SEA to Gran Canaria on Separate Tickets
 

I have enough SkyMiles milage to get SEA to AMS leg on Delta for free. From AMS to LPA, I'm planning on using Iberia Express. The challenge as always on international connections on separate tickets is the timing. Itinerary I'm looking at now looks like this:

Delta/KLM SEA 13:30 --> AMS 08:30 (+1)
Iberia AMS 12:10 --> MAD 14:50
Iberia MAD 15:50 --> LPA 16:50

Iberia LPA 15:05 --> MAD 18:50
Iberia MAD 19:50 --> AMS 22:25
Delta/KLM AMS 10:00 (+1) --> SEA 11:23

There are 2 sketchy connections that I am not 100% confident about. First is the transfer at AMS on the way out. With under 4 hours between the flights, I don't know how stressful it would be to go through the immigration and reentering to make this connection work.

But the biggest question I have is the connection in MAD. Flights between AMS and LPA will be on a single ticket on Iberia, but I would presume I have to go through immigration in MAD and not LPA since MAD is the port of entry/departure in Spain for me? Is it possible to get through immigration and make the connection in 1 hour even if it's on a single ticket?? Never traveled from one EU country to a connecting airport in another EU country, so I don't know how this works. Any feedback is appreciated!

The only immigration control on your outward journey is at AMS, which is where you enter the Schengen area. Once in Schengen there are no further immigration controls.

At MAD you simply get yourself to your departure gate for your flight to LPA. Any luggage you have will be checked through from AMS to LPA. One hour is tight but seems to be within minimum connection times. You may wish to check the link below to confirm.

http://www.iberia.com/gb/fly-with-ib...e/?language=en

More of a risk is your connection in AMS as you say this is not connected. You will have to go through immigration, collect any luggage, and make your way to your departing flight. Four hours may well go quickly and if you miss your flight to Madrid what's your plan then?

4 hours is plenty of time in AMS to clear immigration, pick up luggage and to proceed to your departing flight, if the arriving flight is on time.

Have you checked out the carriers that fly direct from AMS-LPA, are their flight times not suitable? With Gran Canaria being such a popular tourist destination, there will be low cost airlines and charters that fly direct from AMS.

https://www.transavia.com/
http://www.tui.nl/vliegtickets/

Why can't you use your SkyPesos all the way to LPA and back? Air Europa is a Delta partner and Skyteam member; they fly from AMS to LPA via Madrid.

Thank you all for responding. Main reason for choosing Iberia over other low cost airlines was that it was the only airline that had mid-day flight with shortest total travel time. Transavia actually has one direct flight per day but it leaves before my inward flight gets to AMS.

Comforting to hear that AMS transfer should be relatively quick. I suppose the only fall back I have in case of delay caused by inward flight or transfer is to find alternative low cost flight on-the-day-of.

As for Gardyloo's comment, it is a legit question but when I look on Delta website using milage as an option, leg from AMS to LPA does not come up. When I search on Google Flight, all SkyTeam flight connection does seem to exist but I can't seem to book it via Delta to take advantage of my milage.

In the end, using milage on SEA-AMS would save two of us nearly $1,300 compared to the cheapest full paying fare (originating out of YVR), so I'm leaning toward taking this chance.

<i>As for Gardyloo's comment, it is a legit question but when I look on Delta website using milage as an option, leg from AMS to LPA does not come up.</i>

Not all partners can be booked online using Delta's website. Phone Delta and they can do it for you. They might charge you a phone booking fee, but it will be less than a separate ticket, and having all the flights on one reservation will offer you security and protection against missed connections in the event of late or canceled flights.

I'd have zero concerns about a 4-hour connection at Schiphol.

I would never book a 1-hour connection anywhere, regardless of the airport or specific situation.