Connection time should account for airport size, terminals, customs, mobility, and delay risk.
The shortest connection is not automatically the best connection. Consider airport layout, terminal changes, security, customs, mobility, family travel, and what happens if the inbound flight is late.
Minimum connection times are real industry standards, not comfort margins. IATA defines a minimum connecting time as the official shortest interval an airport allows to transfer a passenger and their luggage between flights, and it varies by airport, airline, terminal, connection type, and whether customs and immigration are involved — official minimums range from a brisk 20-some minutes at some airports to well over two hours anywhere a border gets a vote.
Brian's own planning buffer runs more conservative than the legal floor: closer to 90 minutes for a same-terminal domestic connection, two hours from an international arrival into a domestic flight, and two and a half to three hours anywhere customs is involved. That is professional judgment, not an official minimum — the airline's published number is the shortest interval allowed, not a promise, and no one from the airline will be jogging alongside you to close the gap.
A slightly longer layover can cost less than a missed flight, overnight hotel, and the fascinating emotional collapse that follows.
