mp413

I am landing on an international flight (Delta Amsterdam-Minneapolis) at 1pm in the Lindbergh terminal, and it looks like I'll have to connect to my domestic flight (Southwest Minn.-Denver) at 2:20pm in the Humphrey terminal. I was originally on Delta which would have been in the same terminal, but they changed my flight time by 3 hours, and Southwest is the only other option.

Is this doable? I understand that trains are involved in changing between terminals. Is customs fairly manageable at MSP? Any information would be much appreciated as I've never been to this airport before! Also, does this mean I can't check a bag?

Thanks,

mp413

laurie_ann

Are you sure that the SW flight is the only other option for a flight on to Denver that day? I did a random kayak.com search of a Wednesday and a Saturday and Delta has a flight 2:18 pm or 5:30 pm and United has one at 5:00 pm.

rkkwan

Tell Delta to route you through Detroit, Atlanta, or even JFK with a better connection.

mp413

Ok this is extremely discouraging... I can't change the inbound to MSP, it is what it is. I am originating in Chad, which gets me into CDG around 6am on the 17th. I need to land in Denver by about 4pm latest. Most flights from Paris leave a lot later, the only way I could get to the U.S. fairly early in the afternoon was the flight to MSP (via AMS). So I can't change that. And I had a perfect connection on Delta but it's gone now!

laurie-ann, you're right there are lots of flights to Denver, but not that get me in before 4pm, which is really the latest I can arrive. (My whole family is landing by 2pm, then we're driving onward before dark.) The ONLY flight b/w my 1pm arrival in MSP, and 4pm target in DEN, is the Southwest option.

Can anyone please comment on the transfer procedure b/w the 2 terminals in MSP? How long does it usually take? Also how is customs in MSP, fairly quick?

thanks!

mp413

rkkwan

Transfer is by the public light rail. It runs about very 10 minutes during mid-day, and takes 2 minutes between the two terminals. Free.

It looks a short walk from Arrivals at T1 to the light rail, while it's about a 5-minute walk through the parking garage at T2 to get to the terminal.

1:20 seems extremely tight.

J62

1:20 is way too tight. No way you can make your connection.

Entering MSP you need to pass through

1. immigration. If you are a US citizen this is usually faster. If not, then it may take you 30min or more to get through the line.

2. wait for baggage claim. Don't count on bags being out before 45min after landing.

3. Customs - not a issues, unless you are stopped.

But that's only the beginning.

I seriously doubt you'll be able to tag your bags all the way from Chad to CDG to MSP to DEN. If you are lucky, you'll be able to give the checkin agent in Chad the MSP to DEN details and your bag will at least have the DEN tag on it. If that's the case then you can drop off your bags right after customs. If it's not, then you will need to bring your bags to SW to get them checked in.

Will you have a SW boarding pass on you before you leave Chad? If not, you need to be at SW checkin with your bags by their cutoff time, so you really have far less than 1:20 to get from your arriving flight to SW terminal.

You need to reroute or take a later flight to DEN.

mp413

Thanks a lot for these replies! So it sounds like I definitely cannot check a bag... If I skip the checked baggage is it doable? I'm actually encouraged by your reply rkkwan, sounds like the transfer b/w terminals is pretty quick, and if my inbound isn't too delayed and immigration isn't too bad, I have a shot!

I was thinking about trying to contact Southwest at MSP to inform them of my situation and see if there's anything they can do. I know there is a service for terminal transfer for disabled persons and families w kids, I was thinking maybe I could try to ask to be included.

Anyway, thanks for the assistance as always!

mp413

mztery

let me get this right..you wold ask to be included with disabled passengers and families with small children because you have a short connection? What part of "families with small children and disabled" applies to you?

Kinda sorry for the snark but these services are NOT for people who have short connections, otherwise everyone would try to use them and the purpose would be defeated, AND/OR people who really need the services wouldn't have them in a timely fashion.

rkkwan

Southwest doesn't have interlining baggage agreement with most airlines. Delta will NOT tag your bag to DEN for you. Only to MSP. Either way, you still have to claim bags and clear US customs.

TC

<i>"and if my inbound isn't too delayed and immigration isn't too bad,"</i>

No way can you make this connection. Call Delta immediately and ask for help getting on another flight. Why did you think that 3 hours is too long to wait for a connecting flight? By the time you clear customs, recheck your bags, grab a bit to eat and do a little shopping, the time will be gone. I fear you will end up spending a lot longer than 3 hours in MSP if you miss that SW connection.

doug_stallings

I changed planes in MSP last Christmas in 55 minutes on a very busy weekend day before the holiday. So I can definitely say that the transfer itself can be quick. But I'm more concerned that you'd be able to clear immigration and customs and then do the transfer in 80 minutes. That sounds a little close, though I also think there will be few international flights arriving at 1pm, which could work in your favor. If you do carry-on only, then you have a chance; otherwise, no chance. If there are no flight alternatives, then you probably have no choice but to try.

Delta is only obligated to get you to the destination for which you paid. They aren't responsible for getting you there at a specific time, but they are obligated to compensate you fully for any flight you had to cancel because of a schedule change. But other than that, I'm not sure what they could do if there are, as you say, no other Delta flights that get you to Denver when you need to be there.

If Delta can get you on a flight 3 hours later than planned, I'd jump on that for the reasons everyone has stated unless that makes your arrival in Denver impossible.

mp413

Thanks again for the replies. I have to be in Denver by about 4pm latest b/c my whole family is arriving and driving from the airport to another location at the same time (we're trying very hard to avoid driving in the dark). I'm the last one to arrive. That's why I can't take a later flight. I canceled the Delta flight from MSP to DEN, b/c the departure time changed from 2pm to 5:30pm. So Southwest was my only option to get in by 4. They have a later flight which I can get on, worst case scenario, and take a shuttle or rental car by myself. But that would not be ideal!

mztery, you're right...dumb idea. Just desperate here to make this work somehow.

Well, sounds like definitely no checked bag for me.

Doug, just to clarify, when you say you changed planes in 55 mins, you mean you changed terminals, correct?

Thanks all!

mp413

doug_stallings

Yes, I changed terminals (by myself, with a dog in tow) and even had checked luggage. We all made it and didn't feel rushed. One key is to be seated near the front of the plane. That does make all the difference in the world in a situation like this. If you are on a large international flight and have to wait 20 minutes to deplane, you probably have no chance of making the connection.

You may not make it anyway, but I'm a little more optimistic than some of the others. I've even landed at JFK, which is notorious for long immigration lines, and been at the curb within 40 minutes without checked luggage. I did it once at EWR in under an hour with checked luggage. I even had a very easy time at LAX in September coming back from Australia; off the plane and at curbside at the Bradley Terminal in 45 minutes. I think that's my record at LAX. But I've never been an international passenger at MSP, so I can't tell you how bad the lines can be there. It really does matter which airport and which time. If an airport is understaffed at a busy time, then a simple line can take 3 times as long as it would otherwise.

I guess what I'm saying is that if you have no other choice than to try, then you should try your best. But I'd give you a big fat warning that Southwest simply will not put you on another airline's flight if you miss the connection. You are stuck with a Southwest flight, and if the next flight to Denver is full and cannot accommodate you, you will have to wait until another Southwest flight has an empty seat, probably the next day. That's a strict policy with them, and it's an important consideration.

TC

I live in Minneapolis, Doug. Frequently arrive as a returning Intl. passenger. There's absolutely no hope of doing this if the OP has checked bags. Even when we are the very first people off of the plane (Business/First) and clear Customs immediately, we still have to wait and wait and wait for our checked luggage to arrive. They seem to be forever understaffed in that dept. Heaven help if 2 or 3 planes land at about the same time. Given the SW policy on rebooking, I wouldn't feel comfortable with this connection.

mp413

Hi TC, thanks for the reply, but it's pretty clear I won't be with checked bags! Can you provide the same guidance if I am not checking bags?

TC

mp413, Its just a guessing game. IF your plane is the only one to arrive, you MAY breeze right through Customs. Try very hard to be seated near the front. IF there are one or two other planes just ahead of you, it can take quite a bit longer. IF you are the only plane, the Customs staff may be short, so the process "could" still be slow. There's just no way to tell in advance. With no checked bags, you should be able to get through Customs pretty fast. I would ask people in line if I might slip ahead, saying you have a very tight connection to make.

The light rail station is located below the Transit Center. You'll exit Customs, take the elevator on the right down one level, exit to Baggage Claim, walk about half way down the corridor and take the escalator down one more level, walk about 2 city blocks straight ahead (past Delta Check In, past Info Desk) to the tram entrance. Take the tram to the Transit Center. Exit and follow the signs down one more level to the Light Rail Center. (This will only take you about 5 minutes.)

The trains run every 10 minutes during peak hours, about every 15 minutes other times. They do run 24 hours a day, but it "can be" a much longer wait for a train between the hours of 10:30 PM and 5 AM -- 30-60 minutes. There is no charge for riding the tram between terminals. (Should take about 15 minutes between terminals)

Once you arrive at the Humphrey Terminal, you will have to clear TSA security again before heading to your gate. (Again, ask an agent to help you get through the line, saying you have a very tight connection. Dress for success....slip off shoes, no jewelry, no liquids in the carry on, etc etc etc

Good luck!

TC

BTW mztery: The service for physically limited passengers is simply a shuttle bus instead of the light rail between the two terminals. Its not like the OP would be pushing small children or wheel chairs off the ramp in order to make a connection. I actually think that service might take longer than light rail, as it is only used on as "as needed" basis and could take a good deal longer to load.

mp413

Thanks a lot for this info TC, especially the details on how to do the transfer/where to go etc. I did ask people in a line if I could cut once before, and though I hated doing it, and despite getting a lot of eye rolls, people did let me cut and I made my flight. I have a seat as close to the front as possible, only about 7 rows back from the front of economy... Fingers crossed.

To be on the safe side, I booked a ticket to DEN on another, later flight on a diff't airline. $140 potentially down the tubes but it's worth it for the peace of mind.

Thanks!

mp413

doug_stallings

If you could have taken a different flight to Denver for $140, why on earth have you put yourself in this position with the earlier Southwest flight? I'd just take the later one, check my bag, and not stress out. You're going to be exhausted after such a long trip. Now I'm not really understanding the real purpose of this thread if you had other options that you wouldn't exercise.

mztery

@dougstallings - I believe form an earlier post, OP is trying to meet up with family who are leaving on a long drive form the airport and don't want to drive in the dark. I am guessing the later flight means she does the drive alone on a rental car. So now if she takes the later flight she'll be driving (in the mountains?) in the dark after a long series of flights.