Is 45 minutes enough at JFK? 22% of inbound flights landed too late for it, allowing 30 minutes to reach the next gate. Book 90 minutes to keep the risk under 1 in 10, or 150 in July.
Separately, 4.8% of flights into JFK were cancelled or diverted (9.0% in July). That isn't a missed connection in the same sense: on one booking the airline rebooks you, though it can still cost you the day.
Check your exact itinerary through JFK →
Missed-connection risk by layover and month
Share of flights that landed at JFK too late for the connection (cancellations not included), pooled over 2023–2026. Read across your travel month.
| Layover | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 min | 25% | 25% | 27% | 22% | 26% | 31% | 35% | 30% | 22% | 20% | 19% | 29% | 27% |
| 50 min | 19% | 18% | 20% | 16% | 19% | 24% | 28% | 24% | 16% | 14% | 13% | 21% | 20% |
| 60 min | 14% | 14% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 20% | 24% | 20% | 13% | 10% | 10% | 16% | 16% |
| 75 min | 11% | 10% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 16% | 19% | 15% | 10% | 7% | 7% | 12% | 12% |
| 90 min | 8% | 8% | 9% | 6% | 9% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 9% | 10% |
| 120 min | 5% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 9% | 11% | 8% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 6% | 6% |
Counts flights that landed; cancelled and diverted inbound flights are reported separately above. Assumes 30 minutes to get off the plane and reach the next gate, and that the onward flight leaves on time. A terminal change or re-checking bags needs more.
Late in the day is riskier
Share of flights that would miss a 60-minute connection, by scheduled arrival time at JFK (past 12 months). Delays pile up through the day.
Riskiest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| ORD Chicago | 3,245 | 22% |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 3,896 | 21% |
| MIA Miami | 4,526 | 20% |
| PBI West Palm Beach | 2,051 | 19% |
| CLT Charlotte | 3,285 | 19% |
| RDU Raleigh | 3,672 | 18% |
| BOS Boston | 5,614 | 18% |
| MCO Orlando | 4,813 | 18% |
| CHS Charleston | 1,722 | 18% |
| ATL Atlanta | 4,218 | 18% |
| DFW Dallas | 1,948 | 18% |
| BNA Nashville | 2,732 | 16% |
Safest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| CMH Columbus | 1,702 | 11% |
| SAN San Diego | 2,417 | 11% |
| CVG Cincinnati | 1,740 | 11% |
| PIT Pittsburgh | 2,254 | 11% |
| SYR Syracuse | 1,488 | 12% |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 1,932 | 12% |
| IND Indianapolis | 2,009 | 12% |
| SEA Seattle | 2,906 | 13% |
| DEN Denver | 1,531 | 13% |
| ROC Rochester | 1,677 | 13% |
| LAS Las Vegas | 3,717 | 14% |
| AUS Austin | 2,227 | 14% |
Last flights of the day from JFK
If your inbound runs late and you miss one of these, the next flight is usually the next morning. Typical last scheduled departure over the past three months:
| To | Last departure | Flights / day |
|---|---|---|
| DFW Dallas | 5:59 p.m. | 5.7 |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 6:29 p.m. | 4.8 |
| CVG Cincinnati | 6:29 p.m. | 4.7 |
| CHS Charleston | 6:50 p.m. | 4.4 |
| AUS Austin | 7:00 p.m. | 6.5 |
| PBI West Palm Beach | 7:00 p.m. | 4.6 |
| BNA Nashville | 7:59 p.m. | 6.3 |
| TPA Tampa | 7:59 p.m. | 6.4 |
| IND Indianapolis | 7:59 p.m. | 5.1 |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 8:00 p.m. | 8.9 |
| SJU San Juan | 8:00 p.m. | 9.5 |
| ORD Chicago | 8:00 p.m. | 8.6 |
| CLT Charlotte | 8:20 p.m. | 8.2 |
| SEA Seattle | 8:23 p.m. | 8.6 |
| SAN San Diego | 8:29 p.m. | 6.6 |
| PHX Phoenix | 8:55 p.m. | 8.2 |
| ATL Atlanta | 8:59 p.m. | 10.9 |
| MCO Orlando | 9:00 p.m. | 11.8 |
| MIA Miami | 9:00 p.m. | 11.5 |
| SFO San Francisco | 9:26 p.m. | 19.4 |
| PIT Pittsburgh | 9:30 p.m. | 5.4 |
| JAX Jacksonville | 9:30 p.m. | 4.7 |
| LAX Los Angeles | 9:40 p.m. | 27.6 |
| DCA Washington | 9:41 p.m. | 6.1 |
| DTW Detroit | 9:45 p.m. | 4.6 |
| LAS Las Vegas | 9:80 p.m. | 10 |
| RDU Raleigh | 10:00 p.m. | 9.1 |
| CLE Cleveland | 10:00 p.m. | 5.4 |
| BOS Boston | 10:30 p.m. | 12.8 |
| BUF Buffalo | 10:40 p.m. | 6.8 |
Questions
Is 45 minutes enough for a connection at JFK?
Often, not always. Over the past year 22% of flights into New York landed too late to leave 30 minutes to reach the next gate on a 45-minute layover. With 60 minutes it was 16%; with 90, 10%. Separately, 4.8% of inbound flights were cancelled or diverted; on one booking the airline rebooks you.
How long a layover do I need at JFK?
To keep the risk of a late inbound below 1 in 10, about 90 minutes on an average month and 150 minutes in July, the worst month. Add time if you change terminals or need to re-check bags.
An estimate from past arrival delays, not a guarantee. On one ticket, the airline will rebook you if you misconnect. On separate tickets you're on your own, so leave far more time. Method.