rholt

Looking at a flight option where we arrive in Munich (from Dulles) and then only have 50 mins to get to our Lisbon flight. Not even the same airlines.

That sounds too short to me. Do others agree?

What are folks prefered layover lentghs for international travel?

Thanks

PalenQ

Of course it's too short - flight from Dallas could be late - even a few minutes and you'd be stuck in Munich with no onward flight.

Two hours would be a minimum - more the better - and you do have to clear Customs before heading to the Lisboa flight as well i believe.

rholt

Yikes - I didn't even think about Customs.

All 4 of us recently got EU passports (in addition to our American ones). Will that help with customs?

copain1

The Munich airport is efficient but not that efficient. You theoretically could make(extremely unlikely). Your luggage will not.

dfr4848

If you're just transferring MUC, you'll have to go through immigration/passport controls (often more than once), but you shouldn't have to go through customs - at least we never have.

And yes, if you have EU passports, it should speed things up. Are your flights on one ticket and do you arrive/depart from same terminal?

MUC is a very efficient airport. We (and our luggage) have made connections as short as 30 min, but we were on same airline. 50 min is cutting it pretty close.

rholt

Thanks for the input.

I think I will spend a little more money and put us through Heathrow with a 2 hour layover.

WillTravel

What is the Heathrow connection like - which terminal to which terminal? That might actually be worse, considering what Heathrow is like.

For your Munich flight, what is its on-time rate? Also, is it scheduled to arrive early in the morning? If so, it's possible the flight will be early. Are there other scheduled flights to Lisbon on the same airline later in the day? If you have booked this all on one ticket, you should be protected for a later flight.

dfr4848

rholt - just FWIW. If I were going through LHR, I'd schedule a 3 hr connection.

rholt

ugg... looks like I need to do more research. I really wish there was a direct option from Dulles to Lisbon.

ira

Hi rh,

I wouldn't willingly take a connection time of less than 90 min at any airport.

IMO, two hours is optimal.

brookwood

I have flown into Munich several times and each time passport control was prompt. A team of passport control and customs officials was at the exit gate and checked only people from the flight I was on. Customs was not much of a check the times I have landed there.

If your flight is on time, I think you have a good chance of making it.
The only problem I see is if you have to change terminal buildings.

Area A, B, C, and D are under one long roof. Terminal 2 is the newer of the structures.

We flew into T2 last year and were out and gone very efficiently.

traveller1959

I understand that you have one ticket with two coupons for the flight from Dulles to Lisbon.

Then, it will not be a problem.

If your flight is on time (usually the transatlantic flights are even ahead of time) 50 min will be plenty.

If your flight is 30 min late they will escort you from your incoming plane to the outgoing plane without waiting times.

If your flight is more than 30 min late they will book you on the next available flight to Lisbon (which is maybe two or three hours later).