Timing connections at ATL?

karly05

DIS Veteran - "I found the Snipe!"

Joined

Mar 7, 2009

• Jul 5, 2015

• #1

OK, who here is really familiar with ATL (Atlanta airport)?

I connected through ATL on AirTran in 2013 with no problems, so I've been there once, but not super-familiar with it. I'm used to connections through DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth), but am sick and tired of the mess that is American Eagle/DFW Terminal B, aka delay-delay-cancel, musical gates, etc.

I am a long way from booking, but am looking at Delta flights connecting through ATL. My preferred flights have connection times around 1 hr 45 min. (That's the time between arrival/departure, not arrival/boarding.) I need time to hit the ladies' room and I'd like to be able to eat something (although I guess I can survive the day scarfing protein bars if I have to). How much time at ATL do you really think I need?

 

firecracker725

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 12, 2010

• Jul 5, 2015

• #2

karly05 said:

OK, who here is really familiar with ATL (Atlanta airport)?

I connected through ATL on AirTran in 2013 with no problems, so I've been there once, but not super-familiar with it. I'm used to connections through DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth), but am sick and tired of the mess that is American Eagle/DFW Terminal B, aka delay-delay-cancel, musical gates, etc.

I am a long way from booking, but am looking at Delta flights connecting through ATL. My preferred flights have connection times around 1 hr 45 min. (That's the time between arrival/departure, not arrival/boarding.) I need time to hit the ladies' room and I'd like to be able to eat something (although I guess I can survive the day scarfing protein bars if I have to). How much time at ATL do you really think I need?

Click to expand...

That's plenty of time. Just make sure you wait until you get to your departure concourse before stopping to eat.

 

sam_gordon

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jun 26, 2010

• Jul 5, 2015

• #3

karly05 said:

How much time at ATL do you really think I need?

Click to expand...

Assuming an single, able bodied adult who understands airports, you probably only NEED about 30-45 minutes. To be comfortable, an hour. If you have young, old, or otherwise slow travelling companions or are unfamiliar with how an airport works (finding gates), 75-90 minutes.

If your original flight has wifi, you should be able to go to Delta.com while in flight and check the status of both flights (the one you're on and the one you're connecting to). That should tell you what gates you'll be using (subject to change of course).

 

Ladygoldenhair

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 3, 2013

• Jul 5, 2015

• #4

Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. We ran into a holding issue before landing due to congestion once. I had an hour and 15 minutes, but ended up missing the flight by minutes.
I ended up on a much later flight as I sat and watched plane after plane every 30 seconds taking off.
The place is huge...

 

loves to dive

DIS Veteran

Joined

Aug 21, 2011

• Jul 5, 2015

• #5

Hartsfield/Jackson, otherwise known as Delta airport, is big. Delta has more than one terminal but it's pretty easy to get from one to another. They almost always announce on the plane where the connecting flights are going to be so you shouldn't have any problems. I live in Georgia so fly in and out of Atlanta all the time but obviously have never connected there. As another poster said, wait til you get to your terminal before eating and you should be fine.

 

karly05

DIS Veteran - "I found the Snipe!"

Joined

Mar 7, 2009

• Jul 6, 2015

• #6

Thanks for all the feedback. Looking at flights for now (we'll see how much changes before April), I could come in a little later and leave a little earlier (not bad at all) and give myself a little extra cushion on the connections.

My main memories of ATL from 2013 are that it was very busy, and it was a long walk from the end of D concourse to the centerpoint to catch the plane train to the next concourse.

 

DebbieB

DIS Veteran

Joined

Aug 24, 1999

• Jul 6, 2015

• #7

I've been through Atlanta many times, that is plenty of time. I like an hour but have cut it as short as 40 minutes. I've never missed a connection, although one time it was close because of a delay at the original airport. My checked luggage didn't make it, it was on a flight arriving an hour later. I've found most flights arrive earlier than the schedule, assuming it left on time.

 

karly05

DIS Veteran - "I found the Snipe!"

Joined

Mar 7, 2009

• Jul 7, 2015

• #8

Thanks, DebbieB. I'm using DME and their luggage service, so if my bag comes later, no worries.

 

canadiankim

DIS Veteran

Joined

Aug 27, 2010

• Jul 7, 2015

• #9

Funny I hadn't even thought about my return flight via ATL! We are flying Delta MCO - ATL - BUF and I think we have about an hour maybe a bit longer between flights, no checked luggage and 4 fairly able bodies so assume we should be good! Ah well airport delays are what they are and at least if we miss our connection its only going home!