how much time in between connecting flights

[juniper berries]

The times we have traveled to Europe we were able to go direct and did not need to have connecting flights. This time there are no direct flights. So i am wondering what is the minimum time you want for connecting flights to what you like to have. Is there any place that will give you guidelines. Thanks for any help.:)

[Colo Cruiser]

The times we have traveled to Europe we were able to go direct and did not need to have connecting flights. This time there are no direct flights. So i am wondering what is the minimum time you want for connecting flights to what you like to have. Is there any place that will give you guidelines. Thanks for any help.:)

 

 

I would say 60-90 minutes at least.

These are not Princess flights are they?

If the airlines sets the flights, they know what can be possible and whats not.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Illyria]

I would say 60-90 minutes at least.

These are not Princess flights are they?

60 minutes is probably a bit too short, but it would also depend which airport you're at. Few things to consider - is the connection at a U.S. airport (regional vs. international) or an airport in Europe; is it the same airline, that sort of thing.

 

For example, if you're connecting in the U.S. and have to go from a domestic terminal to the international terminal, in some of the larger airports (which may require taking a train or shuttle) - and you also have to be at the gate at least 30 minutes prior to departure - you'll have to do the math to figure out what you're comfortable with.

[Nomsayin]

We won't book anything with less than an hour layover at the bare minimum. We'd much prefer to sit around an extra hour or two, rather than deal with the hassle and stress of close connections.

[Colo Cruiser]

60 minutes is probably a bit too short, but it would also depend which airport you're at. Few things to consider - is the connection at a U.S. airport (regional vs. international) or an airport in Europe; is it the same airline, that sort of thing.

 

For example, if you're connecting in the U.S. and have to go from a domestic terminal to the international terminal, in some of the larger airports (which may require taking a train or shuttle) - and you also have to be at the gate at least 30 minutes prior to departure - you'll have to do the math to figure out what you're comfortable with.

 

Actually looking extensivley at the EZ Air options through Princess to Milan for next month and returning from Barcelona many many flights offered had only 30-60 minute connection times. I looked at hundreds of combinations.

There were also many with 15-20 hours unwanted layovers, they were all over the place. ;) After all the airline is the one setting up the connection.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Ethel5]

It depends on the airport. FAA set Minimum Connect Times (MCT). For Atlanta it's 35 minutes. I wouldn't book a connecting flight in ATL with less than 2 hours. Confession....I do have a connection in ORD of 80 minutes and I'm sweating it. They really should have a new time called SCT-sensible connect times.

 

Lesson...

 

Direct flights go from point A to point B and have a stop along the way but have the same flight number for both legs. You stay on the plane but others get off. A Non-Stop flight is just that-no stops from point A to Point B. :)

[Loonbeam]

If you are connecting within a domestic group (inside the USA or between Schengen agreement countries) 60 mins is bare minimum, 90 is preferred.

 

If you need to clear customs in transit, add 90 minutes for that connection.

 

I'm not sure if you are connecting within the US or in Europe to Milan?

[SLCfirsttimer]

The times we have traveled to Europe we were able to go direct and did not need to have connecting flights. This time there are no direct flights. So i am wondering what is the minimum time you want for connecting flights to what you like to have. Is there any place that will give you guidelines. Thanks for any help.:)

 

As others have mentioned it depends on the airport. A few years back I had a connection at Charles De Gaulle in Paris coming home from India. I had a nearly 3 hours to make my connection and was still scrambling to make it. For some flights they do not pull up to a gate, rather you are parked on the Tarmac, deplane, and then ride a bus to the terminal. From there, I had to go through a security check that took an hour, then back on another bus to the plane.

 

I'm not sure if this is still the case at CDG, but I would be hesitant to book anything less than 3 hours.

[Illyria]

Back in the summer of 2001 I used Priceline to book a flight from Denver to London (Heathrow). It was in the early days of "name your price", and also before all the extra security of 9/11. Well, Priceline put me on a United flight with a 40-minute connection at Chicago/Midway. The flight was 20 minutes late coming into Chicago...I wasn't the only one on the plane trying to make the London flight, so the flight attendants got tired of our freaking out and announced right before landing that unless you were on flight such-and-such to London, you must stay in your seat and let other through! I had to sprint through the terminal, with 2 carry-on bags (although they did hold the door open for a few extra minutes). Amazingly enough, not only did I make the flight, but so did my luggage - but I never want to repeat that experience again!

[Pam in CA]

One of the worst airports for connecting flights is Heathrow. Unless your flight arrives at the same terminal as your departing flight, you have to go through Security again at the 2nd terminal. This can take well over an hour.

[KirkNC]

The times we have traveled to Europe we were able to go direct and did not need to have connecting flights. This time there are no direct flights. So i am wondering what is the minimum time you want for connecting flights to what you like to have. Is there any place that will give you guidelines. Thanks for any help.:)

 

Ideally a couple hours but it depends on whether you have to go through customs or not.

[dorisis]

Nowadays, airlines are very unreliable. I would want at least 2 hours or up to 4. Especially in large airports with multiple terminals.

[FawnRiver]

Just because a connection is considered legal, doesn't mean its doable in real life.

 

There are a lot of variables to consider, as noted by previous posters.

 

Are the flights on the same airline? Are they booked as one ticket? We did one flight to BCN from YYZ and to get the flights I wanted (at the price I wanted) I booked the first leg using airmiles and the second using cash. We had to be prepared to pick up our baggage and check in for the second flight at Heathrow. Fortunately, I did online check in for both flights together before leaving for YYZ and showed the BA desk clerk both sets of boarding passes so she made up tags for our bags so they'd get routed right onto the second flight, leaving us plenty of time for DH to find the pub in Terminal 5 at LHR ;). Better still, our bags actually showed up in Barcelona the same time we did :D.

Is the connection in the same terminal (or even at the same airport)? I was looking at flights for a trip and BA gave me a connection that had the first flight landing at Heathrow and the second taking off from Gatwick :rolleyes:.

[flamomo]

I you have connections involving Dulles, in DC, give yourself AT LEAST 2 hours. That is one of the worst places I have ever had to make connections on international flights. Besides being a madhouse in terms of huge crowds, it seems terribly disorganized, and is laid out weird. I avoid going thru there if at all possible.

[TheCruisingBrewers]

I agree with you there Pam, Heathrow is very bad that way, we could not figure it out the first time we visited there. I read somewhere on Trip Advisor that they now recommend 3 hours because of the time it takes. They also have one terminal being renovated so it is closed. Plus then there is the whole LHR or Gatwick thing. It bears close watching if you are doing flights, otherwise the Heathrow to Gatwick is another time sink.

 

Some of the EZ Air flights have ridiculous connect times, so much so it cured me of wanting to use them at all. 30 minutes in a new airport really? Coupled with the other things I have read I just decided to do my own....

 

I always prefer over 2 hours for connections even with tickets on the same airlines, in most places which stems from years of business travel and having to run for flights on several occasions. Even flying from San Diego I have had horrific wait times to get through TSA to leave. My family teases me for my obsessive planning but hey I get the where they want to go...right? All I have to do is remind of a time in Atlanta and they all pipe down! LOL

 

Just recently decided to take an overnight from the west coast to LHR (DH's favorite flight is the one from SAN to LHR) and then spend a few days, in London on my next trip so I will not have to worry about connections there. It just seemed easier, and lots more fun!

Edited August 18, 2014 by TheCruisingBrewers

[Corfe Mixture]

One of the worst airports for connecting flights is Heathrow. Unless your flight arrives at the same terminal as your departing flight, you have to go through Security again at the 2nd terminal. This can take well over an hour.

 

It is actually no different to many other European airports serving the US.

 

Your DHS require that anyone in an area where they could pass a package to a person boarding an aircraft bound for the US must clear body and hand baggage security at that terminal, even if they have previously cleared at another airport/terminal.

 

Better to queue for 10 minutes in this world than to arrive 20 years early at the queue for the next

 

Unlike the US, you do not need to clear immigration if you are transiting to an international flight. Nor do international transit passengers have to pay money (ESTA) to be security cleared even though they are only transiting.

 

A Heathrow there are airside buses for passengers needing to change terminals. Follow the purple signs.

 

This link gives all the details.

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/flight-connections/connection-guides

 

Sorry if that sounds 'pithy' but I don't think US citizens have any idea what it like for those of us your Government calls aliens when we encounter your DHS. That alone rarely takes less than 30minutes and often longer particularly at Miami.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Corfe Mixture

[capriccio]

Don't believe the airlines when they say 1 hour is sufficient anywhere! While you may make the flight, your luggage most likely will not. The only time we'll risk a one hour layover anywhere is on a return trip when the luggage is full of dirty clothes and not essential - and that was learned the hard way.

 

We are lucky enough to fly direct most of the time but on at least 1/4 of our flights involving transfers we have not received our luggage including:

 

 

• DC National to JFK to Rome (which was home at the time): the flight to JFK arrived on time but the luggage didn't make it on the Rome flight for everyone coming out of National.
  
• Dulles to Denver to Kona, Hawaii: the Dulles flight was an hour late due to a thunderstorm in DC at 8 am as the plane was boarding. Luckily, it was snowing in Denver (on May 10!) so they held our flight for us and another couple since there wasn't another that day. The luggage got to Kona via Los Angeles and was delivered to our hotel at 3 am.
  
• Copenhagen to Geneva to Dulles: Security in Geneva was a zoo and took almost the entire 60 minutes allotted for the transfer. As we were boarding the United staff checked (only because we were in first class I'm sure) and assured us that the luggage had made the transfer. They knew they would never see us again and I guess they didn't want us fretting for the entire flight home :D. Four bags of checked luggage didn't make it. Since there was only one flight a day on United out of Geneva they were put on the flight the following day and delivered to our home (70 miles away from Dulles) at 3 am.
  
• Just this past weekend we were on a Calgary to O'Hare to Dulles flight that had a 65 minute layover. Due to weather in Chicago we were diverted 'the long way' and arrived just as the flight to Dulles was boarding. We knew the luggage wouldn't make it - and it didn't. What was infuriating is that United flies every other hour (at least) from O'Hare to Dulles and while we arrived at 4 pm, the luggage didn't arrive until after 9 pm and wasn't delivered to our hotel until 6:30 am.
   
  I am grateful that in all these cases our luggage was never 'truly' lost; we have plenty of friends who have lost luggage for days and some permanently (and that is why DH, a million + miler on United, never ever checked luggage when traveling for business no matter how long the trip)>
  

Edited August 18, 2014 by capriccio

[Yehootu]

Don't believe the airlines when they say 1 hour is sufficient anywhere! While you may make the flight, your luggage most likely will not. The only time we'll risk a one hour layover anywhere is on a return trip when the luggage is full of dirty clothes and not essential - and that was learned the hard way.

 

We are lucky enough to fly direct most of the time but on at least 1/4 of our flights involving transfers we have not received our luggage including:

 

 

• DC National to JFK to Rome (which was home at the time): the flight to JFK arrived on time but the luggage didn't make it on the Rome flight for everyone coming out of National.
  
• Dulles to Denver to Kona, Hawaii: the Dulles flight was an hour late due to a thunderstorm in DC at 8 am as the plane was boarding. Luckily, it was snowing in Denver (on May 10!) so they held our flight for us and another couple since there wasn't another that day. The luggage got to Kona via Los Angeles and was delivered to our hotel at 3 am.
  
• Copenhagen to Geneva to Dulles: Security in Geneva was a zoo and took almost the entire 60 minutes allotted for the transfer. As we were boarding the United staff checked (only because we were in first class I'm sure) and assured us that the luggage had made the transfer. They knew they would never see us again and I guess they didn't want us fretting for the entire flight home :D. Four bags of checked luggage didn't make it. Since there was only one flight a day on United out of Geneva they were put on the flight the following day and delivered to our home (70 miles away from Dulles) at 3 am.
  
• Just this past weekend we were on a Calgary to O'Hare to Dulles flight that had a 65 minute layover. Due to weather in Chicago we were diverted 'the long way' and arrived just as the flight to Dulles was boarding. We knew the luggage wouldn't make it - and it didn't. What was infuriating is that United flies every other hour (at least) from O'Hare to Dulles and while we arrived at 4 pm, the luggage didn't arrive until after 9 pm and wasn't delivered to our hotel until 6:30 am.
   
  I am grateful that in all these cases our luggage was never 'truly' lost; we have plenty of friends who have lost luggage for days and some permanently (and that is why DH, a million + miler on United, never ever checked luggage when traveling for business no matter how long the trip)>
  

 

The only time my luggage has been lost was on my way to my initial interview with UAL and on the way home from my second.

Must have been good luck as that was 23 yrs ago and have 9 more to go till retirement.

I always travel a day ahead of my cruises and give a few days afterwards to decompress prior to heading back to the front end of the Jet.

Passengers get in deep when they book with the Interline Booking engines that offer the "cheap" airfare, but not the most prudent. Booking directly with any airlines, gives the most reliable connections. I have many times gotten "updated" connections once airborne and inbound to a hub. The airline does try to protect their international connections.

65 days till back at sea!! That's way too many airline meals.

Tim

[capriccio]

The only time my luggage has been lost was on my way to my initial interview with UAL and on the way home from my second.

Must have been good luck as that was 23 yrs ago and have 9 more to go till retirement.

I always travel a day ahead of my cruises and give a few days afterwards to decompress prior to heading back to the front end of the Jet.

Passengers get in deep when they book with the Interline Booking engines that offer the "cheap" airfare, but not the most prudent. Booking directly with any airlines, gives the most reliable connections. I have many times gotten "updated" connections once airborne and inbound to a hub. The airline does try to protect their international connections.

65 days till back at sea!! That's way too many airline meals.

Tim

 

Tiim - each one of those flights was a direct booking with the airline! And I know we received 'special' attention since my husband was global services on United until he retired and is still premier. Flying is no fun anymore -- and right now we are trying to decide on flights to Budapest and from Amsterdam (for a river cruise) next summer but I'm not looking forward to the getting to/from the cruise.

[Yehootu]

Tiim - each one of those flights was a direct booking with the airline! And I know we received 'special' attention since my husband was global services on United until he retired and is still premier. Flying is no fun anymore -- and right now we are trying to decide on flights to Budapest and from Amsterdam (for a river cruise) next summer but I'm not looking forward to the getting to/from the cruise.

 

My Mom would love to do one of the river cruises again, but flying from Hawaii to Europe are NO fun regardless of who you book with.

With your Husbands status, I assumed you booked directly. I see too many people booking with internet bookings and wondering why the airline won't help them out. I appreciate your husbands past travel choice and loyalty. It is a real mess out there these days!

Mahalo, Tim

[Woobstr112G]

I would try and arrange my flights so I had at least a three hour window.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Colo Cruiser]

I would try and arrange my flights so I had at least a three hour window.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

 

Unfortunately I found through EZ Air customizing connection times was next to impossible. Take it or leave it basicly. :(

[caribill]

I would try and arrange my flights so I had at least a three hour window.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

I once had a three hour connection at LAX and my luggage still did not make the flight.

[juniper berries]

:)Thanks for all the information it will be useful when the times come to book my flights. Better to have a long layover than a shorter one. Just makes for a longer trip. Hopefully less stressful.

[petlady7]

If you go to the Heathrow airport website and click on flight connections on the left you can find out recommended connection times for different flights leaving all terminals , we have 65 minutes in February to transfer but the flights arrive and leave from terminal 5 so hopefully if there are no delays we should be ok

Zoe