loisco

Continental flight 10/11 from MADRID will arrive WASH 2O PM

Our flight to JFK leaves at 4:45PM

Will we have time to get luggage, clear customs, go through security for JFK flight. Know nothing about this airport.

I thank you for the help...

yestravel

Are u on Continental to JFK? If u arrive at IAD @ 2 (I assume that's where you're arriving.)u should have plenty of time to get to a Continental flt to JFK. U should have time even if its another airlines flight.

rkkwan

Continental doesn't fly MAD-IAD, and it doesn't even serve JFK. These are all UA codeshares.

NoFlyZone

Are we now in texting mode?

J62

The only MAD-IAD (Washington Dulles) non-stop I see is actually an Aer Lingus flight. Arrives 2pm :0 really!

rkkwan

Iberia also flies MAD-IAD. AA codeshares on this flight.

But that's right... UA doesn't even fly MAD-IAD. It codeshares on the Aer Lingus' one; but Continental doesn't codeshare on that fight, and is not a partner with EI.

loisco

Sorry....rest of the trip is Continental and I misread my notes...yes it's a UA /Aer Lingus codeshare. The question is ....will we have time enough to make the JFK plane. I would assume from the responses here the answer is yes.

yestravel

yes

mztery

I have to add a dissenting vote here. IAD is one of THE WORST airports to enter the US form and customs/immigration lines are the worst. Between the people movers and the large number of int; flights I would not stop in IAD if you paid ME.

Especially if you can't get checked through with boarding passes in MAD>

loisco

If we did miss the flight....then what?..

loisco

I just checked...only one other flight to JFK at 10 PM..
long time to stay in the airport.

rkkwan

Where are you going to? Why are you choosing this flight? Continental flies non-stop MAD-EWR, and several airlines fly MAD-JFK multiple times a day.

DonTopaz

The OP seems to be trying to put together a moderately complex trip with multiple dependencies. Another poster has suggested to the OP that it would be worth the money to find a travel professional who would ut together the entire trip. I would second that suggestion. I believe that the OP does not yet have the experience/knowledge to understand various risks involved -- for example, the implications of schedule changes that would be announced after she's purchased her tickets.

loisco

I agree I need an agent...if I go to the AAA here in San Diego, would they act as an agent? I am a member.We are leaving for Paris in 2 days so it may have to wait. It's for a tour in the Fall and we have to sign up for it this weekend.

I've always done my own I agree but this is tricky.We go from SAN to EWR to LISBON (family) to MAD to JFK (family). The last flight is out of BOS to SAN. The rest of the trip we were using Continental.

We chose this Aer Lingus one because it's much less money than the others, and it seemed we could manage the connecting times.But I never thought of schedule changes, etc. Flying Continental the rest of the trip.Leaving for Paris next Monday so wanted it done before we left.

Thanks for all the time...I will look for an agent.

PS Also have 260,000 AA miles.

suze

<If we did miss the flight....then what?>

The answer to that depends on how you purchased your tickets. Are the flights tied together on a single ticket? Or you purchased them separately? In the first scenario the airlines will get you on the next available flight, in the second situation you are out-of-luck and on your own to rebook if you miss the flight.

J62

I see FF seats available on AA.com

Monday, October 11, 2010. Non-stop MAD-JFK, 30,000 miles. That seems like the best way to go, given your AA miles and JFK as your destination.

loisco

Thank you...I like using the AA miles too. When I figured on using them the cost of the rest of the trip with Continental went up. I guess I am a real amateur.

J62

I think I'm lost. Your multi city routing and preferences suggest it may be time for professional help.

FYI - I'm not seeing any Continental flights Washington (IAD) to JFK at all.

yestravel

Back to IAD and transferring -- IAD is considerably better these days with the new International terminal which moves people thru relatively fast. No better or worse than other airports weve entered the US in. IAD also now has the aerotrain, so there is very limited use of the old people movers. Its much qucker to get around the terminals than with the people movers. Granted there are a lot of international flts, buts that true for JFK, EWR and lots of other airports.

Yes, Triple A should be able to act as a travel agent for you.

loisco

I just called a travel agent I used like 20 years ago...she is still alive.
I thank you for all the help...no doubt I will be back with more questions but at least she can make the process easier.