Connecting Delta flight 44 mins at Atlanta. Anyone done that?

We flew via Atlanta to/from Jacksonville in August. Our original Delta flight back from JAX to ATL gave us 65 minutes connection - tight, but apparently doable. However, when Delta changed the flight time to operate 20 minutes later, I suspected.

Virgin Atlantic confirmed that their recommended minimum "safeguarding" time for a connection would be 60 mins, so after a debate with Expedia who we had booked the flights with, we were rebooked onto the earlier 15:30 flight giving us 2h10 mins connection time. As we had lounge access at ATL, the extended layover wasn't a problem.

When we travelled, our flight arrived spot on time into Atlanta (at 5pm), and as noted above, we had to travel virtually the length of the airport from concourse B to F (the International Terminal). This took about 15 minutes, and as a bonus, there was no security clearance when we arrived.

As it happened, I kept an eye on our original flight which was due to arrive at 18:30, and had arrived at 18:10 so we would have been ok on this occasion. However, it would only take a 10-15 minute delay on departure to cause problems, so I would always err on the side of caution and take a longer connection time.

I err on the side of caution in Atlanta and do two hours thirty minutes to three hours. Our next Virgin flight lands at 3pm and we fly Delta down to MCO at 5.55pm.

Thanks all. I've booked the Virgin / Delta flights on the way out with 2 hours between connecting flights. I've also made sure that there are two later Delta flights out of Atlanta to MCO on the same day so hopefully if there is a delay, we'll still make one of the later flights.
I've also decided that the stress is not worth teh saving for the return flight so we're flying home direct.
Advice is much appreciated, thanks again

Two distinct bookings for overseas and Atlanta/Orlando respectively are not recommended unless you can get travel insurance that will cover missing the plane in Atlanta. In turn the travel insurance terms may require a longer layover.

Bit late to this but we were forced into 40 minute transfer, flight times changed after booking and they wouldn't change our flights as was within there allowed transfer window (which I think is about 30 minutes). We were fine just made sure I knew which terminal we had to get to and was on the connecting train with a purpose. Made the flight with time to spare someone on our flight also had the same connection and they stopped in duty free and still made it!!

seashoreCM said:

Two distinct bookings for overseas and Atlanta/Orlando respectively are not recommended unless you can get travel insurance that will cover missing the plane in Atlanta. In turn the travel insurance terms may require a longer layover.

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Buying an annual policy would ensure this in most cases

Pray that you flight lands on time other wise it could be a tight connection. I would never do it at that airport. Heck NO