When flying, layovers are a usual step for many travelers. A common question during these layovers is if we need to go through customs checks.
Customs checks are needed for travelers coming from international flights. In this step, we declare our bags based on the rules of each country.
If our flight is direct, we'll face customs at our final airport. But what if we have a layover? For layover flights, whether we go through customs depends on different things.
In this article, I'll explain these factors so we know what to expect during a layover.
Remember, customs checks are only for those arriving from international flights. So, you won't go through customs if you're flying from one domestic location to another, or even from a domestic to an international flight during your transit.
Let's first talk about transiting from one international flight to another. Whether you need to go through customs depends on the kind of transit ticket you have.
In my previous article about transit, I mentioned two types of transit tickets: tickets under one booking code and tickets with different booking codes.
If your ticket is under one booking code, it means all your flights are booked together. This usually happens when all your flights are with the same airline or within the same airline group.
With this ticket, you'll get all your boarding passes at once at the first airport. Your checked luggage is also automatically transferred to your next flight.
So, you don't need to collect your bags or go through customs during transit. You can head straight to your next gate.
However, if you want to leave the airport, you'll need to go through immigration and customs, even though your bags are sent ahead.
When you have tickets with different booking codes, it means you've bought each segment of your trip separately, often from different airlines.
With these tickets, at your first airport, you'll only get a boarding pass for your flight to the transit airport. Once there, you need to get a boarding pass for your next flight.
To do this, head to the transit counter. The staff there will guide you on what to do next.
At some airports, they'll print your next boarding pass right at the transit counter and ensure your bags are transferred to your next flight. This lets you head directly to your gate without stopping for immigration and customs.
However, at other airports, you may need to collect your luggage first and then check in again at a regular counter. In these cases, you'll need to go through immigration and customs before continuing your journey.
Let's talk about transiting from an international flight to a domestic one. Imagine you're flying from Singapore to Jakarta, and then from Jakarta to Bali.
In this kind of transit, you must go through immigration and customs at your transit airport. This is because, when you land, you're coming from an international flight, so it's a requirement to complete these checks first.
Once you've gone through immigration and customs, you'll head to the domestic terminal to check in for your next flight.
Now you understand the customs requirements during transit. To sum up, for transits between international flights, whether you go through customs depends on your ticket type. However, for transits from international to domestic flights, you always need to go through customs first.
