you will need to walk. The walking distance is 10 mins. |
| What to expect when connecting to/from your Virgin flight | For Domestic - International connections from Indigo to Virgin Atlantic, bags will be checked through to your final destination. For International-Domestic connections from Virgin Atlantic to Indigo, you will arrive into Terminal 3. You must clear Immigration, collect your bags and clear customs, then head to your respective Terminal (1, 2 or 3). For International – International connections, if your bags are through-checked in, you just need to proceed to the connecting flight transfer area or transfer desk. |
| Where to find help at the airport if you need it | An information desk is available in the arrivals hall before clearing customs. |
Mumbai - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
| Wayfinding during your connection | When transferring between terminals, please refer to the displays / signage boards which will indicate the transfer desks for passengers connecting to other flights. For passengers connecting onwards on domestic flights from Terminal 1, there is a complimentary shuttle bus service available from Terminal T2 to T1, loated at Level P4. Please refer to the signange boards. The shuttle bus service is available every 30 minutes. |
| How to transfer between Terminals | For transfers between Terminals T1 & T2, a complimentary shuttle bus service is available every 30 minutes. Pick up points : Terminal T1 - outside gates 1 & 2 Terminal T2 - level P4 |
| What to expect when connecting to/from your Virgin flight | For domestic to international connections from Indigo/Vistara to Virgin Atlantic, your bags will be through-checked in to your final destination. For international to domestic connections from Virgin Atlantic to Indigo/Vistara, at Terminal 2:
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| Where to find help at the airport if you need it | You can find the airport help desk / information counters located at both the Arrival & Departure levels. |
Other airport guides
You can find out more about other airports in our Airport Guides section
FAQs about Connections
Boarding passes
For each flight in your journey you will receive a boarding pass. If you do not have a boarding pass for a flight in your journey, you should visit the airline desk at the airport.
Understanding your booking
If you've booked separate tickets (more than one Booking Reference)
If you’ve booked two or more flights separately, you will need to pick up your checked bags at baggage claim, and then proceed to check in with the airline for the next flight. Give yourself some extra time to do this.
If you have been issued a single ticket and are flying with us or on one of our trusted partners (including Air France – KLM and Delta)
Great news! Your bag will be automatically transferred to your connecting flight, except in the United States, where you will need to pick them up at baggage claim at your first point of arrival in the US. Give yourself some extra time to do this.
Do I need to collect my bags?
Connecting in the US and my bag tag shows the final destination
You will need to collect your bag, and then check-in your bag for your next flight.
For example, say you’re flying from Heathrow to New York to Los Angeles. When you check your bag in at Heathrow, the bag will show as being tagged all the way to Los Angeles. Despite this, you will have to collect the bag in New York, and then have to check it again in New York after you clear immigration. The bag won’t need to be tagged again, since the baggage tag already indicates your final destination.
Connecting through Heathrow and my bag tag shows the final destination
Great news! You won’t need to collect your bag.
Check the requirements for these and other destinations here
Do I need a visa during my connection?
Many countries will still require you to have a visa, even if you are transiting.
Make sure you consider all the countries you will be travelling through and understand whether you will be ‘in transit’ (where you don’t need to clear immigration) or whether you will be entering that country (where you do pass through immigration).
For example if you’re transiting through the USA to another country, you will still need an ESTA or visa. You may also need to complete covid tests or documentation.
Travel requirements for Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays destinations
Travel requirements for other destinations
Direct Airside Transit Visa UK
You might need a Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) if you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland and you:
- will be changing flights in the UK on your way to another country
- will not go through UK border control
Check if you need a transit visa before you apply
Stopping overnight before your connection in the UK?
- If you’re stopping over in the UK and would like a hotel for the night, you can apply for a 24-hour visa upon arrival if required
- Your passport must allow you entry to the UK and you must have a booking for onward travel
- Visas are granted upon the immigration officer’s discretion
Entry requirements for the UK are changing. From November 2023, some passengers will require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK, including when transiting.
Using TSA Pre-Check & Global Entry in the US?
If you have a connecting flight on another airline, including our partner Delta Air Lines, you'll also need to add your Known Traveller Number (KTN) to your booking with them.
Special Assistance for your connection
Find out more about Special Assistance and how to request it
What happens if I've missed my connection?
If you booked separate tickets (more than one Booking Reference)
The connecting airline is not responsible, and you will need to contact the airline you are due to fly with. You may need to purchase a new ticket.
If you have been issued a single ticket for your whole journey (one booking reference)
If you have missed your connection before travel has started, then contact the airline or travel agency you booked through.
If you miss your connection during your journey, then visit the desk of the airline you flew with to rebook.
Travel easy, with the Virgin Atlantic Mobile App
Why not download our Virgin Atlantic Mobile App which includes interactive airport maps to make travel easy and help you find your away around the airport.