48 minutes too close for a connection in Newark??
 

Hi all... my 'favorite' flight after months of searching involves a connection in Newark with only 48 minutes... please vote whether you would risk it or not choose that flight...

The flight is in mid-October... starts in Rochester, NY-> Newark ->Zurich. I could also choose a LONG layover in Newark, but I'm hoping you tell me to chance it!

It's a Continental flight - would they hold the international portion for 4 of us if it was a minor delay? Or has that gone out the window with the rest of the airline services!?

No way would I do this, and certainly not on an international flight.

You are cutting it awful close, especially for an international flight (I'm not even sure the airline will allow you to book that close of a connection). That 48 minutes you think you have is probably not really 48 minutes. I suspect if you check the schedules it is actually from scheduled "touch down" to scheduled "push back". Assuming you actually take off from Rochester on-time and land on time (those are big "ifs" and there's no guarantee the airline will "hold" the connecting flight for you if you are delayed) air traffic activity at EWR can easily cause your arriving flight to spend 10 minutes or more taxiing and/or waiting for the arrival gate to open up (it seems to me the shorter my connecting time the longer I spend waiting for the gate to open up). Add to that another 10 minutes to deplane and you are down to about 30 minutes. Your connecting flight will start boarding 30 minutes prior to departure (which is about the same time you are getting off your in-bound plane) and you have not allowed any time to walk between gates. Consider also that the gate agents stop boarding passengers about 5 or 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure and that shortens your connecting time even more. Another thing to consider is even if you make it there is a chance any check luggage you have may not with that short of a connection.

You'll probably get conflicting advice with an equal number of people saying they've made shorter connections and the others saying it won't work. Personally, I wouldn't take the chance if I wanted to be sure I was on the Newark-Zurich flight.

gail & Sunny - I was certainly expecting your answers and they confirmed my original guess that this is not a wise choice... but Continental would let me book it! If I have time tonight I'd like to call and agent and ask them just for kicks...

That's a "legal" connection and in general CO will hold the outward flight if the delay is very small or if there's a more systemic delay at EWR.

I had a 70-minute connection 3 weeks ago. My original flight was 45 minutes late leaving DFW, and we were put into a holding pattern over Virgnia for 10+ minutes, and I still made my flight to the UK with 15 minutes to spare after walking to the gate.

But I'd be very nervous and uncomfortable with a 48 minute connection myself, unless you don't mind getting there a day late, or being put on a flight to Paris or London to get to Zurich. [I'd also hate a 4-hour connection at EWR, so maybe an even earlier flight and spend some time in NYC?]

Are flights to and from Canada now treated as international flights -- w/respect to connection times?

Cassandra - If the flight from Canada is from one of the cities with US Immigration/Customs, then the flight is basically a domestic in terms of connection. It arrives at a regular domestic gate, no further process.

Flying out from the US to Canada is no different from domestic US flights in terms of connections.

Hello Travel:

48 minutes is cutting it very close for a layover between flights. If your flight from Rochester is delayed..well...you'll be up the proverbial river with no boat, paddle or even clean underwear!..My advice to you..is to fly in from Rochester on a flight that gives you a few hrs layover. Then, hop a cab, go to Ferry Street in the Ironbound section of Newark and have a feast at any of the Portugese or Spanish restaurants there.. Far better than airline food and not expensive. As I live in NYC, I find that I dine more often in Newark because it is authentic and far more reasonably priced than Manhattan. A cab ride should take no more than 7-10 mins and cost maybe $8-10 dollars.. E-mail me if you'd like some more advice..

Regards..
Luis

With less than an hour between flights (and one of those flights transatlantic), better hope the travel gods are smiling that day. Big time. When you say a LONG layover, how long? I wager your long layover would still be shorter than missing your tight connection and waiting for the next day's flight.

6 flights a day ROC-EWR. The one with the tight connection is 4:45p-6:02p. Previous one is 12:55p-2:09, with a 4+ hour connection. 3 other earlier flights and one later.

Personally, I'd take the four-hour layover. 48 minutes isn't enough time in Newark -- or any other airport in the world, in my opinion. But good luck, whatever you decide!

48 minutes is a bit tight, but check with CO to see if it is a "legal" conection. If it is, and they sell you a ticket and you miss your connection becaue of a delay, they will have to accommodate you. Also, you can purchase travel insurance that includes coverage for such trip interuptions. That said, I'd opt for the longer layover myself, just to remove one source of worry.

FYI... took me a few weeks, but I did call Continental about the 48 minute connection - it is legal, however, if missed, they will not accommodate us until the next day. SO, unfortunately, its looking like the 4 hr layover, and if all goes well with that flight, its a nice lunch in Newark as suggested by Langcraft.

I'm still holding out until August first to book, JUST IN CASE Delta has a fare special, their prices are now terrible, but their times are the best... 2 more weeks nothing changes, its Continental with the layover. Thanks to all -Trav

I flew San Francisco - New Jersey (EWR) - Zurich in May, left on Thursday morning. If the first leg lands on time then you're fine! It takes only few minutes to walk over to another gate, the number will be on your boarding pass already, they check you all the way through.

And yes, it was Continental. I flew "economy" so was not the first one to get off.

Have you called the 800 number to confirm it's doable?

I would go for it! And I'm from the older generation which needs more time for everything :)

Great thread! I have a related question.

I'm leaving from SMF (Sacramento) on 10:32 am. Landing at SFO (San Francisco) at 11:14 am. Flight to London leaves SFO at 12:20 pm.

Here's my question: when I first check in at SMF, will they give me a boarding pass for the SFO--London flight? Or would I have to check in at SFO? If I have to check in at SFO, should I be nervous about the connection time? (65 minutes?)

"when I first check in at SMF, will they give me a boarding pass for the SFO--London flight?"

What airline(s)? If both flights are on the same or partner airlines, they should.

Ooops! It's United Airlines for both flights.

When I flew Continental SFO-EWR-ZUR they checked me in all the way in SF and the suitcase too.

Are you serious there IS a plane Sacramento- San Francisco?? For real?

Mamma Mia!

Out of curiosity checked Expedia. Yes, a round-trip starts from $266. Hmmm...

United should check you in all the way. You'll have to clear Immigration at SFO, but that shouldn't be a problem.