Minimum Connecting Time

Definition

The shortest time interval required between the arrival of one flight and the departure of a connecting flight at a given airport, as published by IATA. MCT varies by airport and by whether the connection is international-to-international, domestic-to-international, etc. In OBC planning, MCT is a critical constraint — a courier with a tight connection may need a meet-and-assist service to make the transfer within MCT. Major hubs like FRA (45min int'l-int'l) and LHR (60min) have relatively short MCTs, while DXB (75min) requires more buffer.