Connection time at DFW

[Sea Hag]

My daughter and her family are traveling from Columbus, OH to San Jose, CA on AA in February. They change planes at DFW. I think the connection time is okay on the way out if they move their keisters and don't wander off shopping, but the connection time of 46 minutes on the way back has me a tad worried. Flight number from San Jose is 1438; flight number to Columbus is 1164. I tried looking into this myself before posting here, but I'm baffled. According to ifly.com, AA arrives/departs from these gates: A8-39, B1-49; C2-39; D17-40 & E35-38.

 

My daughter is traveling with two kids and a husband with a bad knee. She bought the tickets on aa.com, so I'm sure it's a legal connection.

 

In your considered opinions, is the 46 minute connection time likely to work?

[MommaBear55]

It is tight. Hopefully they can arrange one of the shuttle trolleys (they look like overgrown golf carts) because of your SIL's bad knee. Or they may get lucky and the gates will be really close to each other.DFW is a big hub, so the gates may be widespread. The good news is that AS would put them on the next available flight free of charge if they miss their connections.

[Sea Hag]

Thanks for the reply, MommaBear. What you said is what I was thinking. I've had to change terminals at DFW more often than not when traveling through there, and that's what has me worried.

[fbgd]

Whilst not ideal I wouldn't be overly worried about 46mins at DFW. Just be prepared, have them download the AA app onto their phone and they can figure the arrival and departure gates and plan their way to the nearest Skylink stations before they get off the plane.

 

I've had connections of this length with terminal changes and have had time for a drink in the Admirals Club...

Edited September 28, 2016 by fbgd

[ccastner]

DFW also has an app. They should search and download that too. I always go for a min of 1 hour at DFW because of how large it is and that you never know about delays

 

 

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[FlyerTalker]

Go to the DFW airport website or THIS LINK. You will want to either hike/golf cart within a terminal or use the Skylink to get from terminal to terminal.

 

Two things to note.

 

1) Stay inside the secure zone.

2) Go in the direction that provides the shortest routing

 

As mentioned above, the AA app will give you gate info prior to deplaning from your inbound. Decide if you need the clockwise or counter-clockwise loop and which of the two stations in each terminal. You might also want to print out the page linked above and the DFW terminal maps and study beforehand. Or look in the AA magazine for the airport maps, either onboard or online.

[alcpa1]

Make sure your family checks their AA reservations periodically for flight number or time changes. Any change that takes them below the MCT will require flight changes.

Also we had 8, yes, 8 gate changes during a 1 1/2 hour connection time with the escalator to the Skylink Train out of order. Not a fun day at DFW. No wonder it's one of my least favorite domestic airports.

[Sea Hag]

This is all excellent advice. I'm sending it along to my daughter, and I thank you all very much. :):):)

[Keith1010]

I know you might not want to hear this but if it was me I wouldn't book a 45 minute connection at DFW. Probably not for most airports but DFW would be a no in my book. If she's already booked it then the key is to be organized and you have gotten good advice. If she has not then I would book something else.

 

We used to live near DFW and I have flown it many times and these days I connect often through that airport.

 

Keith

[Sea Hag]

I know you might not want to hear this but if it was me I wouldn't book a 45 minute connection at DFW. Probably not for most airports but DFW would be a no in my book. If she's already booked it then the key is to be organized and you have gotten good advice. If she has not then I would book something else.

 

We used to live near DFW and I have flown it many times and these days I connect often through that airport.

 

Keith

 

What I would like to hear isn't applicable, and I for sure would never book this either! I undoubtedly haven't connected through DFW as many times as you have, but I've done it often enough to know not to do a 46 minute connection.

 

But as I said originally, she would book it because she already has.

 

Thanks for the input. Appreciated. :)

[iancal]

We have been through DFW many times on our way to FLL or MIA. It is one of our favourites and our preferred connection point because of the airport layout and transportation.

 

We have had quite a few tight connections, 45 minutes, and never had a problem. Much better than many other airports.

 

As long as your flight arrives on time you will be fine. And chances are the next flight might depart a little late.

Edited September 30, 2016 by iancal

[Keith1010]

What I would like to hear isn't applicable, and I for sure would never book this either! I undoubtedly haven't connected through DFW as many times as you have, but I've done it often enough to know not to do a 46 minute connection.

 

But as I said originally, she would book it because she already has.

 

Thanks for the input. Appreciated. :)

 

You are welcome.

 

Hopefully it will work out for them.

 

Be sure that they put the American Airlines App on their smart phone (assuming they have a smart phone) and that they print out a copy of the airport terminal map or just take one out of the American Airlines magazine just so they have a sense of where they are going.

 

Gates/Terminals change all the time including the day of the flight but often flights to the same location leave out of different terminals daily and certainly throughout the week.

 

I am not sure what seats they have. They could pay more to have seats closer to the front of the plane and that is something I would recommend that they consider.

 

Keith

[Alaskanb]

We have been through DFW many times. Before landing they will announce which gate they will be using and quite often the gate for next flights. The terminal map showing closest Skylink train is in the AA magazine so you know whether to go left or right once getting off the plane --you go up escalators to get to it. On the train it will tell you the closest exit point to your next gate.

We always pay to book seats near the front if we have a short connection time and make sure we have very little in the way of carry-on bags.

They could be lucky and only have to walk a few gates and have no need for the train but they do need to prepare in case they need to.

[fbgd]

We have been through DFW many times. Before landing they will announce which gate they will be using and quite often the gate for next flights.

 

AA have stopped announcing connecting gate information. I've certainly not heard it on my last 30 or so flights into hubs that I've taken since it was discontinued earlier in the year.

[zdcatc12]

AA have stopped announcing connecting gate information. I've certainly not heard it on my last 30 or so flights into hubs that I've taken since it was discontinued earlier in the year.

 

Yes, thank you ex-USAir management. Another one is the credit card pitch that was never done before the merger.

[Alaskanb]

AA have stopped announcing connecting gate information. I've certainly not heard it on my last 30 or so flights into hubs that I've taken since it was discontinued earlier in the year.

Probably because it changes so much!

The point for the OP is to be aware of where their arrival gate is relative to the Sky train then look up departure gate from the "board".