How much time to allow to connect in JFK to Egyptair flight?
 

Hi, everyone!
How much time does one really need to connect in JFK from a Delta flight to an Egyptair flight? Looks like the terminals are right next to each other with train transport between.
Thx again in advance!

It depends on whether Delta will check your bags through to Egypt. If you are travelling on one ticket they usually will, but if you are travelling on a seperate domestic ticket then they do not have to. Ask Delta in advance of your arriving at the airport, so you can plan accordingly. If you have to claim your luggage at the Delta baggage carousel that can take up to an hour.. If you are traveling with carry on, then this is not a concern. As far as transferring terminals via the airport train, it could take anywhere from 5 minutes to 25 minutes depending on the proximity of the terminals. The trains run every few minutes, so waiting time for the train is minimal. Egypt Air requires you to check in 3.5 hours before the flight.

Egyptair does <u>not</u> require you to check in 3.5 hours before the flight.

According to their web site, Egyptair closes check-in for international flights 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Obviously, you'd want to arrive at the Egyptair terminal 90 minutes or so before the flight time, to allow for the inevitable check-in line.) They also say that the "best time to check in" is 3 hours before departure. However, that is certainly the "best time" for them, not the best time for passengers who, after checking in 3 hours ahead of time, find themselves with a couple of hours to spend in a dreary terminal.

Sorry. Meant to type 1.5 hours not 3.5 hours.

Why didn't you just fly Delta all the way through to Cairo on their nonstop?

Make sure Delta has a baggage agreement with EgyptAir and will transfer your luggage. When we flew to Egypt from JFK out of San Francisco in 2005 our domestic airline did not have such an agreement and we had to transfer our luggage ourselves.Also, in 2005 there were two carry on checks. One was at security and a further more thorough hand check was done at the gate. One could assume that five years later things are more lenient but with the recent attempt in Detroit maybe not.

As above, if both your domestic flight on Delta and the ongoing to CAI on Egypt Air are one ticket, Delta should thru check your luggage. If as one ticket the time between flights should be what is "legal" for the transfer at JFK. For that matter, even if separate tickets, Delta should thru check. And, should get your boarding passes for both flights.

Then once at JFK, you only have to make the terminal change, check the gate # for departure and make your way thru Security.

You should leave yourself minimum 2/hrs, just in case the Delta flight is late arriving.

Still best to check with the airlines.

Sorry, but I would never try to make the connection to an overseas flight on the same day as arriving at JFK! Too many things can happen between home and NYC and it would be terrible to miss your flight. Best Western has an inexpensive hotel at JFK; we always spend one night and catch our international flight the next day. We are coming from Guatemala, but I would do the same thing if I lived in the US.