Short connection times

[tillys mom]

Have you been seeing very short connection times on domestic flights? We are sailing out of Seattle on May 26, 2024 so plan to fly in on the 25th. I am seeing 40 minute connection times in DFW, CLT, and PHL; and that’s just the the ones I looked at. We are older with knee issues, and don’t think we should even attempt these. I know that 40 minutes are considered adequate on domestic flights, but would you book one? Why are they even being offered?

[CruiserBruce]

No, 40 minutes would be concerning for us. Yes, if everything is going according to schedule, we can make it. But we try to get a minimum of 60 minutes at most airports, and longer at some.

 

There is something called Minimum Connection Time, or MCT. That is the established minimum time to connect at an airport. They can't offer less than that, its called an "illegal connection". So they should only be offering a "legal connection". I suspect MCTs are based on an average person making the connection, assuming everything is on time.

 

They offer them because they also typically have excess time in their schedule to attempt to always look like they are on time. So you actually could have more than the connection time. We just flew non-stop from Montreal to SFO. We departed 25 minutes late (plane late from previous flight, had to be towed from domestic gate to transborder gate), and STILL arrived 25 minutes early at SFO.

 

I am researching an upcoming trip SFO-DCA. There is one non-stop. There are about 6 other possible options...with connections through DEN, IAH, ORD and EWR. The connection times range from 50 minutes to 100 minutes. I am leaning towards the 2 or 3 that have over 60 minute connection times.

 

If someone says 40 minutes is too little, but 60 minutes is ok, someone else will say 60 minutes is too little, 100 minutes should be the MCT, where does it end?

[tillys mom]

What bugs me is that these short connections are the lowest priced, and sometimes the only option for that time of day. We are flying home on the same day the cruise ends, and almost all the choices after the recommended time (11 am) are 10 pm or later. I keep hoping new flights will be added but don’t know how likely that is.

[FlyerTalker]

20 minutes ago, tillys mom said:

We are flying home on the same day the cruise ends, and almost all the choices after the recommended time (11 am) are 10 pm or later. I keep hoping new flights will be added but don’t know how likely that is.

 

The reason for flights not departing SEA in the afternoon is time zones.  A flight from SEA heading east will "lose" two or three hours, with a resulting arrival time in the evening - when onward connections are few.  So instead, you find eastbound red-eyes, arriving in the morning where they can catch the first bank of connections out.

 

There won't be "new flights", as this is a historic pattern at SEA.  You will find flights headed south, and to other "western" cities, but your flights to ATL or DFW or CLT or IAH (for connections to "Alabama") are pretty well set.

 

You are not necessarily bound by the connections offered by the airline.  Look into creating your own connection.

 

 

 

 

 

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, tillys mom said:

Why are they even being offered?

 

Because most passengers will make it, most of the time, and many passengers want the shortest overall journey time. Airlines calculate official Minimum Connection Times on this basis, knowing that if they get it wrong and too many passengers miss their connections, then that will cost the airline a lot of money.

 

If a short connection doesn't work for you, for whatever reason, then choose something else.

 

10 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

You are not necessarily bound by the connections offered by the airline.  Look into creating your own connection.

 

Although not by buying two separate tickets - unless you know exactly what you are doing, and why, and what the implications and consequences are. If you buy two separate tickets, that is not a connection, and doing this can open up a whole world of pain if things go wrong.

[CruiserBruce]

34 minutes ago, tillys mom said:

What bugs me is that these short connections are the lowest priced, and sometimes the only option for that time of day. We are flying home on the same day the cruise ends, and almost all the choices after the recommended time (11 am) are 10 pm or later. I keep hoping new flights will be added but don’t know how likely that is.

I agree with @FlyerTalker. The issue you mention is due to flight times and time zones, not connection times. Even if there was an 11am ( the absolute earliest recommended flight, but if mobility is an issue,  probably NOT recommended), non-stop flight from Seattle to a city near you in Alabama,  you are talking a near 6 hour flight, plus losing 3 hours. That has you landing at no earlier than 8pm. Having to connect extends that time, and longer connection times just gets you home later. No way around that.

 

You have the choice of a redeye flight, or spending the night in a hotel at your connection airport and an early morning flight to your home airport. 

[tillys mom]

Thanks for the replies- at least now I know what I am facing. The airlines I have been looking at on EZAir (Princess) are AA, Delta, United, and Alaska. If I booked direct are there any other airlines that might have flights that I’m not seeing?

[CruiserBruce]

Southwest has a good sized presence at Seattle.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, tillys mom said:

Thanks for the replies- at least now I know what I am facing. The airlines I have been looking at on EZAir (Princess) are AA, Delta, United, and Alaska. If I booked direct are there any other airlines that might have flights that I’m not seeing?

 

Well, since we can only guess where you are flying to from Seattle.....

 

 

[6rugrats]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Well, since we can only guess where you are flying to from Seattle.....

 

 

Would guess Alabama,

[FlyerTalker]

59 minutes ago, 6rugrats said:

Would guess Alabama,

 

Yes, but Huntsville and Mobile and Birmingham are far different than Dothan or Florence.  And from each other.

 

Details...details....details.

[Zach1213]

18 hours ago, tillys mom said:

I keep hoping new flights will be added but don’t know how likely that is.

 

Not very

 

15 hours ago, tillys mom said:

Thanks for the replies- at least now I know what I am facing. The airlines I have been looking at on EZAir (Princess) are AA, Delta, United, and Alaska. If I booked direct are there any other airlines that might have flights that I’m not seeing?

 

Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and Sun Country all fly domestically out of SEA. But since we're not sure what your destination is, those may or may not be relevant to you. 

[tillys mom]

Sorry about the lack of details. I can fly from BHM, MGM, or JAN. Birmingham seems to be the only one with much choice, so I have been checking flights there more than the others. I have points with AA but they want 112,000 points for a decent round trip choice. 
Thanks for your help!

[Zach1213]

43 minutes ago, tillys mom said:

Sorry about the lack of details. I can fly from BHM, MGM, or JAN. Birmingham seems to be the only one with much choice, so I have been checking flights there more than the others. I have points with AA but they want 112,000 points for a decent round trip choice. 
Thanks for your help!

 

That's just kind of the issue with flying to/from a smaller city. There are not a lot of flights, so connections can often be quite short or quite long. The smaller you get (like Montgomery), the more likely that is to be true. 

 

Do add Southwest to your list, as they serve both Jackson and Birmingham. But otherwise, you really are limited to AA(+ Alaska), DL, and UA. 

 

Definitely do consider breaking your trip up if you can. For example, you could even book something where you get out one day, book an overnight connection in somewhere like Dallas or Atlanta (and grab an airport hotel) and finish the next day. 

 

Finally, would you consider driving to somewhere like New Orleans? Alaska does nonstop MSY-SEA at least 1-2x daily, so that drive might be worth it depending on where exactly you're coming from (assuming west central Alabama based on your airports listed, which puts you at like a 3-4 hours drive to MSY). 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Zach1213

[tillys mom]

Wow, I never considered that as an option. I am going to check now as New Orleans is closer than Atlanta and much easier to get to.

[CruiserBruce]

2 minutes ago, tillys mom said:

Wow, I never considered that as an option. I am going to check now as New Orleans is closer than Atlanta and much easier to get to.

Check out ita matrix so you can all these things we have suggested to you. They don't show Southwest, but they give you a huge amount of info.

[Zach1213]

17 hours ago, tillys mom said:

Wow, I never considered that as an option. I am going to check now as New Orleans is closer than Atlanta and much easier to get to.

Yeah, when you're coming from smaller markets, it's definitely worth extending your search a bit. New Orleans could be the perfect balance for you. Hope it works out! 

[tillys mom]

Thanks for all the help!

[waterbug123]

On 10/8/2023 at 4:26 PM, tillys mom said:

What bugs me is that these short connections are the lowest priced, and sometimes the only option for that time of day. We are flying home on the same day the cruise ends, and almost all the choices after the recommended time (11 am) are 10 pm or later. I keep hoping new flights will be added but don’t know how likely that is.

Perhaps consider staying over a night in Seattle and getting a morning flight the next day.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

On 10/9/2023 at 10:58 AM, tillys mom said:

Sorry about the lack of details. I can fly from BHM, MGM, or JAN. Birmingham seems to be the only one with much choice, so I have been checking flights there more than the others. I have points with AA but they want 112,000 points for a decent round trip choice. 
Thanks for your help!

 

There are possibly more options to ATL.