Hi everyone,

Can one of you tell me what the procedure is at the airport as far as catching your connection?

We will be flying from San Diego to Paris, Rome to San Diego. Each way we will have one stop in an American city (either Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, or Atlanta). I have read on these boards so many horror stories about people missing their connection because the connection time is so tight, but these stories have pertained to European airports.

I want to make sure we have at least 2 hours. My husband feels that we don't need that much time.

So, my questions are: do we need that much time? What would be your minimum? When we get off the first leg of the flight, do we go through security again before we get on the next plane, or do we go straight to the gate because we already went through security in San Diego? What happens if we do miss the connection? Will the airline automatically put us on the next/another flight, or are we out of luck and have to buy new tickets?

Thank you for any insight!!

Ama,
Unless there are weather or mechanical problems (beyond anyone's control) you shouldn't have any difficulty with a 2 hour layover going over, since you will check your bags in San Diego and change in another American airport. On the return, you will have to pick up your bags at your first stop in the USA and go through security again after you recheck your bags. Two hours should be enough but that depends on how many international flights are coming in at the same time. I land come in from Paris to Atlanta and have to transfer, and 2 hours is usually enough.

I don't think you or your husband is going to have much say about how much time you'll have for connecting flights - the airline schedules pretty much dictate that, though if something appears to be really tight for you you can always ask if there's a later flight (then you may end up having 5-6 hours).

Yes, you go through security again in Paris, and it will take some time.

And no, you probably don't need two hours, though that would be nice. Ive made connections of 45 minutes in Paris.

But it's not as if you can ask for a connection time of a certain amount. This is not an issue you're in control of.

Thanks for the reply!

But what if we only have 45 min or 1 hour?

We found one flight with the best price we have seen, but it has that short of a connection time. (I think because it is so short - you get what you pay for, ha ha).

Do we go through security again (which could take a of of time)? Or is it basically just walk from one gate to the next?

I am making sure we have at least two hours on the way home since you indicated we DO need to go through security once we reach the States.

StCirq,

I am trying to book our tickets, and have found several flights, all with different connection times, and varying prices.

For instance, one going through Boston has a connection time of 45 min; another going through Atlanta has a four hour connection time.

(I realize, of course, that weather or other difficulties could change the airlines alloted connection time, )

So, I am trying to figure out what exactly happens at the airport to see if I should buy the cheaper tickets with the short connection time, or will we simply not be able to make the connection and should buy the others to ensure we make it? Or does it not really matter as we will be put on the next available flight if we miss it without penalty (except for wasted time)?

I am mainly concerned about the US side of the equation.

Thanks!

Preface: It is best to book the flights at the same time with the same airline or partner airlines. That way, you can check your luggage all the way through and not have to worry about it going to Paris. Saves a LOT of time.

1. I recommend at least 1 1/2 hour connection time flying TO Paris and at least 2 hours FROM Paris. When you return, you have to get your bags and pass through customs, but you return your bags at the same location for your connecting flight. It will take a little extra time, but shouldn't take a lot.

2. If I remember correctly, you will not have to pass through security at your connecting terminal, only customs on your return flight. Clarifications/corrections, anyone?

3. If your flight is delayed so you'll be cutting it close, let a cabin crew member know you have a connection at XX. They can let you know how to expedite the connection. In the event of a delay, the airline should be responsible for getting you on the next available flight at no extra charge.

Sorry, that should be X : X X

Amamax2..just how much time DO you have?

Regardless, the same issues and factors outlined above will apply:

number of flights arriving at the first US airport at the same time; number of Customs/Immigration agents on duty; yes you will have to go back throguh security because you have had access to your checked luggage.

That's the procedure. Whether or not you will make it can be anyone's guess.

The onlt thing you can do about it is try to arrange an itinerary allowing you more connection time. If you alread have tickets purcahsed that may constitute a "change" and bring about a change fee.

I travel a lot internationally, about once a month on average. Whenever I have a choice, I always budget for at least a 2 hour connection (or something very close to it) in a major hub airport (I budget for 3 at Heathrow).

When will you be travelling? I always budget for longer connection times in periods when there's a risk of bad weather (e.g. Nov-April, generally in North America and Europe), as well as on peak travel days (will you be travelling within a few days of a major holiday in the US, Paris or Rome?)

In deciding how long a stopover you need, you should also consider what the risks are if you miss your connection. For example, if you miss your flight out of, e.g. Boston, is there another later flight the same day with the same airline or an alliance partner, or are you out of luck until the next day? (For example, in Toronto, for example, there are 3 flights a day to Heathrow, so if I missed the first I would stand a good chance of being put onto the second one.) Are you booking both flights on a single ticket, or are they separate tickets? In the first place, if you miss your connection, the airline has some responsibility for getting you to your final destination. In the second case, you could be out of luck. Where will you end up if you miss your connection and get stuck? I care a lot about missing a day at the start of my holiday. I'd hate to wait around the airport for an extra day (a possibility if the flight I missed is the last flight of the day) and I might lose the value of one night's hotel at my destination. On the other hand, I usually don't care if I miss a connection in the way home. I've already had my holiday / attended my meeting. I had a great stopover in London a few years ago when my flight from Spain was delayed. I got an evening and a day in London, on the company's expense, at Christmas.

So, with these ideas in mind, I'd recommend that you try to get a 2 hour connection for your connecting flight in the US on your way to Europe, even if you go for a shorter connection time on the way home.

By the way, you can often get the booking engine on an airline's website to give you a longer connection as follows. If the website doesn't offer it automatically as an option, then try booking the trip as a multi-city trip. Then you'll get the opportunity to specify the time for each flight. Sometimes the price is identical to the default option with shorter connection the airline website originally offered. Sometimes it's more expensive, and then you'll have to decide whether it's worth it to pay the difference.

Finally, when I'm travelling on an itinerary with short connections (or during a peak travel period), I usually print out a list of the later flights (on that airline, its airline partners and possibly other airlines), so that I'm better prepared if plans go awry. (In addition to the flight times, I also bring along airline phone numbers that work in the countries I could end up stuck in.)

Personally, I would never book a flight with less than 1 hour connection, especially if going overseas. I do not need the added stress on such a big vacation. If your first leg is delayed, even though the airline gets you on a later flight - that flight might be the next day. It isn't worth it to allow the possibility of losing precious and expensive vacation time.

PS - I don't know if it's an option for you, but if you really want a longer connection time and your husband wants a shorter connection time, you could do what I used to do. I make the travel bookings in our family and tend to hold the tickets until we get to the airport. When I first got married, I didn't always tell my husband the precise flight times (I'd tell him our scheduled departure time was 15 minutes earlier than it really was). You could do the same thing with the respect to the connection times ...

ama - you can have some control over your schedule. Not so much on the transatlantic portion, but as it appears you've found out, you should have several options on your initial flight out of San Diego.

I think scheduling a 2 hr connection on your flight over is smart, IMO. That should leave you some room in case there are any delays. You could probably do less, but I wouldn't and I wouldn't suggest anything in the range of 45 min - 1 hr (although I know people have done it). The problem is you're not going to have many options on the transatlantic flight if you miss it - most airlines have only 1 or 2 flights a day out of the airports you're considering. So I'd make sure you have sufficient time to account for delays.

If you miss your flight to Paris due to mechanical problems, weather etc you won't have to buy a new ticket and the airline will accommodate you on another flight. BUT that could be the next day. This is one reason I prefer more connecting times than the airlines often recommend. It's your vacation time - not theirs.

As I understand it, you're not connecting in Paris. You're getting off there, but you're returning from Rome. If so, outbound, you won't go through security again after your initial screening in San Diego, and your bags should be checked all the way to Paris. You'll walk or shuttle from one terminal to another - if you have to change terminals - and you shouldn't have to go outside of the security area.

On the return, you should allow at least 2 hrs for connections, and I'd suggest more like 2.5 hrs. You'll have to go through customs/immigration (not just security)at the first stop in the US, and that can take time, especially if there are flight delays, or there are several planes landing about the same time in which case they literally have to process hundreds of people. Some days customs is easy and some days it can be a nightmare - and we've experienced both extremes.

Hope this helps.

I don't quite get the notion that "you don't have control over connection times" - - if airline A has a routing with 50 minutes connection, and airline B has a routing with 90 minutes connection... well, isn't the buyer totally in control over which purchase to make?

A factor not mentioned is... will you be taking the last flight of the day (night) from your US gateway airport to your Europe destination, or are there later flights that could accommodate you? Airlines are getting ever more sophisticated in their ability to offer you re-booking (sometimes already in place when you de-plane) when flights mis-connect... but they can't do much when the last flight of the day (night) is the one you missed!

I personally prefer those later departures, with the mid-morning arrivals in Europe, rather than the 6, 7 am, etc arrivals (when no hotels want to see you)...

...but they do run that risk of no later flights available.

Best wishes,

Rex

Kate_W gives you some good advice (I must admit I also have found its best in some situations not to give my husband more details than he needs as I am in charge of travel).

One rule I follow is to not book the last flight of the day. So, I would feel more comfortable with a short connection time if the airline has two or three more flights from Boston on to Paris the same night--better chance of getting a seat if delayed.

I do not use Boston airport regularly, so I would suggest you check which gate the flight you would be using usually arrives and where the next one usually departs. Although this is no guarantee, you can see if usually you only have to walk a few gates (OK if planes on time) or if they are miles apart, in different terminals, etc., which makes 45 minutes unreasonable. There is also a website where you can check flights "on-time" record to see if your flight into BOS usually gets there on time.

Personally, I like at least 1 hr domestic connections, less at smaller airports; 2 hrs minimum for international in or outbound.

I often fly into ATL on international flights and feel the stress of many passengers waiting in line for immigration, then retrieving their luggage through customs, then security, then going to another concourse for a connecting US flight, often with only 45 min to 1 hr to connect. I always wonder how many get to spend unplanned time in ATL for missed connections.

ama - looks like a bunch of us posted about the same time, but I think all of them should help.

Thank you, thank you!!

Based on your replies and my hsuband talking to some co-workers, he is now convinced that a 2-hour connecting time is the right way to go.

To clarify for some of you, I haven't bought the tickets yet - I am looking at the options with the intent to buy today. We will only be flying one airline each way (looked into other options but seemed way too stressful), but all of the flights have a connection somewhere in the US on the way there and back. We will be traveling with our youngish children overseas for the first time and I just like to know what the details are, so I can have back-up plans if necessary.

Kate W, thank you - love your humor! And all the advice! Both you and dfr4848 gave me even more to help clarify which flight to book - going over I do not want to miss the flight, so will make sure I don't book the last flight; coming home I have alloted a Day of Rest so if we missed it for some reason, we'd be OK.

Thanks again!