ORD legal connection time intl to domestic
 

What is the legal connection time transferring from an intl flight to domestic?

We'll be traveling on separate tickets, int'l & domestic but they are in the same oneworld alliance. I'm going to try to link the two itineraries. We will coming into ORD in business class (domestic is economy), carrying only hand luggage, and are US citizens. We should be able to check in online for the domestic portion before we get to ORD.

One website says 90 minutes is legal. Our flights are 2 hrs and 35 minutes apart. But this is ORD in winter. Is this realistic to hope to make this domestic flight?

If you have Expert Flyer you can look up the MCT there. Otherwise call the airline and the agent should have that info readily available. To get the correct MCT here you would have to provide the airline(s) and flight numbers.

2.5 hours is tight but doable most of the time. You are better off if there are later second flights as if you miss the connection there's a later flight to put you on(space available and all those things).

CAUTION

if they are separate tickets it doesn't matter if thy are in the same alliance, if you miss the connection they are under no obligation to put you on the next flight. Or on any flight. And MINIMUM connecting times have almost nothing to do with realistic connection times- for ex some MCT's at ORD are 55 min which for many flights is just a joke.

90 min.

2:35 should be okay <i>provided</i> your incoming flight is on time. If not, it could get toasty. Two tickets = high trouble potential.

Weather at ORD would likely increase the chance that your domestic flight is delayed.

Do whatever you can to link these itineraries. As it stands now, neither airline will view you as having a connection. If Airline 1's flight is late, Airline 2 will view you as a no-show and will owe you nothing.

Thanks all.

If the tickets are purchased separately (one is a FF award, one a $$ ticket) and are subsequently linked, would the domestic airline really help us onto the next available flight if we missed the original?! I thought they would still have no obligations and linking only made traveling between the 2 lines smoother, i.e., getting boarding passes issued. If they would help us if we miss the earlier flight, then it's a no brainer!

Generally you cannot "link" PNRs (bookings) in such a way as to avoid one being canceled if you're late on the other. The best that they can do is put a notation in the record that says, "pax are arriving on BA XXX at (arrival time)." They won't hold the plane, but they probably won't need to page you or give your seats away too early before the scheduled departure. With separate tickets you are not "protected" with any rights; however it should also be said that the airlines are not in the business of ticking off good customers, so if you <i>were</i> late they'd probably do whatever they could to accommodate you on the next available flight. But they wouldn't <i>have to.</i>