I was sitting in the very back of the plane and it took a while to get out (because i got sick on the plane and had to vomit, me over all Body feel wasn't too great :D) so i made my way to security and further to the next gate. Turned out it was right. Could not agree more. I figured Ill need to clear customs, retrieve my checked bags and check-in and go through security again at T4. While, yes, most passengers end up making it, it's also pretty common for passengers to miss their connections. Theyve only given a 45 minute transfer time. I was quite unsure as to what I should do. You shouldn't do this unless the airline will agree to combine the tickets into a single itinerary with a guaranteed connection. You will actually have to retrieve your luggage before going through customs (right after passport control). Reply Jan 21st, 2011, 03:00 PM #2 rkkwan . To make your connection, follow signs for AirTrain. What is the minimum connection time for domestic flights at JFK? Would customs not just be needed in Toronto at my final destination? Delta and Latam are in terminal 4. Could you please assist me in choosing the most appropriate flight in terms of the suitable duration of the layover time and making departure procedures on time and comfortable, knowing that I have two checked bags to be retrieved? It might be worth mentioning that MCT doesnt apply, and people should have a minimum of several hours between flights booked separately. Bad Luck, it was at the end of terminal A so a looong way to walk. LHR, AMS, FRA ) and connect to another big European airport (e.g. Whats your experience? Three hours will be more than enough time! Hi Scott Airlines usually allow you four hours or more maximum connecting . It only gives us about 2.5 hours if everything goes smoothly. Minimum Connection Transfer Time at New York (JFK): The My bags made it too. See more about our ethics policies here. The real issue is say you have a 40 minute connection in some random international airport in Africa and you miss the connection. Duh, always be thinking content, 2 hour minimum anywhere - 3 hour when transferring from Domestic to Int'l and vice-versa in the US. It is common to see slight delays and most airlines close the doors 10+ minutes prior to flight anyway. 1 Answer. U.S. airlines routinely allow 30- to 40-minute connections for domestic flights. Ideally I like to book 3-5 hour transit times. By the way, while I still have your attention. I've normally done this in within 45 minutes, which ain't bad, but it does depend on times. Youll have to ask those in line in front of you. Thanks. Youre very welcome Carolyn! <p>Despite its renumeration required being one of the busiest and most clogged airports include the world, JFK maximum connection times might to surprising to novice travelers. Im usually pretty optimistic about this kind of stuff, but I dont think youd have any chance of pulling that off (even with Global Entry and checked luggage only). Hi Scott, Thanks for this review. I see some other websites suggest this is the case, but your detailed description sounds like we can just walk from gate on upper level to gate on lower level. 4 hours will be more than enough time! Hi Scott! Not entirely anyway. Upon entry to the USA, you will go through Immigration (up to an hour wait, though in Delta terminal, they've always been quicker than that for me), then you collect your bags. Very helpful, Scott! The is a place to talk about travelling around the whole world, specific rules regargind USA are relevant but not the only ones of relevance. PEK-MUC-FRA with 40 min in MUC despite the CA flight always being 30-40 min late) and I have always wondered how this works. Thank you very much for your input. Youve got nothing to worry about with a three hour layover though. I havent had the chance to try it yet, but from what Ive heard, it takes 10-15 minutes. Thanks Laura sounds like an exciting trip! At least you wont have to change terminals that will save you a lot of time. The connecting flight is likely going to be Delta as well if its a nonstop flight to Prague. Love the architecture, but the design of internal passenger movements is utterly inexplicable to me. On the inbound, CPT-ADD-ZRH-CMN: Arriving in ADD at 23:00, it was a zoo, no gate agents knew what gate boarding what flight in 90 minutes. JFK has been really hard to estimate lately most of the time it wont take very long to get through passport control and customs, but things do get backed up every now and then. Yeah, thats not a very fun type of connection to make at JFK. For journeys between terminals, it's free. I wouldnt book anything less than that. I love travelling, and I am perfectly happy spending leisure time at the airport, and not stressing even if my first flight experiences minor delays. Is a 1 hour layover enough time in Toronto? Thank you again for your answer! How does (allianz) travel insurance protect missing a connecting flight on two seperate itineraries? Addis can be very efficient, if you get lucky and arrive at a proper gate on the terminal you just walk to the next gate, youre already past security. This means you also have TSA Precheck, which will expedite your entrance into T5. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. After years of traveling on efficient, direct and extremely affordable low cost flights around Europe, I must admit I am finding the African transportation options expensive and time consuming. Hi Scott Thank you so much Scott!! If I didnt make the second flight it would be reasonable to expect that Ethiopian would then accommodate me on a later flight because I had booked a connecting ticket, though that can cause a separate host of problems. Hi Scott love the information in this article , Just a quick question due to schedule changes AA have routed us on Jetblue JFK then on AA to ANU assume luggage will be checked through but the connection time is only 1 hr. I've done Delta International Arrivals, and the longest it ever took me to get through to the AirTrain is 45 minutes. I would want a minimum of 2 hours for this if it were me. Have a good trip! Ive personally never done it with luggage, but if I was planning on doing it, my minimum connection time would be 2 and a half hours. Bad attitude and not knowing what you're talking about makes for someone looking a bit foolish. More impressively, my baggage has always made it too. See any problems for us? 1 hour 40 minutes is a legal connection at JFK. And I never use those tight US connections, eg ARR 1607 DEP 1631. On my inbound, I have a 90 minute connection through ORD again, NRT-ORD-ATL. Ill make sure to point anyone looking for info in your direction!! Having to wait to claim your luggage before going through customs is going to eat up a lot of valuable time. 15 fun and unique things to do in New York City. JFK minimum connection times (what you can realistically expect). Not checking any luggage. Have a great trip! All other airlines operate their domestic flights from other terminals, so it's possible that you'll have to transfer. Also, unless something has changed very recently, I am 99% certain that you will have to claim your bags before going through customs (even though they are checked all the way through to Toronto). Immigration James - fantastic insights and article; you are a great addition to the OMAAT team! Hi Sheryl 50 minutes is going to be a piece of cake! Anyone doe this tight a transfer in Terminal C. If it goes wrong, am I entitiled to hotel room until next day's flight. A totally inefficient operation always. Hi Barbara yes, you could probably take a taxi to get from one terminal to another, but it will be extremely inconvenient for them due to how short of a trip it is. You seem to suffer the same narrow-mindedness that Jackie's statement exhibits. Where is this tab? Anyways, now I find out they were under my nose on ExpertFlyer all along. I guess I'm a bit confused, though, about when you really need to know MCTs. And Im not sure if check in luggage is labelled all the way to San Diego. Will that get them through security quicker? Thank you for this amazing article! We both have luggage. Any advice? Minimum Connection Time for JFK is around 35-40min. In Frankfurt, I've had a special bus meet a couple of passengers directly at a delayed flight to rush us through a separate immigration and security channel to our connecting flights, all within 30 minutes or so. The thought of missing a connection stresses me about badly, and I'd much rather sit in the airport lounge (or, heaven forbid, pay for a meal in an airport restaurant) than have to haul a** through an airport just to make it. It's not the motherf*****r that you think it exists. You wont have any issues if your inbound flight is on time. I will be flying Ottawa-Montreal-JFK, arriving at T7. I am traveling with my 19 year old daughter from Iceland to JFK, landing at 7:10 pm terminal 7 then heading to Buffalo NY at 10:00 pm from terminal 4 on Thursday, June 15th. Flying DFW-JFK-LHR wont require going through customs / immigration. Would love advice on if I should speak to the travel agent and get this changed or if you think 45 minutes would be okay but tight? Connecting Flights | JFK Terminal 4 Limited flights to Greece. @Globetrotter, thank you so much for that tip. Thanks so much for the insight, and the rapid response! Get boarding pass beforehand Hi Andrea an hour and 25 minutes is going to be tight, but the thing that will make it easy(ish) is the fact that you wont have to change terminals. Anyway, you planned well (lol) because those layover times are perfect. Please advice. In JFK (don't recall the exact terminal) there was a general line . @ Tennen - I discuss separate tickets under the 'What to do if you have booked a connection that does not meet MCT' subheading. Itll likely be a tight if you have checked luggage though. It's why we have lounge access. Anyone know if there is an easy way to see if you will need to clear transit security at a particular airport? Delta: 30-minute minimum connection time. In that case, even a 45 minute connection would be fine connecting to a flight in the same terminal. Great information that really puts a lot of minds at ease. Hi what is the required connection time in JFK for international to domestic flights? Hi, were flying from Toronto to JFK (Feb 6, 2023) our first time to have layover in US, what do we need to provide . If you dont have to recheck your bag, it is quite possible that 2 hours is enough, depending if you arrive on time (the long haul flights usually do) and you are quick to get through immigration and customs. Made it easily - thank you KLM, thank you Schipol. Here's the bottom line: the Official Airline Guide (OAG) indicates that at JFK, the minimum connection time from domestic to domestic is one hour and from domestic to international is one hour and fifteen minutes. Reply Mar 20, 22, 10:03 pm # 2 SFOtoORD Original Poster Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,686 This article is a great tool for first time flyers going through JFK. * Will AA transport baggage? I have a flight from Berlin to Singapore transit via Zurich, all booked under one airline one ticket, but transit time too short only 50 minutes. I've heard all sorts of horror stories about how much time is needed to connect through Kennedy and was wondering if I was setting myself up for failure. 45 minutes is a totally doable connection in Terminal 8 at JFK. Recheck in baggage outside departure does this strictly need to be 1 hour before take-off?. Eventually the aircraft arrived 40 mins. The Airline Terminals Train runs counterclockwise. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-38707340', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');airlines used) that you have 2 tickets, rather than 1 ticket and a connection. Delta's minimum check in time for international departures from JFK is one hour. Hi Sofia if the entire itinerary can be purchased together as a single ticket, that means that the first flight will be operated by Delta (which is a partner of Air France). FYI, asking the TSA (or any airport employee) to move you to the front of the line wont work. The fastest way to do that is to use the Air Train. Have a good trip! They refused to change it to an earlier flight with longer transit time cos it meets the minimum requirement of 40 minutes. The worst time wasters are remote gates for widebody Jets. You might get someone more sympathetic and understanding who can make it happen. As it was a single ticket through the same airline I didn't worry too much. 2). And if I Let me make an example: If I arrive into a major European airport (e.g. I have a KLM flight arriving at JFK from Amsterdam with a layover of only 1:45 before my connecting flight to Norfolk all on 1 ticket and no terminal change. JFK minimum connection times (what you can realistically expect I am about to book a flight from London Heathrow to Toronto, but it has a layover in JFK of only 1.5 hours. Anyway, your assumptions are nearly correct. From what i understand, Delta is located in T3 and AA in T8, and taking the AirTrain is a breeze - 10min tops between these 2 terminals. Hi Jay yes, you will need to go claim your checked luggage before going through customs (which will happen right after you clear passport control). Learn how your comment data is processed. nice to see the voices of experience here, I'd guess another factor might be if the second flight is always operated by the aircraft of the first flight you might not have any issues. 1B). JFK minimum connection times (what you can realistically expect) Hello, I am landing at JFK terminal 8. Btw - the data sharing between AA and B6 if janky. There are certain airports like Doha, Auckland and Helsinki which specialise in being able to transfer passengers very quickly, because of both the way the terminals are designed, and the efficiency of the airline and airport, so you dont even need a full two hours. Shouldnt be an issue on timing, right? 4 hours between arrival and departure. I've often had 30-35 mins MCT on AA at LAX. Help with Delta connection time at JFK - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums There I leave at least 4-5 hours for anything because I've been burned way too many times. Do you think this connection time would be possible? I have a 2 hr lay over. Minimum Connecting Time (Approximate) About transfers to oneworld airlines. Hi Scott! I think it would be a relatively stress free experience with a 3 hour layover. But it should produce some great stories for you guys! LHR, AMS, FRA ) and connect to another big European airport (e.g. On the inbound, CPT-ADD-ZRH-CMN: Arriving in ADD at 23:00, it was a zoo, no gate agents knew what gate boarding what flight in 90 minutes. Youre very welcome Mandy! Thats assuming youre flying the same airline and dont need to make a terminal change. Book it for the blog content. Hi George yes, 2 hours to go though customs and immigration at JFK will be tight (especially if you have checked luggage), but the thing thatll make it easy is that you wont have to switch terminals. Do you think 2:33 is enough to catch my flight to Sao Paulo? VIE markets itself as the fastest connecting airport in Europe with a MCT of 30 mins. To find the MCT for Ethiopian Airlines flights I looked under Travel Tools in ExpertFlyer. IST was no for me once. Ive booked 1st class for the domestic flight though im unsure if this helps. You have to be extremely polite about it though, as not everyone will be sympathetic to your situation. If you go through ADD at night, the airport is completely empty. Hi Scott! Ill have to pick up a bag and then check it in.. is 2hr 40mins enough? You wont have to go through customs though. They are all separate buildings, connected by an inter-terminal train (the AirTrain). IF your first (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Hi Anne you shouldnt have any issues at all without any checked luggage. So, if you get into the illegal connection zone, you have a good chance of getting a routing you prefer (via AMS or CDG for example) Oakshadow and goodandclassy, thanks for prompt replies. Customs Clearly another posting by a foreigner. US airlines are required to take you to your destination regardless of connection time! Id try to get a longer layover if possible, but it wont be the end of the world if you cant. Approx. Im planning my first international flight of my adult life, so its been a little overwhelming . Two and a half hours isnt super tight IMHO but youre still going to have to move as quickly as possible just in case theres a snag somewhere along the way. But yes you are most likely going to make it without any issues. Theyll just put you on the next one (automatically) and you wont have to wait long. Remember that you'll have free access to the AirTrain for fast, convenient access to other terminals when you make your connection. Is this enough time . My least favourite connecting airport is actually Madrid. I was looking online at Star Alliance redemption options between Tanzania and Egypt via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD) on Ethiopian Airlines, and came across an itinerary that seemed oddly efficient. Thanks for your terrific insights. Anyway, yes! I have a hard rule of 2 hours bare minimum transfer time. I have a question re. Minimum Connection Time in JFK (Terminal 8) 3 years ago Save Hello, I have booked a ticket via Qatar Airways website, which consists of 2 flights - 1. Flight minimum connection times: What flyers need to know - USA TODAY Id switch to a flight with a longer layover if you can! This is a really interesting question. @Ole -- agreed that Jackie's reply is myopic and ignorant. Some airlines have excellent schedules where you can book an efficient connection. As mentioned before though, this is a routine short connection with ET. Have a great trip! Hi Scott, AA has a terminal 8 flight at 7:34pm. Yes, 95 minutes is plenty of time assuming things are running on time. Heres why: Useful (and clever) tips for a first time flyer thatll make it seem *easy*, Practical (and profitable) travel blog ideas for anyone feeling a little stuck, Minimum connection times at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York can be. Now, you have to get to the AirTrain station after exiting the Delta Terminal, which is a 5-10 minute walk in itself. Do you know if I have to get my bags re checked and if I have to go through security again in JFK? I never really know where I'm going with any confidence. And if I make the connection, I arrive there quickly. Id imagine that most taxi drivers wouldnt do it unless you promised them a very big tip. Here was Bens experience transiting Addis. I do have PreTSA/Global Entry. Have a good trip! What is the minimum connection time for international flights at JFK? I had 2 flight cancellations and rescheduled flights 2x as well within a few days of the flight. I got only 90 minutes, Amsterdam-JFK- San Diego. Hi Sandra youre very welcome! What are the required steps/process I need to take during the layover time in case you suggest the 12:37 pm flight? I was just pointing out that despite what some people think above, it is very possible that Delta can issue both boarding passes and check your luggage through to the final destination on AA, with of course NYC since you always have to claim your bags and go through customs at your first point of entry in the US. Hi Ingrid an hour and 45 minutes will be no problem considering that you wont have to change terminals. Hi Scott, I suspect they had planned it all along. We are 3 adults from UK coming from Dallas then on to Heathrow. Sure you might be "protected" and put on the next flight butyou might also be stuck there for a day or whatever depending on the route. For example, if you were flying from San Francisco to Los Angeles, connecting there to Tokyo, this would be a domestic flight, connecting to an international flight, so a D/I connection. Connecting in a foreign airport (where you either change planes, or reboard the same plane to another destination), is a very common way to travel. Same ticket flights operated by Delta and KLM (same alliance) and per the internet both at Terminal 4. This flight will be 90%+ filled with connecting passengers so they will prioritise it and assist the pax with short connections to transfer directly. Hi Deby two hours is going to be a little tight to pull off an international to domestic connection with a terminal change at JFK. The only thing that youre going to have to do is go through security to get back into Terminal 4. Afraid it will take a long time to de-plane, get luggage, go through customs, get to correct terminal, etc What do you think? And running more, until it felt as if my first heart attack was imminent. Would that be enough, it will be only terminal 4, but with immigration it can be a hassle maybe? Hi Carole if youre flying American Airlines the entire way (DFW-JFK-LHR), you wont have to switch terminals at JFK. air travel - What is the minimum time to consider with a connecting I am arriving from an international ITA flight at 6:55pm and would like to book a domestic American flight at 9:40pm. Have a great trip! Most flights through ADD shuttle passengers by bus from the tarmac to the gate. Always leave too much time to connect. We fly into JFK from an international flight into terminal 8 and then take off from a different airline for a domestic flight from terminal 5, am I correct in thinking we need to collect our baggage and then recheck it at terminal 5? But what I am more worried about is whether the transfer time of 2 hours is sufficient from an overseas visitor. <p>Despite its reputation for being one of the busiest and maximum congested airports in the world, JFK minimum connection times might be surprising to novice trip. Thanks for this article, so so helpful!! I initially had a 3 hour layover, but that flight has since been cancelled. Re: Connection time in JFK for international-domestic flights. I even have a tiny bit of anxiety with a solid 5 hours between flights. Take the AirTrain. Hi Scott Travelling from Amsterdam via JFK to Bangor and carrying odd size bagage. Thank you very much. * Any other AA-specific questions The minimum connection time varies by airport and type of connection (domestic to domestic or domestic to international, for example). Study the terminal maps ahead of time, have a plan of attack, and good luck! Im curious what issues you would foresee getting rebooked on the next available flight? These is all great information that puts JFK newbies at ease! You wont have the ability to go anywhere else. I was under the impression that most airlines have stopped "protecting" itineraries on multiple tickets regardless of whether the self-made connections are "legal." Outside of those hours, it's a veritable ghost town. Not only will I have to take the AirTrain to get to the other terminal, Im also going to have to stand in line to get through the security checkpoint once I get there. Do you think its feasible or its too short ? Minimum connecting times allow the shortest time to transfer a passenger and bags between flights. 3. 1. Itll certainly be more stressful! The time you spend connecting can range hugely, and will depend on how the airline sets their schedules if you are not stopping over to enter the country, I usually like about a two hour or so connection it is enough time to clear transit security, stretch your legs, perhaps have a shower or a meal in the lounge, maybe collect some duty free, and then find your gate to board your next flight. It took some careful planning, though, to optimize every single step of the way and cut down of idle waiting times. The examples will show how itineraries should build under the new mandate. This means my connection time is now 40 minutes in Terminal C. Both flights are Terminal 5. Minimum connection playing at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York can be as low as 30 minutes for inland flights (if you're flying the sam airline . JFK minimum connection times (what you can realistically expect Minimum Connection Times (MCTs) | Flight Connections | OAG MINIMUM CONNECTION TIMES Flight connections make new destinations available to passengers and create new revenue opportunities through codesharing and interlining. * Is there enough time? :-p. I dont rely on MCT either. Minimum connection times at the John F Kenny Airport in New York can be since low as 30 minutes for domestic flights (if you're flying the . Assuming your first flight lands on time, you wont be rushed and its a fairly straightforward process. An airline rep shuffled us thru customs and immigration who insisted on checking and even stamping our passports before a mad dash through the whole terminal to the departure gate where the whole passport stamping thing was repeated by customs. Delta has had a schedule change that messes with me big time at JFK. Unfortunately, your husband wont be able to tag along with you in the TSA precheck line. Absolutely getting from one terminal to the other via the AirTrain is fast because it bypasses all the congestion on the roads connecting all the terminals. Also, unless you have TSA Precheck (or youre flying first class), there isnt a faster way to get back into T4 to catch your flight to San Diego. Yes, there is an airside bus that runs between Terminal 5 (JetBlue) and Terminal 8 (American). Walking isnt always possible unless youre feeling especially courageous and willing to walk through dark parking lots and sketchy garages. Hey Scott! Do you think its enough time for such a change or I rather look for a different flight ? thanks for sharing, where do you find the Travel Tools on the Expert flyers website? If the flight from Spokane arrives 30 minutes late, they won't have time to check in. I'm with @The nice paul - I don't rely on MCTs. Is three hours enough. Above is quite helpful because Avianca lifemiles sometimes through the 'screenshot method' allows pretty interesting connections on one award ticket (e.g. We have 50 minutes. The one thing that stuck out to me is sending your parents FRA-MAD-EDI. Before the days of PreCheck and Global Entry, I allowed at least 3 hours for reentry into the USA. :-). If you have somehow managed to book a connecting flight that does not meet MCT on a single ticket which typically doesnt happen unless theres a significant schedule change I would contact the airline or program you booked the ticket through. Thank you for your help. Eventually the aircraft arrived 40 mins. Then running. There will be separate lines most of the time its clearly labeled, so itll make perfect sense once youre there. CAI, I don't trust transit/connections and almost always o/n at LeM. Domestic to domestic connections (no terminal change), Domestic to domestic connections (with a terminal change), Domestic to international connections (no terminal change), Domestic to international connections (with a terminal change), International to domestic connections (no terminal change), International to domestic connections (with terminal change), Tips for making really short connections at JFK. I'd much rather have MORE time than not enough! Minimum Connecting Times (MCTs) are precisely that - the minimum possible connecting time for both a passenger and their luggage to connect between an arriving flight and their departing flight. Also if I did miss the connecting flight would AA get me on the next available one as they are who the tickets are booked under via the travel agent? Being Brazil it all worked out, somehow, in the end, by the simple expedient of the international flight being 2 hours late departing. 2 and a half hours will be more than enough time! From there, you will need to go to the Delta check in area to re-check your luggage. Adequate layover time to get thru customs - Rick Steves The only thing youll need to do is switch terminals (if necessary) and then check into for flight to Korea if you dont already have your boarding pass.