Transfer at Madrid
Oct 22, 2021, 5:39 am
#46
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 9
AA check-in at MAD closes 75 minutes before departure, so you have until 12:05 to check in your bag. Realistically, you'd want to be out of baggage claim no later (to the minute) than 11:55.
Baggage can easily take 30 minutes to be delivered in MAD, if not longer. That doesn't leave room for much delay at all (if any), unless you want to stress out completely and don't mind buying a last-minute walkup.
Spanish passports won't help here - the 75min cutoff is the key. And that leaves you with a decent amount of time to get to the gate in T4S regardless of passport.
Baggage can easily take 30 minutes to be delivered in MAD, if not longer. That doesn't leave room for much delay at all (if any), unless you want to stress out completely and don't mind buying a last-minute walkup.
Spanish passports won't help here - the 75min cutoff is the key. And that leaves you with a decent amount of time to get to the gate in T4S regardless of passport.
Oct 22, 2021, 6:29 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,232
I have no recent experience with AA at MAD, but I would assume they use VeriFLY which should help enable OLCI.
In any case, I believe AA has a transfer desk in T4S, which is where you should go to do the 'interview'.
If you aren't able to get a BP online, I would recommend going to the landside check-in. You would need to have checked-in 75 minutes before departure, at least, whether landside or airside. It would take you far longer to get from the TFN flight to the AA desk in T4S than it would to walk out through baggage claim, up the lifts, and over to the AA desk. It means an extra go through security, but that isn't too big of a deal. The important thing is getting checked in on time.
In any case, I believe AA has a transfer desk in T4S, which is where you should go to do the 'interview'.
If you aren't able to get a BP online, I would recommend going to the landside check-in. You would need to have checked-in 75 minutes before departure, at least, whether landside or airside. It would take you far longer to get from the TFN flight to the AA desk in T4S than it would to walk out through baggage claim, up the lifts, and over to the AA desk. It means an extra go through security, but that isn't too big of a deal. The important thing is getting checked in on time.
Oct 22, 2021, 10:27 am
#48
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 1,225
I don't want to rain on your parade, but I had experience of boarding a flight in London where Iberia insisted that everyone check their carry-on bags. So even if you only have carry-on, you can't be 100% sure they will let you carry it on. Having said that, once you have your bag then I think it's about 10 mins maximum from baggage reclaim up to the check-in area in T4. Provided you're not late, it's doable I would say.
Oct 22, 2021, 12:17 pm
#49
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Zaragoza
Posts: 1,392
I assume that by Christmas there will be more travellers and their usual system (document check at a designated desk before you reach the AA boarding area) will resume.
Oct 25, 2021, 4:03 am
#50
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 9
I have no recent experience with AA at MAD, but I would assume they use VeriFLY which should help enable OLCI.
In any case, I believe AA has a transfer desk in T4S, which is where you should go to do the 'interview'.
If you aren't able to get a BP online, I would recommend going to the landside check-in. You would need to have checked-in 75 minutes before departure, at least, whether landside or airside. It would take you far longer to get from the TFN flight to the AA desk in T4S than it would to walk out through baggage claim, up the lifts, and over to the AA desk. It means an extra go through security, but that isn't too big of a deal. The important thing is getting checked in on time.
In any case, I believe AA has a transfer desk in T4S, which is where you should go to do the 'interview'.
If you aren't able to get a BP online, I would recommend going to the landside check-in. You would need to have checked-in 75 minutes before departure, at least, whether landside or airside. It would take you far longer to get from the TFN flight to the AA desk in T4S than it would to walk out through baggage claim, up the lifts, and over to the AA desk. It means an extra go through security, but that isn't too big of a deal. The important thing is getting checked in on time.
The rest, all understood. Just downloaded VeriFLY, but I can't use it until about a week prior to the flight. Will I have to stop by any counters if OLCI opens up for me and I get an online BP? In an ideal scenario, I'd just walk straight from my landing gate in T4 to the passport control at T4S and then my gate. Is that feasible at all?
Oct 25, 2021, 4:22 am
#51
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD, LHR, FCO
Programs: BA Gold, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,401
Thank you for this! What do you mean with "the interview"? (sorry, I haven't taken a transatlantic flight in 10 years, and I want to make sure I'm fully ready for any eventuality on this one -visiting my in-laws for the first time!-)
The rest, all understood. Just downloaded VeriFLY, but I can't use it until about a week prior to the flight. Will I have to stop by any counters if OLCI opens up for me and I get an online BP? In an ideal scenario, I'd just walk straight from my landing gate in T4 to the passport control at T4S and then my gate. Is that feasible at all?
The rest, all understood. Just downloaded VeriFLY, but I can't use it until about a week prior to the flight. Will I have to stop by any counters if OLCI opens up for me and I get an online BP? In an ideal scenario, I'd just walk straight from my landing gate in T4 to the passport control at T4S and then my gate. Is that feasible at all?
I've flown MAD-ORD on IB a few times, connecting from FCO, and said screening always occurred at the entrance to a roped-off area where the boarding gates for the flights to the US are located. I'm sure that AA flights leave from the same gates so it's probably where the "interview" will take place if you're flying AA.
Oct 25, 2021, 4:29 am
#52
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 9
They do a secondary screening to ascertain that you don't have any nefarious motives for boarding a US-bound flight. In most cases it's nothing more than matching your passport to your BP, but they may ask you why you're flying etc. They do or used to do this at LHR for AA as well, either just before checking in at AA's T3 desks or at flight connections if you're connecting from somewhere else.
I've flown MAD-ORD on IB a few times, connecting from FCO, and said screening always occurred at the entrance to a roped-off area where the boarding gates for the flights to the US are located. I'm sure that AA flights leave from the same gates so it's probably where the "interview" will take place if you're flying AA.
I've flown MAD-ORD on IB a few times, connecting from FCO, and said screening always occurred at the entrance to a roped-off area where the boarding gates for the flights to the US are located. I'm sure that AA flights leave from the same gates so it's probably where the "interview" will take place if you're flying AA.
Oct 25, 2021, 4:39 am
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,232
I've flown MAD-ORD on IB a few times, connecting from FCO, and said screening always occurred at the entrance to a roped-off area where the boarding gates for the flights to the US are located. I'm sure that AA flights leave from the same gates so it's probably where the "interview" will take place if you're flying AA.
Last edited by BA6501; Oct 25, 2021 at 5:30 am Reason: Extremity, not extremely!
Oct 25, 2021, 4:59 am
#54
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD, LHR, FCO
Programs: BA Gold, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,401
Nov 10, 2022, 2:28 pm
#55
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, Accor Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,829
Can anyone update me on the transfer procedure between T4 - T4S?
I used to do it several times a year until 10 years ago, when they had a bus who would collect passengers with onwards boarding passes for gates RSU straight from the back door of the plane to the satellite terminal. Does that still happen?
Out of curiosity, I'm wondering why they are connecting Schengen-Schengen flights from T4-T4S (GVA-MAD-LIS).
I used to do it several times a year until 10 years ago, when they had a bus who would collect passengers with onwards boarding passes for gates RSU straight from the back door of the plane to the satellite terminal. Does that still happen?
Out of curiosity, I'm wondering why they are connecting Schengen-Schengen flights from T4-T4S (GVA-MAD-LIS).
Nov 10, 2022, 7:34 pm
#56
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DEN
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 412
Have a nice and tight 65 minute connection in MAD in about two weeks. I will land in Terminal 1 from BCN and then take off from Terminal 4S for the flight to the US. Any tips or think I should be fine?
Nov 11, 2022, 1:32 am
#57
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 1,225
I would suggest you change your flight or get the train.
Nov 11, 2022, 4:10 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: IB+ Gold, TK E+, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, IHG Diamond
Posts: 13,297
IMO I don't think you will do this in 65 minutes. You will need to get off the arriving flight (maybe 10 mins) a bus from T1 to T4 (maybe 30 mins including waiting for the bus), then check in (sometimes 30 min lines for check-in), then pass through immigration (sometimes 45 min lines for immigration) and somehow arrive at the departure gate 30 mins before departure.
I would suggest you change your flight or get the train.
I would suggest you change your flight or get the train.
Either you made a typo - domestic flights from the likes of Air Europa land into T2 FWIW - and are landing into T4 with Iberia, or you need to change your flight.
Nov 11, 2022, 6:12 am
#59
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,205
Can anyone update me on the transfer procedure between T4 - T4S?
I used to do it several times a year until 10 years ago, when they had a bus who would collect passengers with onwards boarding passes for gates RSU straight from the back door of the plane to the satellite terminal. Does that still happen?
Out of curiosity, I'm wondering why they are connecting Schengen-Schengen flights from T4-T4S (GVA-MAD-LIS).
I used to do it several times a year until 10 years ago, when they had a bus who would collect passengers with onwards boarding passes for gates RSU straight from the back door of the plane to the satellite terminal. Does that still happen?
Out of curiosity, I'm wondering why they are connecting Schengen-Schengen flights from T4-T4S (GVA-MAD-LIS).
Nov 11, 2022, 8:37 am
#60
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DEN
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 412
Thanks both. No typo…this is what BA allowed me to book. I’ll contact them and see if they will be flexible about me changing flights. On IB’s website they list 150 minutes as MCT for this and that’s Iberia-Iberia…let’s see.