Airport transit visa is applicable for the persons who are just transiting the Schengen territory and who will not leave the transit area of the airport.

If you are going to wait for a few hours at the airport's international transit area, you will need to apply for airport transit visa. However, hotel accommodation is only available outside the transit area and you would need regular tourist visa if you want to stay in the hotel overnight.

If you don't have a confirmed onward flight from Germany and therefore require an airport transit in Germany, you need to apply for a regular tourist visa and not for airport transit visa.

If your arrival and departure are from 2 different airports, you will require a regular transit visa and NOT just airport transit visa.

The airport transit visa is issued by the consulate of the country where the transit airport is located.

Detailed information about Germany transit visa.

Airport transit visa may or may not be required depending upon the country of your citizenship and whether you have residence permits or visas of certain countries or kind of passport you hold.

Look at the requirements and exemptions for complete information.

• If you travel from the USA visa French airport to enter another Schengen country or if you have a second transit in another Schengen country airport,
  • The passport control is done at the first point of entry in the Schengen territory. All flights between two or more Schengen countries are considered domestic flights. Depending upon your citizenship, you may need a transit visa.
    
    
  • If you transit through a French airport and if you need a visa for the Schengen country which is your main destination, you must apply for a short stay visa at the consulate representing that country.
    
    
• If you travel from the USA via a French airport to enter Switzerland by Bale or Geneva, you have to apply for a transit visa depending upon your country of citizenship.