Madrid
 

We have an hour an 15 minute connection on a flight into Madrid from Chicago. We have an outbound from terminal 4 to Venice. Are we in trouble? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

No you're not in trouble. You'll have to clear passport control and transfer from T4S to T4, but the train takes ~5 min. You may have a long walk to your departing gate (or you may not.) Assuming it's Iberia on both flights, you should get your MAD-VCE boarding pass in Chicago.

1 hr 15 mins should be fine. But are the flights on the same booking? If so - you are OK no matter -- even if your flight arrives late, they will get you on the next available flight.

My 16 year old dtr flew thru Madrid last summer. Some words of advice. First, she had expected more English-speaking people there. Fortunately, she speaks a lot of Spanish, because she said "no one speaks English" - probably an exaggeration. Also, she was surprised to find that gates and even terminals for connections were posted with much less lead time than at US airports and that people did not congregate in the gate area until just prior to boarding - it made her think she was at the wrong gate for her connection since no one else was there 45 minutes prior to her flight.

Your daughter wasn't exaggerating - I've flown through Madrid a few times, and I was surprised at how few people spoke English....

If you had the opportunity to book the trip again, I would recommend against a 75 minute connection coming from a trans-Atlantic flight. There are just too many things that could go wrong (late departure, delays to land, delays getting to a gate, delays in passport control, etc.) Granted, most of my flight connection experience in Europe has been at Heathrow (which is a nightmare), but I just don't think short connections are worth the risk - at least not on the outbound part of a trip. (If you're on your way home and there isn't something you absolutely must do the day after arrival, a delay isn't as much of a problem.) Ordinarily, I'd try to plan for at least a 2 hour connection (and I am for at least 2.5 at Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle).

I would recommend that if you're checking two bags (one for each of you), that each of you put some basic clothing in the other's suitcase. That way, if a bag goes astray, you'll have something to wear. (Of course, if you miss a connection and that's the reason your luggage goes astray, both bags will probably go astray. Therefore, you should also make sure that you pack essentials in your carry-on: toothbrush, prescription medication, change of underwear, socks and shirt.)

Make sure you have telephone numbers for your hotel in Venice and for the airline you're travelling with. Make sure that the airline number is a number that you can dial from Europe (bring the Spanish and Italian numbers with you - 1.800 numbers don't work in Europe). Have a look at the flight schedule for flights departing for Venice (and nearby Italian cities) after your scheduled flight. That way, if something goes wrong (unlikely but you never know), you'll be better equipped to deal with it.

Thanks all for the input.

Gardyloo - The flight is one booking with Iberia - ORD - VCE. If for whatever reason we arrive too late, there is another flight on Iberia a couple of hours later. We will make sure we get the boarding passes in Chicago.

frogoutofwater - Great advice on the phone numbers - I'll add that to my list. We are not checking luggage. We've travelled throughout Europe and don't find any advantage in checking baggage. If we fail to bring something we might need, we'll buy it and consider it a souvenir.

Regarding the English/Spanish - I expected that on this trip. I have enough limited Spanish to either get us by, or get us beat up (I took proper Spanish in HS and learned gutter Spanish growing up in Houston). We should be OK.

Thanks again!

Standard MCT time at MAD is only 1hour.


Is it all on the same airline, IB into MAD and onto VCE? If so, the time between the flights is 1hr 25mins (arrive into MAD 0745 and depart for VCE at 0910 or some days it is 0920).

Sorry to hijack, but I'm currently looking at a flight on Iberia ORD-MAD-FCO. There is 1 hr. 15 min. between flights in Madrid. I'm nervous that is just not enough time!

My flight would be the same booking, and there is an Iberia flight 2 hrs and 45 mins after that flight departs. I am trying to avoid checking luggage at all costs. I speak minimal Spanish (enought to find the bathroom and my gate.)

Given this info, would you give it a shot, knowing if you missed the connection there's a plane not too far behind it? Or would you play it safe and book the four hour connection?

Thanks for your input!

Given the possibility of a delay at O'Hare, I would be nervous about the connection. Also, what if the next flight is full by the day you arrive?

Definitely book the longer connection.

I assume that your flight from Chicago will arrive in Madrid at 7.45am, and you are supposed to connect to the 9am flight to Rome?

If you should miss that 9am flight, there will be a flight at 11.50am, 1.25pm, 4.20pm, 7.45pm, all by Iberia, all non-stop.

You should scroll up to the beginning of this thread where you will find comments from people who actually know Madrid airport.

Thanks Cowboy. I assumed Iberia would just put me on one of the next flights, but never having flown in Europe, I just wasn't sure.

Now I'm crossing my fingers hubby will just take the time off work and let me book the trip!