be in transit

Meaning

This expression means to be in the process of traveling or being transported from one place to another, often passing through an intermediate airport or station. It can refer to passengers who are waiting in an airport terminal between connecting flights, or to goods that are currently being shipped.

Examples

• I will be in transit all day tomorrow, so I might not have reliable internet access.

  I will be in transit all day tomorrow, so I might not have reliable internet access.

• Passengers who are in transit do not need to collect their checked bags at this airport.

  Passengers who are in transit do not need to collect their checked bags at this airport.

• We spent six hours in transit at the Dubai airport before our flight to Sydney.

  We spent six hours in transit at the Dubai airport before our flight to Sydney.

• My luggage was lost while I was in transit between Paris and New York.

  My luggage was lost while I was in transit between Paris and New York.

• The tracking system shows that your package is currently in transit and will arrive soon.

  The tracking system shows that your package is currently in transit and will arrive soon.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I am in the transit at the moment, call you later.

  ✓ I am in transit at the moment, call you later.

  The idiom is 'in transit' without any article ('the' or 'a').

• ✗ We were on transit for over twenty hours.

  ✓ We were in transit for over twenty hours.

  The correct preposition is 'in', not 'on' or 'at'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Since I will ___ for fifteen hours, I plan to read a book.

  💡 Use the infinitive form of the verb.

  Show answer

  be in transit

• The airport has a special lounge for passengers who ___.

  💡 Conjugate the verb for a plural subject.

  Show answer

  are in transit