BeachGirl247

I have a question regarding connection time on Continental and changing terminals. I haven't flown through IAH in a while so I need advice from the regulars of that airport:

My choice flight has a 43 minute layover arriving in B and departing in terminal C or E (they can't confirm yet which will be the departure terminal for San Francisco)

I talked with Continental and she said she doesn't believe there is an issue of missing the connection. Also, she cannot tell me the origination of my plane in OKC. Flying the first part of March.

I will be taking a carry on except on the first leg which is an express jet. Do they still put our bags in the jetway after landing? Or has that changed?

What are your thoughts?

(btw, there is an earlier flight but it gives me a 2hr17min layover that I would really like to avoid)

dfr4848

Hi Sheila - that's cutting it close, but if your OKC flight is on time, you should be OK. {Hopefully you're not taking the last flight of the day to SFO]. B is used only by CO Express and is pretty easy to navigate. You can take either the monorail above ground or the train below ground to get to C or E. You should be able to confirm gate number of SFO flight that morning. If you're at one of the far gates in E, you'll really have to hussle - a gate in C should be easier.

Yes, they'll gate check your bag and should be waiting for you in the jetway.

longhorn55

I only fly to IAH once a year, so I can't advise you on the various terminals. However, I would take with a grain of salt the assertion by the Continental rep that there won't be an issue of missing the connection. Since it's "legally" enough time for a connection, you can't expect the rep to say, "There's no way are you going to make your connecting flight." So much goes into whether you can make the connection--arrival time of the originating flight, weather condtions, whether there are open gates upon your arrival at IAH, distance to the connecting terminal (and the previous poster said a departure in E would be tight), etc.
As much as I hate waiting in airports, I believe the conventional wisdom these days among travel experts is that you need to allow extra time to make connections. If you can't afford to miss the connection, then you might want to consider that earlier flight.

BeachGirl247

Thanks for the responses. I don't "have" to be in SFO by a specific time but I don't want to be in an airport for extended period of time either (who does).

Going for the 7:30am in case of crummy weather in Houston.

Thanks again.

LarryRGV

Take the earlier flight and go eat a breakfast taco in the food court in Terminal E when you get there. Been there, done that - many times. I keep to a minimum of 1 hour layover to get from or to Terminal B and even that doesn't allow for much delay. If you're young and like to run and don't get palpatations from the thought of not making your connection then go for the short connection.