Traveling from Miami/Fort Lauderdale area to Lihue, Hawaii next April and decent flights options are limited. One of the few with only one connection, early arrival time, and also the best price is on American (MIA - PHX - LIH) but only 36 minute layover in PHX. If I did everything I could to set myself up for success (book seats close to front of plane, inform flight crew of tight connection, and obviously run as fast as I can), what do you think? Is this too much of a crap shoot to book in the first place?

 

I do similar connections all the time, since the choice is usually that or 5+ hour layovers in PHX. Most of the time it works out, but about 10% to 20% of the time I end up in a hotel in Phoenix overnight at AA's expense. Also, depending on when in the year it is, there are decent odds there will be a schedule change between now and then, which if that happens the connection time could improve, or you may be able to get them to change your flight to one with a better connection time.

 

Have you looked at recent arrival times of the MIA-PHX flight?

If you misconnect at PHX, are there later options -- either via LAX, or via one of the Hawaiian islands with a connection on HA?

 

It�s not just the odds, it�s the consequences.

Are there same day options if you miss it?

if you have a forced overnight en route, how much $$ is at stake?

How much is the loss of a day going up bum you out?


haven�t been flying AA much this year but my delayed flights are 100% of all AA flights, all mechanical.

 

I personally prefer to route via LAX if possible as there is a lot more resiliency to get to any Hawaiian island via other islands. Missing a connection in PHX is a much higher chance of arriving in Hawaii a day later. Maybe I'd chance PHX for an AA widebody but if it's the same crappy Oasis equipment, not worth it.

 

You can get from any gate to any other gate in PHX with a 10 minute leisurely walk (some on moving sidewalks if going between A and B gates). Should not be a problem IF your flight from MIA is on time. You're basically betting on that flight being on time.

 

The odds of making the connection are very high, even without running. I�m curious, though, what you expect informing the flight crew would accomplish? There�s certainly no harm, but it�s not going to do anything. The gate agent for the PHX-LIH flight will be aware of the status of connecting passengers and will decide, based primarily on AA policy, when to close the door. But honestly this does look like the best and a reasonably safe. I�d prefer a longer connection, but also would expect to make this.

 

I have heard cabin crews make an announcement upon landing that there are some passengers on board who have very tight connections, and requesting that other passengers remain seated until those passengers have disembarked. There is no assurance, of course, that the other passengers would comply, but it couldn't hurt.

 

I did think of that. I�ve never seen it be particularly effective, but certainly the passenger should pull an excuse-me-pardon-me after landing to get as close to the front as possible. In my experience that can be effective.

In terms of my confidence level of this connection working, I�m always in J or, if my upgrade hasn�t cleared, in the first couple rows of Y. I do think getting a seat towards the front is critical, if for no other reason for the OP�s sanity.

(Just curious: In people�s experience how long does it typically take to disembark from farther in the rear?)

 

You mean, something like this:

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I can�t tell you how happy it makes me that you got that reference!

 

Flight never showing as delayed; if delayed but then lands in time, I�m guessing you�d be auto rebooked off, and won�t be able to get on standby list.

 

A tiny risk. There�s also a risk that MIA-PHX gets canceled. Or that PHX-LIH gets canceled. Or diverted. Or that the OP oversleeps or gets a flat tire on the way to the airport.

There�s no risk free option. And obviously, generally speaking, a longer connection decreases the risk. But this does appear to be the best option (unless the OP wants to build in an overnight connection and overnight in PHX or LAX) and there�s a very high chance that the OP makes the connection.

 

36 mins seems a standard minimum banked flights timing, so it's a risky connection but one they seem confident in enough to regularly schedule. I had a RNO-PHX-JFK connection for 36 mins earlier in the year. My Inbound to PHX arrived ~10 minutes late in A pier, outbound was on B pier. I was mid-back to de-board, did a NYC paced walk between gates, and arrived when outbound was boarding group 4 and joined the queue. My checked snowboard bag made the connection just fine.

Guessing it's the 7:27am MIA-PHX, so lower chance of rolling delays impact. As you noted there isn't really an alternative one-day one-stop itinerary on AA, so your alt (unless you switch to DL or UA) is a routing you may get rebooked into anyways in case of delays. If you're travelling solo I'd do it. As noted, maybe get a schedule change between now and then anyways.

 

The minimum time is 25 minutes, and as you've shown, that time is doable. Yes you're nuts if you're getting to a wedding and if anything goes wrong then you'll miss it, but given PHX's pretty good weather and the reasonably good layout of the gates, it doesn't take much time to get between them.