We recommend at least 1½ hours for a comfortable connection at Chennai International. The minimum connection time is 45 minutes for domestic flights and 75 minutes for international flights. Transit between terminals takes up to 35 minutes.

Domestic-to-Domestic: 45 min. Domestic-to-International: 90 min. International-to-Domestic: 100 min. International-to-International: 75 min. These are the shortest layovers airlines will sell at Chennai International.

Chennai International (MAA) is a congested, aging hub where domestic and international operations are split across separate terminal buildings linked by a long connecting corridor. Connections here are workable but not quick — expect crowded corridors, limited signage, and mandatory re-screening for many transfers, especially for international arrivals reaching a domestic flight. Passengers move between the Anna International Terminal and the Kamaraj Domestic Terminal via a covered walkway that can take 15-20 minutes on foot, longer at peak times due to crowding and queues. Some transfers, particularly those involving the newer integrated terminal building, require a shuttle bus across the apron, and all international-to-domestic and domestic-to-international transfers require full re-screening and, for arriving international passengers, an immigration and customs process even when only connecting.

30 minutes doesn't allow for the walk between terminals or re-checking security, making this connection very risky. See full 30 min guide →

45 minutes meets the bare minimum for a domestic-domestic connection but leaves no margin for peak-hour congestion. See full 45 min guide →

60 minutes is comfortable for domestic-domestic but still marginal if your connection involves the international terminal. See full 1 hr guide →

75 minutes suits most domestic transfers well but is only just adequate for domestic-international connections under normal conditions. See full 1¼ hr guide →

90 minutes aligns with MAA's domestic-international MCT and should be sufficient outside of peak congestion periods. See full 1½ hr guide →

Two hours provides solid buffer even for international-domestic transfers involving customs and terminal changes. See full 2 hr guide →

150 minutes is ample for any connection type at MAA, even during the busy overnight international banks. See full 2½ hr guide →

Three hours is a very safe margin for any transfer combination, including slow immigration processing. See full 3 hr guide →

Four hours is more than enough time for any connection at MAA, even with terminal changes, re-screening, and peak congestion. See full 4 hr guide →