Starting to get worried about my connection

I have just become aware that since I have a connection in Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale from Rome before I get on the connection to Ft.Lauderdale that I will need to go through customs in Charlotte and not Fort Lauderdale. I'm on American Airlines flight lands in CLt at 4:35pm and connection leaves at 6:25pm. How worried should I really be about missing my connection?

Most airlines suggest 90 minutes so with almost two hours to play with, I wouldn't worry about it.

Most airlines suggest 90 minutes so with almost two hours to play with, I wouldn't worry about it.

This is inaccurate. There are legal minimum connection times at airports based on domestic to domestic, domestic to international, etc. then you can throw in terminal changes and so on. There is no standard recommended connection time across the board. If you book it as one ticket then the airline will not allow you to book a connection that is not legal.

CLT whilst a busy domestic airport is not a hugely busy international airport so clearing immigration, customs and security shouldn't be too much of a hardship. Given you're trying to get to FLL then you could always be re-routed to MIA or PBI, if you do happen to miss your FLL flight, both of which AA serve from CLT.

I normally prefer more time to go through immigration, then claim luggage, go through customs and then through another security check.

The good news is that it is Charlotte and as fbgd mentioned there are other flights and American Airlines does have a hub there.

I am not sure when your travel is planned.

If you have a few months you could apply for Global Entry. It would shorten time for immigration/customs and you can also use this to go on the TSA Approv line allowing for a shorter line through security.

Keith

There are too many variables to say for sure if that connection time is long enough. While I've not flown international into Charlotte, I have made connections with only an hour (lots of backup options if I missed the connection) and have also missed connections that were 3 hrs (late arrival of.international flight, huge line ups at Customs/Immigration and an unfortunate thunderstorm that blew in causing all baggage operations to stop).

Look and see what your options are if you miss your connection. Decide if you think 2hrs isn't enough time. Find out if you have any ability to alter your flights.

Assuming you are returning from a cruise and not heading to one, I personally would be OK with your connection unless you absolutely need to be home by a certain time/date.

I normally prefer more time to go through immigration, then claim luggage, go through customs and then through another security check.

 

The good news is that it is Charlotte and as fbgd mentioned there are other flights and American Airlines does have a hub there.

 

I am not sure when your travel is planned.

 

If you have a few months you could apply for Global Entry. It would shorten time for immigration/customs and you can also use this to go on the TSA Approv line allowing for a shorter line through security.

 

Keith

One inaccuracy here that needs to be addressed: Having GE does not guarantee automatic access to the TSA Pre-Check line. You may still be given the "go to the regular line" at any time. having Pre-Check or GE just gives better odds of getting the special line.

This is inaccurate. There are legal minimum connection times at airports based on domestic to domestic, domestic to international, etc. then you can throw in terminal changes and so on. There is no standard recommended connection time across the board. If you book it as one ticket then the airline will not allow you to book a connection that is not legal.

 

CLT whilst a busy domestic airport is not a hugely busy international airport so clearing immigration, customs and security shouldn't be too much of a hardship. Given you're trying to get to FLL then you could always be re-routed to MIA or PBI, if you do happen to miss your FLL flight, both of which AA serve from CLT.

AA's published International to Domestic MCT at CLT is 1 hour.

Global Entry will save you a ton of time with immigration and customs in CLT. The lines can be long, the arrivals hall can fill up to the point that they start holding incoming passengers on their planes. That happened to us last year but we still made from our inbound plane through immigration and customs, dropped our bags at the re-check drop and made into the domestic terminal gate area in under an hour from the time we reached the arrival gate.

I always make sure I get 2 hours. If you are short on time, in CLT go to the TSA line farthest away from where you are, and most likely it will be the shortest. More walking, but faster. Just something I learned in CLT a while back.

It may be tight, depending on how many customs officers are working and how many Intl arrivals happen at the same time. At least, it'll be the airline's responsibility to accommodate you on an alternate flight if you do miss the connection. My tips are use the bathroom before descent, so you won't have to use it at the airport, and try to choose seats toward the front of the plane to try to beat the crowd at Customs. Good luck!

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It may be tight, depending on how many customs officers are working and how many Intl arrivals happen at the same time. At least, it'll be the airline's responsibility to accommodate you on an alternate flight if you do miss the connection. My tips are use the bathroom before descent, so you won't have to use it at the airport, and try to choose seats toward the front of the plane to try to beat the crowd at Customs. Good luck!

Note the "alternate flight". Not next flight. Not even a flight the same day. A generic "alternate".

That time in Charlotte is very tight, and there is a fair chance that you will miss your connecting flight. If you have Global Entry...this will help...but you still have to wait for your luggage and then pass through customs and recheck the luggage. In most airports you will then have to again pass through TSA domestic security...before you can head to your gate. If this is happening on your return home, just go with the flow. If you do miss the flight, your airline will book you on their next available flight.

If you happened to be from Europe and on your way to a cruise..then we would be more concerned and try to get the flights changed.

Hank

P.S. Just an interesting note. This past March we missed a connection at ATL as we were flying home from Puerto Vallarta. It was a combination of errors...in that our flight from PV was running 45 min late....Delta sent everyone to the wrong luggage carousel, and the line to get back through TSA was long. Delta was nice enough to pick up the tab for our overnight hotel (near ATL) because there were no connecting flights until the following day.