mrwunrfl

Am arriving NRT terminal 1 at 4PM on a Thai flight from BKK. Connecting to a United flight departing NRT at 5:30PM from terminal 2, gate 41, to ICN. These flights are on two different award tickets. United tells me that "legal" connection time is 110 minutes and I have only 90.

I am starting to be concerned that I might miss the connection. Will probably be one of the first people off of the plane and will have only carry-on (I think).

Have any of you made/missed a connection at NRT with a change of terminals? How long did it take?

KimJapan

I think you'll make it...but best to avoid checking bags I think.

cjackson

Been to NRT a coupla times. Didn't have to change terminals, but as someone in the industry, I can tell you that the legal connection time have a built in buffer. 'Cause if my Grandma is last off the plane, booked on a legal connection and can't make the distance in time, it's the airline's fault ($$ compensation). As long as you're off the plane quickly you should be fine, even 20 mins short of the minimum connection. You won't have to go through security or anything like that. Good luck (and love to all Grandmas)!

travelduo

We just did that 2 weeks ago, and made the flight with the help of the airline employee! As soon as we got off the plane they were waiting for us and got us right down to the bus and over to the other terminal. the only difference was it was on our way to bkk and for some reason at nrt you have to go thru security again when you get to that terminal and the airline people moved us to the front of this HUGE line and we walked right on the plane! But on the way home there was a guy on our Thai flight that was making the same connecting flight that you are to united in nrt, and he just told the driver to hurry and leave, this dude was SHOUTING at the driver! Which didnt help becs he didnt speak english! It was funny tho to leave BKK and the fast pace at which they drive, and then to get on that bus at nrt and the driver just taking his old sweet time!!!!!!

cjackson

I stand corrected on the security issue. Although those should be factored into the min conx time, we all know they can stretch forever. Thanx, TravelDuo!

mrwunrfl

Thanks, I'm feeling a bit more optimistic now. I connected JAL international flights at NRT last June but they were the same terminal. I think. Lost my advantage of being in business class (and being first one out) because we had to take a bus from the plane to the terminal. Then there was a security scan that took a while.

Probably not much of a chance of a weather delay leaving BKK at 11AM (Jan 8). The flight I am connecting to is coming from JFK.

travelduo

cjackson you might be right! on the outbound flight to bkk we had to go thru security again, but on the flight back home, when we got off the bus, we were right at the gate! it was very weird, I know that there is some reasoning behind doing that but i have no clue what it is! I hope you do get to skip the long security check!