2 hours enough at IAD?

[2Tiggies]

Is a 2 hour 19 minute layover enough time to clear immigration and check in for a connection at Dulles?

 

[wayneg]

If you are on time and everything goes to plan then plenty of time.

I accept anything around 2 hours at any US hub, Atlanta is the only one we struggled, I think we had 1hr 55 mins and it was crazy busy plus luggage took ages to come thru. No problem any other time.

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks Wayne. We are leaning towards this one. The only gamble on here is that our connection is the last (it's late night) flight out to Orlando for the day so if we miss it, we need to grab a bench

Do you know if it's still one big terminal?

 

[chmurf]

I agree with Wayne

IF your flight is on time, then you have enough time, but my motto is "move fast and don't relax until you're at your boarding gate".

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks. Sounds like we have a winner. Finally!

It's the week of Christmas so we are expecting it to be crazy, but that is going to be true for anywhere we connect, I suppose.

 

[willeve]

We are flying LHR-Newark-MCO, our layover has dropped from 2 1/2 hours to 1 1/2! Little bit concerned, but I assume if we don't make it they will just put us on the next one?

 

[wayneg]

Do you know if it's still one big terminal?

Sorry can't remember, many years since we flew via IAD. It was with BMI IIRC.

We are flying LHR-Newark-MCO, our layover has dropped from 2 1/2 hours to 1 1/2! Little bit concerned, but I assume if we don't make it they will just put us on the next one?

They will put you on the next plane with available seats. Usually the next one but not always. Friends of ours missed their connection via Atlanta, they were flying Business class, told them they were on standby for next available flight but all flights were booked up that day. They got them on the next flight but had to fly economy, not too bad from ATL to MCO.

 

[2Tiggies]

We are flying LHR-Newark-MCO, our layover has dropped from 2 1/2 hours to 1 1/2! Little bit concerned, but I assume if we don't make it they will just put us on the next one?

We've cleared at Newark in an hour and 15 minutes with time to clear security again and go for lunch before boarding our next flight.

Our connection is a different story as it's the last flight out for the day and only arrives at MCO at 12.30 am.

 

[chmurf]

We are flying LHR-Newark-MCO, our layover has dropped from 2 1/2 hours to 1 1/2! Little bit concerned, but I assume if we don't make it they will just put us on the next one?

not "next one" but the next available flight.

90 minutes is the minimum connection time at EWR so it is as tight as can be (airlines can't sell a flight with a shorter connection through EWR)

since the change has been initiated by the airline, you could try to have your EWR-MCO moved to a later time, at no charge (airline changed your flight)
if you booked through the airline, then it will be easy, if it's through a TA it's hit or miss and they might even try to charge you for this.

I've connected through EWR once, everything went smoothly, but even then it took us more than 90 minutes


it's doable but on the tight end.

 

[2Tiggies]

I've connected through EWR once, everything went smoothly, but even then it took us more than 90 minutes

Much of this depends on whether you have a terminal change. We did not and although the flights we bought had 90 minutes to connect, they changed it after we booked leaving less. We had no terminal change and were fine. If we had to switch to another terminal it may not have been as easy, but our connection time was very comfortable.

 

[chmurf]

Do you know if it's still one big terminal?

it's one big terminal but with 5 concourses (Z for international at the main terminal) and A, B, C and D, midfield

have a look here
http://www.metwashairports.com/dulles/815.htm

and here http://www.metwashairports.com/file/iad_terminal_map.pdf

you can also look your flights up on flightaware to get an idea of your arrival/departure gates (or post your flight numbers)

 

[2Tiggies]

it's one big terminal but with 5 concourses (Z for international at the main terminal) and A, B, C and D, midfield

have a look here
http://www.metwashairports.com/dulles/815.htm

and here http://www.metwashairports.com/file/iad_terminal_map.pdf

you can also look your flights up on flightaware to get an idea of your arrival/departure gates (or post your flight numbers)

Brilliant. Thanks. I have Flight Aware app so that works out handy. I forgot I had it!

 

[disneyholic family]

If you are on time and everything goes to plan then plenty of time.

I accept anything around 2 hours at any US hub, Atlanta is the only one we struggled, I think we had 1hr 55 mins and it was crazy busy plus luggage took ages to come thru. No problem any other time.

this is true of all the airports i've flown into except one - JFK...
if you're flying into kennedy, it very much depends on which airline you're on coming in and connecting to.....
2 hours can be enough, or no way in hell...
pretty much in all cases, you'll have to be ready for the JFK mini-marathon as everything is far away and many of the terminals are so dated, they don't even have moving sidewalks....
in other words, research is called for if you're entering the US at JFK..
on the bright side, if you miss your connecting flight and it's the last one from JFK to MCO, there's always the possibility that there's something at la guardia...that happened to us one year....
it was just DD and me on that trip...
they put us and another mom and her son on a huge bus all by ourselves and shipped us over to la guardia to catch the very last flight there to MCO...woo hoo!!! we made it...albeit by the skin of our teeth....as we approached the airport, the bus driver said, "i can't believe it...you guys are going to make it...i was sure you'd miss this plane too!!"

of course, our luggage didn't make it...but it got to our hotel the next day in the afternoon!!...not bad at all..

in any case, if you're flying into JFK, 3 hours is a must...
if you're flying into most others, you'll probably be ok with 2....

 

[tracipierce]

I'm so glad I read this thread! I am doing a DIY for the first time this year and have been checking daily for August 21st flights to drop in price.
I have naively been looking for the shortest connection times, had no idea that I could have been shooting myself in the foot!

So in everyone's opinion, for a first timer, what is the best layover time to shoot for?

TIA!

 

[chmurf]

for a first timer connecting in the us I would advise not to go below 2.5hrs and set a comfort zone at around 3hrs especially with kids
it's doable in less, but if it's a first time indirect, it's probably be best to avoid the stress of worrying if you'll make your connection or not

 

[Kath2003]

Outbound - minimum 2 hours, but probably nearer 3 if you have kids in tow and baggage to be faffing with.

Return - 90 minutes is comfortable, 60 is doable

 

[2Tiggies]

It also depends if you have terminal changes, if your flight is on time, how big and busy the airport is and how well they manage their immigration lines. Also, if a string of international flights arrive just before you do, queues can be really long. We never waited at MCO until this summer. But, when we landed, we were early and 4 other international flights had landed within 15 minutes before us. They held us and the passengers on the flight that came in just before us, on the planes for nearly an hour and it took a further hour and some to get through.

 

[tracipierce]

thanks for the advice guys. Won't be needing to worry now I've found some bargain Virgin direct flights, but I will definitely bear this in mind next time we go, especially with my baby granddaughter in tow!

 

[2Tiggies]

thanks for the advice guys. Won't be needing to worry now I've found some bargain Virgin direct flights, but I will definitely bear this in mind next time we go, especially with my baby granddaughter in tow!

Well done!

After posting this thread, we eventually booked connections through Houston because we found much cheaper flights for that route, and have now been re-routed via Newark. On the plus side, I now know about everything there is to know about Dulles and Houston airports. Every day is a school day!