NoStressHere

Oops... forgot about the big bang theory - also known as the big schedule change on 1/31. All bets are off as to gates being used, and to be honest, one can expect some tweaking after they get this going. I am sure that some ALWAYS LATE arrivals on certain flights from certain cities have been overlooked and will need to be fixed when they do the "little bang" and readjust a few weeks later.

SFO-SJC Flyer

I have made 30 something minute connections more times than I care to remember, but not with DL in ATL, and not two weeks after a mammoth schedule overhaul.

Maybe I move too slow, or do not like too many uncertainties, but I find 90 minutes with DL in ATL is optimal and comfortable, and 60 minutes is the very minimum.

Dovster

While planning my visit to PBI yesterday, I tried to route it TLV-MXP-ATL-PBI (it would have saved me about $200 by taking AZ instead of DL).

The TA tried booking it but was refused because the 50 minute connection in ATL was not considered a legal one. (Yes, I knew it was very tight but figured that if I didn't make it I would just be put on a later plane.)

What is the minimum legal connection in ATL?

mtparadis

I would think for arriving international flights the minimum would be at least an hour.

However, the DL website will gladly sell you many connections of just over 30 minutes on domestic itins.

53flyer

50 minutes is not nearly enough time arriving in Atlanta from overseas. You would be lucky to even clear customs and security within 50 minutes. If they were to sell you this connection, you would surely miss the flight.

Dovster

To be honest, I knew that. I really didn't think it was a workable connection, I was just hoping it was a legal connection.

There were quite a few ATL-PBI flights after the one which left 50 minutes after my arrival. The problem was that AZ had no codeshare seats available on any of them.

If I had arrived too late to make the connection, I would have automatically been put on a later flight so I wasn't worried about whether I would arrive in time.

I had hoped to use an AZ itinerary to fly TLV-MXP (on AZ metal) and MXP-ATL-PBI all on Delta metal. AZ offers some very low prices for this.

As it turned out, I am on a Delta itinerary, flying TLV-JFK on LY metal and JFK-PBI on Delta. On the way back, I am flying DL PBI-ATL-MXP and two weeks later going MXP-TLV on AZ metal.

vinnmann

Deleted

Dovster

It will be on Song, but Delta appears to be singing a different tune.

My itinerary lists the flight as "DL 2064 -- OPERATED BY DELTA AS SONG".

If they were trying to say it is a codeshare, they would write (as they did with my El Al flight): "DL 8975 -- OPERATED BY EL AL ISRAEL".

moeve

HUH 50min from an international arrival to a national connecter!?! You must be kidding!?! I hate being the bearer of BAD news BUT... We had 2h50 in December - no not during the holidays but we did not make the connection from our Transatlatic flight to our connecter to Florida even though we were at the gate 19 min prior to flight depature. If you are not there at least 30 min prior (or when ever the gate gods think it is time) to take off you are left behind. Yes we still got to Florida that night but 2 flights later making it a 24 hour day for us. Boy what a start to a vacation

Dovster

Moeve, as I said, I didn't care if I made the connection or not -- I just wanted to buy the ticket. If I had to take a later plane, so be it. (In fact, when I have passed through Customs too late to catch my original flight, on two occcasions, I was put in FC on the later one.)

Generally I have found that if I have 90 minutes between flights, and we are not late on arrival, I will have no problem.

I am hoping that 3 hours in JFK will give me time to duck out of the airport for a smoke before making my connection.

Which is the airline VIP room that allows smoking in JFK? I gotta make friends with a member quickly!

Berto

This summer I am going on a trip with my school to Italy. I am flying on DL77 from FCO-ATL on June 2nd. This flight leaves Rome at 1:20PM and arrives in ATL at 6:20 PM. Now I am going to be buying a second ticket from ATL-MSP so I can visit my father. The latest flight for the ATL-MSP route is at 9:24PM on DL434. I need to know if this connection time of 3 hours and 4 minutes is enough for me to clear customs and immigration, claim my bags (if DL doesnt check them all the way to MSP), and then check in for my flight to MSP (I could check in at a Transfer Desk, right?).

As for the rest of my group ATL is their final destination. Ive heard that when you clear customs you have to claim your bags first. Can they just keep their bags instead of placing back onto the conveyor, so that they can leave quickly for their bus back to Panama City?

RobertS975

If everything is on schedule, you should have more than enough time for a nice sit-down dinner somewhere inside the terminal.

xcutter

I go through Atlanta coming back from Europe at least twice a year. You have nothing to worry about, unless there is a huge delay.
Rich

NoStressHere

I am guessing you have checked, but still... is there any way you can get these flights as part of one record? You did not indicate your original origination (huh?) and final finalization (yep, makes sense to me).

Even is separate and no more than an hour, maybe two hours late and you will be okay. Customs in ATL always moves right along. Rechecking bags sometimes is a bit of a hassle, but even with long lines, maybe 20 minutes. Even if one ticket, you WILL have to recheck bags after leaving customs.

Berto

My original origination is ATL. To Italy my group is flying on AF to MXP via CDG. Delta is the carrier for my return segment FCO-ATL. Too make things worse these are on seperate PNRs and on the same PNRs as me is 27 other people. They are all ending at ATL, but I need to get to MSP. Its also a paper ticket too (Tour company made all the bookings). That might make sense.......but its somewhat confusing to me.

Im not going to try and add on to the FCO-ATL PNR, dont want to cause problems with the tour company or the rest of my group, etc.

Yeah, im going to have checked luggage (all those souvenirs ). The Delta agent on the phone said as long as i have a ticket for the ATL-MSP flight, they will check my bags all the way. Im just wanting to be prepared incase it doesnt get checked all the way. If they dont check my bags to MSP, can i just keep the checked bag after customs and take it to the Transfer Desk, or will I be forced to go and wait at Baggage Claim (Seperate Tickets/PNRs)? What about the rest of my group who are ending their flight intinerary in ATL will they have to put their bags back on the conveyor and claim in baggage claim? I assume the answer is probably yes, im just trying to get all the information correct.