Can you help me with connection times at JFK, Heathrow, and Madrid?
 

I am STILL working on finding decent flights from DFW to Barcelona and back. I'm seeing flights with two stops and the connections seem tight. Please tell me what you think:

At JFK - arrive from DFW at 10:10 pm. Leave for London at 11:45 pm.

At LHR - arrive from JFK at 11:40 am. Leave for Barcelona at 2:30 pm.

At Madrid - arrive from BCN at 10:55 am. Leave for O'Hare at noon.

They all seem tight to me. What do you think?

What about Miami? (MIA)

....on the posted itinerary; seem OK.

Misseypie:

Re LHR, I always leave 2 hours. I often don't need it, but lately the line-ups at security have been so awful! You have over two hours, so you should have no problems.

Re Madrid. Two questions: Will you be able to check your bags right through (partner airlines or same ticket) and what terminals are you arriving/departing from? On my last 4 jaunts through Madrid airport my bags have taken anywhere from 45-70 mins to arrive on the baggage belt, causing me to miss a connection on one occasion. The baggage desk told me that this long wait is not unusual! Secondly, T4 at Madrid is a very long way from T1/2/3. Also, if you land in T4S (Satallite), there is also a train ride from the satallite to T4. I'd say that connection is tight unless you are transiting throught the same terminal and have luggage checked through to final destination.

regards

OReilly, the return flights would be Iberia (BCN to MAD), AA "operated by Iberia" (MAD to ORD) and AA (ORD to DFW). All would be under a single American Airlines ticket. I was thinking that my luggage would be checked through, at least to Chicago. I guess the airline could tell me.

Same airline, same terminal - personally, I'd go for it!

AS far as JFK is concernd. Is this the same airline,, the same ticket and will your luggage be checked all the way through?

If it's the same airline and the same terminal you might have a chance to make it - as long as the airline says it;s a legal connection.

If this is different airline, different terminals, etc - you don;t have a chance. (Typically international flights require you to check in at least 2 hours in advance - not be at the airport - but be actually checked in - which obviously you can;t do.

Also, these are obviously the last flights - if your in-coming flight is late - and this is more likely later in the day - you will simply be too late - even with no terminal switches.)

The flights are coming up as an option on AA's website - single ticket, single airline.

Well - I trust AA as far as I can throw them. I've had so many problems with them being incredibly unhelpful and rude - even with problems caused by them, and when I was flying First - that I avoid them at all costs - and don;t believe a word they say.

Was stranded by them once in Chicago They put us on the plane and pulled out - but after 4 hours on the plane we weren;t able to take off - since the weather was too bad. (Everone else had already cancelled flights but on the phone AA said they would fly since their flights were coming in from the south rather than the west.)

When I asked at the gate about rescheduling a flight they said they had nothing for 3 days - couldn;t transfer me to another airline - and volunteered that all the hotels in chicago were already full - so you should plan on sleeping on the airport floor.

(I took a cab to the city, got a room at the Hilton on the way - no problem - and a United flight out the next am.)

NEVER depend on AA for anything.

I am w/nytraveler on this one; AA is the absolute worst and rudest service in the airline business.

JFK will be no problem with AA. You will arrive and depart from the same terminal and it'll take you 5-10 min to get from one gate to the other. Worst case (if one flight is T9 and the other T8, it'll be 15-20min max.

I'm of a different opinion than viajero2 and tny - I fly AA frequently and prefer them over other airlines like UA, Delta and USAir. They are just fine in my book. Their 767s are long in the tooth and even the 777s could use an overhaul, but I find the on-time performance, service, and ability to handle hiccups good.

As for AA - from now on they are my airline of absolute <b>last</b> resort. They put me through hell returning in March from CDG through DFW to SFO. Same flight number but change of equipment/terminals at DFW w/ not nearly enough time. No one from AA was the least bit helpful except for the purser on the DFW/SFO leg - and by then it was too late (and even he screwed up and didn't figure it out and apologize until I was on the ground at SFO)

Don't expect any help from AA if things don't work out . . . . .

We live about 5 miles from DFW airport, so AA is one of our only choices, short of making lots of connections.