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Lima (LIM) Minimum Connection Time in 2026: A Brand-New Terminal

LIM's published OAG minimum connection time is 30 minutes domestic and 90 for the other three sectors, with a domestic-to-international floor higher than Panama or Bogota. A brand-new single terminal opened in June 2025. The terminal, LATAM's hub and realistic padding explained. Verified June 2026.

· · 5 min read · Verified Jun 2026
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On this page
  1. Quick reference: published minimums vs realistic padding
  2. One brand-new terminal
  3. How the border shapes each connection
  4. How Lima compares to other major hubs
  5. When to add more padding
  6. The verdict
  7. How LIM connections compare to other airports
  8. Sources and methodology

Lima is the Latin American hub that just rebuilt itself. The OAG standard minimum connection time at LIM is 30 minutes domestic and 90 minutes for the other three sectors (OAG MCT database via ExpertFlyer, verified June 12, 2026). The number that stands out is the 90-minute domestic-to-international floor, higher than the 60 minutes filed at Panama or Bogota, which tells you Jorge Chavez treats the move into the international departure flow conservatively.

The big 2026-relevant change is physical: a brand-new terminal opened on June 1, 2025, replacing the old, badly overcrowded single terminal. The new building puts domestic and international under one airside-connected roof, so the connection itself is far smoother than it used to be, even though the published floors did not change.

Quick reference: published minimums vs realistic padding

Connection typePublished OAG standardCrosses the border?Our realistic recommendation
Domestic to domestic30 minNo40-55 min
Domestic to international90 minYes90 min or more
International to domestic90 minYes (immigration, customs)90 min or more
International to international90 minYes (airside in new terminal)80-100 min
LATAM same-airline domestic~45 min filedNo45-60 min

Published values are the airport-standard OAG minimums and the LATAM same-airline figure (ExpertFlyer, verified 2026-06-12). The right-hand column is our editorial padding recommendation, not an official figure.

One brand-new terminal

The story at Lima in 2026 is the new building:

  1. The new terminal opened on June 1, 2025, combining domestic and international operations under one airside-connected roof, with far more capacity than the old facility.
  2. The old terminal has been repurposed for offices, a medical center and private aviation, with its connection congestion now behind travelers.

Because everything is in one airside-connected building, a Lima connection is a walk rather than a terminal change. What fills the 90-minute international floors is the border: immigration, customs and the international departure process, not distance.

How the border shapes each connection

Domestic to domestic. Within the new terminal. The 30-minute floor holds; LATAM files about 45, and we pad to 40 to 55.

Domestic to international. You move into the international departure flow with security and the 90-minute floor; we pad to 90 or more. This floor is higher than at Panama or Bogota.

International to domestic. You clear Peruvian immigration and customs before re-entering the domestic system. Plan 90 minutes or more.

International to international. Airside in the new terminal, but still the 90-minute standard; we pad to 80 to 100, more in a busy bank.

How Lima compares to other major hubs

airport published floor fully airside? realistic short-connection buffer
LIM (Lima Jorge Chavez)30 DD / 90 DI / 90 ID / 90 II (DI higher than peers)Yes (new single terminal opened June 2025, domestic + intl under one roof)45 min LATAM domestic; 90 min-plus across the border
BOG (Bogota El Dorado)30 DD / 60 DI / 90 ID / 90 II (Avianca files 60-70)Yes within T1 (Avianca all flights since 2018); Puente Aereo is 1 km away60-75 min Avianca same-terminal; +shuttle only if touching Puente Aereo
PTY (Panama Tocumen)30 DD / 60 DI / 90 ID / 90 II (Copa files ~60)Yes (T1 and T2 joined airside; free shuttle 8-10 min)60-75 min Copa same-airline; +30 min if changing T1<->T2
GRU (Sao Paulo)30 DD / 60 DI / 90 ID / 90 IIPartial (T2<->T3 airside walkway; T1 Azul needs landside shuttle)60-75 min within T2/T3; 90 min-plus for any T1 (Azul) or cross-carrier interline
LIS (Lisbon)30 min SchengenNo (T2 is landside-only)45 min intra-Schengen, 2-3 hrs otherwise
JFK (New York)30 min domesticNo (zero airside links)90-120 min

The honest comparison: Lima’s published international floors are higher than Panama’s or Bogota’s, so on paper it looks slower, but the brand-new single terminal makes the physical connection one of the easier ones in the region. The conservative 90-minute floors are about the border process, which every Latin American hub shares; Lima just files them higher.

When to add more padding

  • Any border-crossing connection. The 90-minute floors assume a smooth immigration pass; at peak, pad further.
  • Separate tickets. Without a single LATAM through-ticket, you clear and recheck bags yourself.
  • Leaving the airport. The new terminal’s temporary road access plus Lima traffic can make a quick city trip slow; do not cut a layover close.
  • Late inbound. A 45-minute domestic LATAM connection has little slack if the inbound runs late.

The verdict

Lima is a hub worth re-reading in 2026 because the airport is effectively new. The published floors, 30 minutes domestic and 90 for the international sectors, are higher than its regional peers on the international side, but those reflect the border process, not a physical maze, because the terminal that opened in June 2025 keeps domestic and international under one airside-connected roof. Keep a domestic LATAM connection and 45 to 60 minutes works; cross the border and plan 90 minutes or more. The connection is easier than it has ever been at Jorge Chavez, even if the published numbers stayed conservative.

How LIM connections compare to other airports

Sources and methodology

Published minimum connection times are the OAG STANDARD values from the OAG MCT database, accessed via ExpertFlyer and verified June 12, 2026 (recorded per-field in our airport data). LATAM (LA) files about 45 minutes same-airline domestic and around 90 for connections involving an international flight; this is a headline OAG summary recorded at medium confidence. The brand-new terminal that opened June 1, 2025 (inaugurated May 30, 2025), combining domestic and international under one airside-connected roof and replacing the old terminal (now repurposed for offices, a medical center and private aviation), and the operator Lima Airport Partners (Fraport), were verified against Wikipedia and the airport’s official site on June 17, 2026. Airport identity (ICAO SPJC, coordinates, Wikidata Q1142219, about 27 million passengers in 2025) is from Wikipedia and is catalog-class. Ground transport (Airport Express Lima coach, taxi range, Lima Metro Lines 2 and 4 still under construction, and the new terminal’s temporary road access) is from Wikipedia and secondary sources, with PEN-to-USD conversions approximate. The “realistic recommendation” column and padding scenarios are our editorial synthesis and are labeled as such wherever they appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum connection time at Lima Jorge Chavez?
The published OAG standard minimum connection time at Lima (LIM) is 30 minutes domestic-to-domestic and 90 minutes for the other three sectors: domestic-to-international, international-to-domestic and international-to-international (OAG MCT database via ExpertFlyer, verified June 12, 2026). The 90-minute domestic-to-international floor stands out as higher than the 60 minutes at Panama or Bogota, reflecting the security and immigration steps into the international departure flow. LATAM Peru, the hub carrier, files about 45 minutes same-airline domestic and around 90 for connections involving an international flight. Our realistic recommendation is 45 to 60 minutes for a domestic LATAM connection and 90 minutes or more whenever your itinerary crosses the border.
Does Lima's new 2025 terminal change connections?
Yes, for the better. A brand-new terminal opened on June 1, 2025, replacing the old single terminal that had grown badly overcrowded. The new building combines domestic and international operations under one airside-connected roof, so a connection no longer means a cramped, congested transfer. The published floors did not drop, the 90-minute international sectors still reflect immigration and security, but the experience of making the connection is far smoother in the new facility. The main lingering issue is landside: the new terminal's permanent road access is still being built, so getting to and from the city can be slow.
Why is Lima's domestic-to-international floor 90 minutes when Panama's is 60?
The 90-minute domestic-to-international floor at Lima is higher than the 60 minutes filed at Panama or Bogota because of how the connection flows through immigration, security and the international departure process at Jorge Chavez. It is a conservative airport-wide standard rather than a sign of a physical problem, since the new terminal keeps everything in one airside-connected building. LATAM's own same-airline figure for connections involving an international flight is also around 90 minutes. The practical takeaway is to treat any Lima connection that crosses between a domestic and an international flight as a 90-minute-plus event, even though the walk itself is short.
Is a 60-minute connection enough at Lima?
For a domestic-to-domestic connection, yes: 60 minutes is well above the 30-minute floor, and a LATAM same-airline domestic connection clears it comfortably. For any connection that crosses between a domestic and an international flight, 60 minutes is below the 90-minute standard and we would not book it, because you must clear Peruvian immigration and security in the international flow. For an international-to-international or international-to-domestic connection, plan 90 minutes or more. The new terminal makes the walk easy, but the border process is what fills the time.
Do I clear immigration when connecting internationally at Lima?
If your connection involves an international arrival continuing to a domestic flight, you clear Peruvian immigration and customs before re-entering the domestic system, which is why the international-to-domestic floor is 90 minutes. An international-to-international connection stays airside in the new terminal, following marked flows to a dedicated connection corridor. Note that since October 27, 2025 the airport charges international connecting passengers a Unified Airport Usage Fee (TUUA) for international transfers in Lima, typically collected through your ticket. Peru is visa-free for many nationalities for tourism, but transit and entry rules vary by passport, so check yours before booking a tight connection.
How do I get from Lima Jorge Chavez to the city during a layover?
Jorge Chavez is in Callao, about 11 km from central Lima and further to Miraflores, and the trip can be slow because of the city's heavy traffic and the new terminal's temporary access roads. The Airport Express Lima coach serves Miraflores and central districts, taking 40 to 70 minutes; a taxi or rideshare is about USD 15 to 30 over a similar time. Lima Metro Lines 2 and 4 are under construction and do not yet reach the airport. For a layover under three hours, it is safer to stay in the new terminal, which has plenty of dining and lounges.
C
Caden Sorenson

Travel research publisher and senior staff engineer

Caden Sorenson runs Travel Vient, an independent travel research and tools site covering airline carry-on policies, packing lists, and head-to-head airline, cruise, and destination comparisons, with everything cited to primary sources. He's a senior staff engineer with 15+ years of experience building iOS apps, web platforms, and developer tools, and a Computer Science graduate from Utah State University. Based in Logan, Utah.

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