P_M

I have an award ticket with UA that involves a very long layover at IAD so I have been watching to see if something better comes up. Just today something popped up with a much better schedule except I would have a 55 minute layover in FRA. This concerns me because even the slightest delay will cause me or my luggage to miss my connection. They have another flight leaving 2 hours later but if that one is full then I will delayed for a much longer time.

I've gone through FRA before and it wasn't bad but I've never been this pressed for time at FRA. What would you do?

Thanks.

P_M

PS

I checked the seating chart on the later flight and it looks like there are still plenty of seats but a) seating charts aren't always reliable in terms of telling us how full the flight is and b) that flight could fill up between now and late May.

DonTopaz

I'd take the risk, but I know that some people would not.

Even if your incoming flight is on-time, you could still miss the 55-minute-later connection. Some of the walks between gates at FRA can be extremely long (esp if you have to use the tunnel). If your ongoing flight is to a Schengen country, then you'll also have to go through immigration and security. So, let's say that there's a 1 in 4 (25%) chance that you'll miss the connection.

If you do, and if you have a legitimate connection on a single ticket, you'll be at the top of the priority list for the next flight. In most cases, you're going to get on that next flight. Let's say there's a 90% chance you'll get on the next flight.

If you take those two WAG assumptions at face value, you'll get on one or the other flights 98% of the time. That's plenty good enough for me.

simpsonc510

I have flown in and out of FRA a number of times. I, personally, would want a 2-hour layover. Any extra time can be spent in the star alliance lounge since I've got gold status. FRA airport is big, and there are some long walks between gates!

P_M

Thanks Don. My next flight is to Nice so I would have to go through immigration and security. The flight into FRA is on United and the connecting flight is on Lufthansa so I wonder if they use the same terminal?

P_M

simpson, I just saw your response. I don't have status but I do have a free pass to the lounge so if I get stuck there at least I can hang out in the lounge.

ms_go

United and Lufthansa are in the same terminal. The new pier of the Star Alliance terminal at FRA opened late last year, and FWIW our last connection experience there (January) was far better and easier than previous trips through FRA. We had a United>Lufthansa US>Schengen connection and were through immigration and in the lounge near our Lisbon gate in <15 minutes. We did not go through any security checkpoint.

I, personally, would probably risk it. We have a 60-minute connection there next month.

yestravel

This past fall we flew IAD thru Frankfurt on UA and then onto Naples via LU. like ms_go, we were thru immigration in less than 15 minutes and at our gate for our flight to Naples in less than 10 minutes. It was very quick & we didnt even rush to our connecting gate.

We returned from Naples to FRA on LU and then UA to IAD. Both connection times were short and I was nervous, but we made them both very easily with time to spare.

@ms_go-Hi -- where are you off to next month?

ms_go

Hi yestravel! Hope all is well. We're going to Berlin, Dresden and Prague.

yestravel

Ah should be nice -- my DiL is from Dresden...lovely city. Have a great trip!

P_M

UPDATE

I am grateful for all of the input, it gave me a lot to think about.

Ever since I posted this thread I have been watching the performance of the flight into Frankfurt and it has been consistently late, sometimes as much as 25 minutes. I realize things could be different on my travel date but it makes me uneasy. Even a slight delay would be a disaster so I am not going to make the switch. I tend to be a worry wart and it's not worth it for me.

Thanks again.

yestravel

Always best to go with your gut and what makes you feel less stressed when flying. There are a couple Red Carpet Clubs at IAD.