luli38

Daughter is studying abroad next semester in Italy and she is working on getting plane tickets as she needs these before she can secure her student visa. One of flights on her she is looking at for her return back to the States arrives at JFK but only allows 1 hour and 40 minutes until her next connecting flight takes off. Is that enough time? Seems to me like that would be cutting it very close. The next option (though not as convenient) allows 2 hours 40 minutes between flights. Appreciate any insight/recommendations.

IMDonehere

Lines can be long and I assume it is the same carrier on the 2nd flight. I think once you exit customs, you will probably have to go through security again for the domestic flight.

luli38

And it looks like she has to change terminals for the next flight. She lands at terminal 4, but next flight is out of terminal 2 though I don't know if that is a big deal or not. I am even questioning if the 2 hour 40 minutes will allow enough time.

Lois2

The 2 hour 40 is about as short as I would cut it...speaking from some serious experience at that airport...it is at best not an easy place to deal with and flights are always full so if you miss one you can be stuck in NYC.

Andrew

If she books the 1:40 connection and misses her scheduled flight but the flight an hour later (also out of JFK? same airline?), she would be put on it if there's room. If it's a very busy travel day, though, she might not get on the later flight. In that case, I'd probably book the 2:40 connection.

adrienne

Since you're asking about JFK airport it would be better to post on the US board rather than in Europe and tagged for Italy as your question has nothing to do with Italy.

I believe you're asking about immigration rather than customs as customs takes a couple of minutes unless you're stopped for an agricultural screening or luggage search. You hand in your landing card and walk through the door. Immigration is what takes a long time, depending on how many planes land around the same time.

Look at the airport map to see how far/close the arriving and departing terminals are.

http://www.travelnerd.com/airports/j...K/terminal-map

Does the airport traffic go one way around the terminals or does the train go both ways making terminals 4 and 2 closer to each other? Can she walk between terminals to save time?

Sassafrass

Doesn't Delta run a shuttle between T-2 & T-3? Takes about 15 minutes, a bit more if there is a wait. No walking.

Are flights on the same ticket, booked through the airline? If they book it, OK. If you book it, you are responsible.

I would probably opt for the longer time, then sit around kicking myself. OTOH, I would hate worrying about it the whole trip, then rushing frantically to connect.

I did miss a flight once at JFK and had to stay the night. I was lucky and had family I could call. I would not have enjoyed finding a hotel last minute. How would your daughter feel if that happened?

Odin

<<customs takes a couple of minutes unless you're stopped for an agricultural screening or luggage search.>> I've never had that experience in the US. Customs lines IME have been very long on almost every occasion & every airport I have visited in the US.

Last month I travelled thru JFK and immigration only took me 10-15 mins to clear because I used the automated passport control kiosk and I am not even a US citizen (ESTA holders can use it if they have been to the US before on the ESTA scheme - if it is a first time visit to the US on ESTA, then you have to wait in line to see an immigration officer). US citizens can use the kiosks as well of course and this should make passing thru immigration very quick. I was very impressed with the kiosks, now if only something could be done about the customs lines.

IMDonehere

You can take the Airtrain between terminals for free.

Dukey1

There is a TRAIN between terminals at JFK now?

Sassafrass

Dukey1,
It is just the elevated people mover that opened at JFK about 10 years ago, has some lines serving only terminals, parking, etc. and also lines connecting to LIRR and some metro stops.
I would also check to see where the Delta shuttle stops are located. That might be less walking.

nytraveler

No - 1 hours and 40 minutes is no way enough time - even if ths is all one ticket. (If she missed the ongoing flight she would be put on the next flight - but that might not be until the next day).

Esp if she has separate tickets I would think she needs at least 3 hours - to taxi to gate, deplane, get through immigration, pick up luggage, go through customs, recheck luggage and go through security again. And this assumes that her plane lands on time. If she is arriving in the afternoon there are dozens of flights from europe coming in and hte lines at immigration can be huge.

We have often taken 1.5 to 2 hours to get from wheels down out to the street with our checkd luggage if landing at 2 pm or after.

bvlenci

I've several times waited over an hour to get through customs. It's especially bad at the east coast airports in thev USA. I was once in Newark airport at a time when the line ran all around all of the luggage conveyors; I was sure I'd miss my connection. Then they began collecting the declaration forms without even looking at them, and that really got the line moving. Of course we transit passengers had to recheck our bags, and there was such an enormous quantity that I was afraid they'd never be seen again. However, a clever baggage handler was piling them up in order by time of flight departure, and my bag was on the plane with me.

JFK is an awful airport for transit. Once, I had to walk oudoors on a road with no sidewalk, in a snowstorm, to change terminals. This was less than ten years ago, and there was no people mover. There is one at Newark airport; have you confused the two?

Sassafrass

Airtrain opened at JFK Dec 17, 2003. I have ridden it a number of times, and connected to LIRR from it, so no, not wrong airport.

rbciao47

One hour forty minutes is not enough time. We like flying out of JFK, but we try to AVOID coming home through JFK. Once you clear passport and customs you take the skytrain and then must go through security again. It is a time consuming process and if it is crowded it will only take longer.

We fly on Delta and the airline has automatically changed our flights from the original because we did not have enough time between flights. Also, Terminal 2 has been remodeled, which has removed most of the places to sit. So, it is possible to arrive after a long flight and meet thousands of other travelers and seats for a hundred. I can't say enough bad things about JFK terminal 2.

Buon viaggio,

IMDonehere

Let us not complicate this matter.

The Airtrain is is a monorail that goes to from terminal to terminal and to two NYC subway stops and LIRR.

It can easily be used and runs very frequently.

It is just important to know and ask which direction will take you to the next terminal.

luli38

Thanks to all for the responses. Am going to suggest she book something with a little more time between flights.

travelgourmet

If you get Global Entry then 1:40 is more than enough time. If not, go for the longer one, but I still think you could take the short connection.

basingstoke2

Do not even consider the 1:40
First you are assuming the flight from Italy will arrive on time.
Next, since she is doing a study abroad I would think she has more than carry on luggage. She will have to wait for the luggage to arrive. That can take quite some time.

If the above two result in delays, whether or not she has global entry becomes moot.

As way of example, several years ago we flew in from Rome to JFK on American with an American Eagle connection to BWI. We had just under a 3 hour connection time. Flight was considerably delayed leaving Rome. Then we were in a holding pattern before landing. Then had to wait for an open gate. Then luggage took a loooooong time to arrive. Got through formalities fairly quickly and even had someone escort us to the front of the considerable security line. However, American arrivals and American Eagle departures although in the same building are at the opposite ends and require changing levels twice. It was a long walk - actually a long run - to the Am Eagle gate. We missed it by a hair. Since it was on the same ticket we were booked on a later Am Eagle flight, but the best they could do was to DC and from there ground transportation to BWI where our car was parked. All in all I could have driven to BWI from JFK in less time.