time to allow between flights in u.s.
 

Is 45 minutes between flights doable in the Atlanta airport? I'm flying Delta from Lexington, KY, to White Plains, NY, and the choices are slim. There' s another possibility, connecting from Cincinnati, but the layover is only half an hour. Do either of these sound possible or should I keep looking?
Thanks,
bobbye

It could be but I'm pretty sure Delta requires at least 60 minutes between connections at ATL.

A thirty minute connection time is insanity in this day and age considering so many flights are delayed.

You might be able to make your connection in Atlanta if the first flight is on time, but it's going to be tight. Same goes for Cincy. Here's the thing: Cincinnati airport is about 80 miles. If you're planning to rent a car in Lexington, maybe you should just fly to Cincinnati and drive?

The minimum connection time in ATL is 35 minutes, so if your first flight is on time, you should not have any problems.

strangely enough, i can't get the same flight out of cincy! it's cheaper to fly from lexington & schedules are better, but still not good.

I haven't been in the Cincy airport, but I have the impression it isn't very large. Can you check the ontime arrival of your flights? And since Atlanta is the Delta hub, they probably have multiple concourses, and you might have to change concourses. Check the next flight in both cases as a "just in case".

Checked Cincy flights again and found a fairly decent nonstop to and from White Plains, so I'll drive there from LEX. I just think the connection time is too short for Atlanta. Doesn't really leave any margin for error.

Whenever anyone asks these questions the responses always include "if your flight is on time" - but that is the whole question, isn't it? Twenty minutes is enough if your flight is on time - and while you can check on-time history, you can not predict whether your first flight on that day will be on time.

My criteria is always how important it is for me to be at destination on-time, whether or not there are later connecting flights that I might have a hope of taking, and which is more aggravating - getting stranded mid-trip or wasting a lot of time in the connecting airport.

I would keep looking.

The Atlanta airport is HUGE! I'll never forget the first time I changed planes there: time was tight, I followed the signs and thought that I was almost at my gate, turned the corner and there was a dang SUBWAY CAR to take me to some other terminal! Another time, I had to change planes at O'Hare and was SO worried about making my connection, but it tuned out that the departure gate was the one right next to my arrival gate: I only needed 5 minutes to make the connection.

bobbye, IMHO you made the right choice: At this time of year, weather like thunderstorms can cause delays so I wouldn't chance it.

<i>Whenever anyone asks these questions the responses always include "if your flight is on time" - but that is the whole question, isn't it?</i>,

yes it is, but if there were 100s of mis-connects everyday, then the airlines would readjust their schedules. It costs airlines money to accommodate missed connections. Trust me, they don't like it any more than you and I.

It's possible that one may hit a bad day and such is life, but to spent 2-3 hours in airports every time you fly just because there could be that one bad day, is senseless IMHO.

To each his own.

I hate worrying about missing a flight and rushing around an airport like Atlanta's. So I'll spend extra time, about 90 minutes each way, driving to Cincy & take non-stop flights, there and back.
I guess it's just a question of your level of tolerance. I don't want to be biting my fingernails for the next 3 weeks wondering if I'll be stranded in ATlanta.

Last Oct. I flew from Lexington, KY, to White Plains, via Atlanta, with 58 minutes to make my connecting flight. I went to the wrong concourse, had to retrace my steps, and got to the gate just as they were boarding. If I'd had only 45 minutes then, or my flight in had been late, I might not have made it. Nonstop is the way to go!
bobbye

Neither of those times makes any sense and are not legal connections. That means that you're buying separate tickets, whic means i fyou miss a flight neither airline is responsible and you will likely have to rebook yourself with whatever flights are left at a very expensive walk-up price.

What you should be doing is booking all of these flights on one ticket so 1)you get legal connections and 2) if for some reason youmiss your flight the airline is responsible for getting yuo on anohter flight at no additional cost.

Frankly, with luggage I wouldn't take any connection les than 2 hours = if only a carry-on I might push it to 1.5 hours.

And Atlanta is huge, flights are often late and it can take 30 minutes to get from one gate to another depending on location.

Oh - and if you're looking for on-time recrods for flights you should know that withn 15 minutes of schedule is considered "on time". So a 30-minute window would be useless - you would still probably be getting off the first plane.