Help! I'm a first time traveller to Europe and the airline has booked me on a flight that arrives at JFK at 5:35 to make a 6:15 connecting flight to Paris. All earlier flights to JFK on my airline (I'm using frequent flyer miles) are booked. Can this possibly be enough time to make an international flight? Will I go through customs/passport check etc. in my home town or at JFK? Any advice from experienced travellers is appreciated.<BR>

Unlikely to work (if in the same terminal) to impossible (if in different terminals). If you are going to try this, call the international airline that day before your flight to tell them that you will be arriving very close to flight time. <BR><BR>You will not be able to clear passport control at your home airport, but I think that will not be your delay.<BR><BR>I assume that these are two different airlines as I don't know of any that would ticket that close (unless you are using a different ticket on the same airline for the international portion).

We had 1hour 15 minutes between international and domestic flights and didn't make it. The next plane was fully booked and we had to stay ovenight in NY. Thankfully it was after our international flight but I wouldn't dare to have this little time to catch international flight. I suggest you drive to JFK to make sure you will make a connection otherwise you will be very uncomfortable thinking whether you make it or not. Even if your plane lands on time it may take time to get to the gate. That's what happened to us. You suppose to have at least two hours before internationl flight. Only way you will make it if your international flight is delayed.

We have a similar situation, 1 hr between flights, both flights are on the same airline. I called Delta and was told that 45 minutes was the time required for a connection for these particular flights, so we would have enough time. The flights arrive and depart from the same terminal. The JFK website has info on what terminals the airlines use and a map of the layout.<BR>Good luck.

IF both flights are on the same airline or partner lines and you are booking straight through then it is probably OK, since you would clear passport control on your first flight.<BR><BR>But if you are booking these separately and they are not one through ticket then you would clear passport control at JFK. If this is the case you do not have enough time.

<BR>If your domestic leg is even 15 minutes late, you're unlikely to make the international flight.<BR><BR>Your passport should be checked on the first leg of your flight. Customs will only be a concern when you arrive in Europe and when you return to the US.

I too have a connecting flight Seattle to JFK to Rome on Delta. I only have 65 min. to do this. I have been told that the airline would not arrange such a connection flight if they didn't think it was possible to do it. So, I'm trying to not stress over it. I plan on getting directions to the departing gate before I de-plane.

Hi Carrie,<BR>Last time I tried to pull this stunt I had 80 minutes and made my flight by about 2 minutes... I did have to transfer from Term 1 to Term 6 at JFK but I won't be trying this again in a hurry (too much stress). See if the airline will waitlist you for the earlier flights so you don't have to stress about you or your bags missing the flight.

Ask the airline what's the "on-time" history of your first flight. Also ask them terminal and gate info for both flights. If the on-time history isn't encouraging (i.e., late more often than on time) or the distance between gates is great, I would definitely take a red-eye or arrive the night before and get a room. If you (and/or your luggage) miss your first connection, your trip will be severely impacted.

If you end up stuck with this short connection time, be sure to request seats as close to the front of the aircraft as possible. By seating nearer the front, you'll have less time lost waiting on others in front of you to deplane.

There is no passport control...you are flying from a US city to JFK ..your passport will be checked at your departure city...if no terminal change ...no problem..you should make it ..and they are holding up flights for arriving passengers anyway..of course your luggage may not make it!! <BR>

Airlines won't guarantee any connection of less than one hour (ask any good travel agent about that). Sorry, but you WILL have to go through another check-in and passport check at the overseas departure gate (your bags will be ticketed through). And if you have to change terminals, you won't have enough time.<BR><BR>Ask the airline what their policy is for a missed flight - hotel voucher? meals voucher? transport to/from the hotel voucher? preferential seating on the next flight? If they act indifferent, then expect you'll miss the flight and have to pay for an overnight stay - and go to JFK the night before, stay in a hotel, and make the flight you're scheduled to take.<BR><BR>Yes, airlines claim they hold flights for connecting inbounds, but it's not a hard and fast rule. At that time of night, ALL the European outbounds are leaving, and each flight has a "window" - if they miss it, they can't take off. I guarantee they WON'T miss it.<BR><BR>