Does anyone know what the &quot;rules&quot; are about the time in between flight transfers? I'm booked on an Italian tour in late June with Insight Tours. I leave from Sacramento go to Dallas on to Chicago and then to Rome. My concern is that the flight on which Insight has me booked in Dallas going to Chicago is scheduled only 35 minutes after my flight from Sacramento arrives in Dallas. Given that the flight leaves Sac in town and arrives in Dallas in time, I could definitely run like a sprinter and make it from one gate to the other...However, my concern is my luggage, I don't think there's any way that my luggage can be transferred from one plane to the other in only 35 minutes. <BR><BR>I've called my travel agent and asked her to check into this (she was off Thursday &amp; Friday), but I was wondering what anybody might know about the rules &amp; regulations of time between transfers and if anybody has had that short of a time between transfers and had their luggage actually arrive at the same time as they did?<BR><BR>Thanks for your input in advance.<BR><BR>Lynn

I would try to change it. If your flight into Chicago is only a little late, you might not make the flight, let alone your luggage.<BR><BR>We had an hour and a half between flights on our trip from Baltimore to Frankfurt via Philly last year. Severe thunderstorms delayed us out of Baltimore and we barely made the flight out of Philly (and I was a sweaty mess since we had to run from one end of the airport of the other to catch the flight just as they were closing the doors). Needless to say, our luggage did not make it to Germany with us.

Change the flight. There is a good chance your flight will leave from an entirely different concourse and Dallas is a bear. We were booked on a flight to connect to one to Paris. We had an hour, I think--and the airline itself did the booking. We had mechanical trouble leaving here, then more of an incident on the arrival runway. They met us at the jetway with a cart and even being over an hour late our flight was still waiting--ONLY because it also had mechanical trouble!! The BIG problem for us was that we were meeting our daughter on the outgoing Paris flight--and I had all the rail tickets for France.

On a recent trip with Grand Circle Travel, they had me scheduled with the same problem, so I had them put me on an earlier flight so I could make the connection at JFK. And low and behold, a problem still happened since the plane took off about 45 minutes late from Detroit, putting me into JFK with what I thought would be an 1 1/2 to spare for the international flight. However upon checking with Iberia, they close the check in desk over an hour before the scheduled flight, to make time for security. That really frazzled me as I made it with 20 minutes to spare of the desk closing, got the last two seats on the plane (as they will not assign international seats until check in) and these were the seats that do not recline. However I was so grateful to make the plane as it would have meant a day lost on the trip.<BR>So no way accept that close an encounter, under the very best of conditions, it would not work, not this day and age, with the multiple security checks, etc. Have a great trip. Mary Jayne

Hi lyb,<BR> You are supposed to leave an hour between flights.<BR><BR> I'd be very concerned about only 35 min between flights.

I would change your flight. I had two hours in between flights from sfo to jFK to london and my luggage didn't make it. Good luck<BR> Daisy

I had a bad experience with Delta Airline a couple years ago..My flight from SAT to Atlanta was 30 minutes later, we had 3 reservations for Rome, upon my arrival i found out with horror, that because we were late they have given away our seats.. It did not matter that it was not our faute, but theirs.My grandaughter started crying, our suitcases were in the plane, I was so upset that I saw RED, normally I am very easy going person.Anyway we end up taking British Airways , stopped in london and we arrived in Rome 3 hours before Delta...But unfortunately we had to stay at the airport waiting for our suitcases....To this day Delta is in my BLACK BOOK and unless is the only airline left to fly,I will NEVER SPEND my money on this company again..

I too fly out of Sacramento often. I am just alittle curious why you are flying to Chicago via Dallas. Can you no longer fly Sacramento to Chicago directly?<BR>Having said that, I agree 35 minutes is way too little time for a connection in Dallas. DFW is a huge airport and it may take you close to 35 minutes just to get from your gate of arrival to your gate of departure depending on where your gates are. I would recommend at least a hour and a half just to try to be safe although 2 hours would not be bad. If you miss your flight you may be able to get on the next flight on the same carrier if there is room. You than need to find out if the next flight to Chicago will make your connection to Rome. Are you using just one carrier for all your flights? If so I would call that carrier for advice.<BR>We fly out of SFO to Europe (London or Paris or Munich or Frankfurt)as it is cheaper, may cut off one transfer on our travel plans, and because it gives us more options of places to fly to in Europe with no more than one or two transfers. (Places like the Greek islands take two transfers). I also figure that if I get stuck somehwere I would rather spend an extra day in Munich etc than Chicago etc. We however do independent travel so some of our concerns may be different than yours.<BR>Good luck.

For Lynn, I have never done a 'tour' but always scheduled my own flights. 1-1/2 hours is my personal minimum for a flight transfer, and sometimes that is tight.<BR><BR>Can you make this trip with only one carry-on bag ? (if you attempt the 35 mins. schedule, because I can't imagine luggage can possibly transfer that quick.)<BR><BR>I don't know official rules &amp; regulations but this sounds like a long shot for success of both you and luggage making a smooth journey. Even if successful, it will be hair-raising at best!!!<BR><BR>I also wonder why you are going via both Dallas and Chicago, that seems convoluted routing to get out of the U.S. Would it be worth going out of San Fran and getting a nonstop to Europe?

I also fly out of SMF. I assume you are flying AA which is why you are going through Dallas. I love the extra legroom on AA but HATE that they really abuse west coast travelers. Some of the most unnecessary transfers/routings. yech<BR><BR>But as for your question - 35 minutes is definitely not enough time a Dallas. even with the shuttle train it is aterrible airport to navigate. I have been through it many times and know where and how to get to the various gates/terminals but the signage is terrible and the distances are gross.<BR><BR>change to a much earlier flight

Janis, Suze &amp; MJS,<BR><BR>Insight automatically made the flight arrangements, all through AA. I would much prefer to leave out of Sacramento, since it is so close and much easier to get in and out of. However, I did check and there is a UA flight leaving out of Sac going directly to Chicago with a 2 1/2 hour layover, much better in my opinion!<BR><BR>In their brochure,Insight Tours says they also use UA, so I have asked my travel agent to call them and see why that can't be an option? I was a little stunned myself when I saw I had to go to Dallas and then Chicago..a little ridiculous in my opinion.<BR><BR>I would rather not leave out of SFO and have the 2 hour drive, but if AA is the way I have to go, I might change and fly out of SFO and deal with the 2 hour drive home, BUT, have a better chance of not missing my flight and having my luggage with me when I get to Rome.<BR><BR>Thank you for your suggestions.

Lynn, Hopefully your travel agent and/or tour company will work with you on correcting this. (These kind of stories are part of why I opt for self-planned trips.)<BR><BR>I can sure understand a 2hour drive is not ideal, but if it got me out of flight changes in both Dallas and Chicago and took me directly to somewhere overseas (hopefully Italy but even London), that'd be my personal choice. My reasoning is that every airport you have to go thru is simply one more place for something to go wrong!<BR><BR>Wishing you safe &amp; happy travels!

lyb: If it turns out AA is your only option I wouldn't opt for the drive to SFO. Because there are no AA non-stops you would cut out one transfer but have to drive through the nasty Bay area traffic and only save a little time - or maybe actually take longer door to door. <BR><BR>You might look for a non-stop to NY or London and a flight to Rome from there?