2hrs30 mins to change flights at Atlanta?

[Tony Toon]

Hi. Just wondered what other experienced travellers on this route thought.

The flights that we booked - Glasgow/Amsterdam/Detroit/Orlando - had already been changed once increasing overall travel time by 2 hours. Yesterday I had an email from the agent changing them once again due to the cancelled Detroit/Orlando leg. They now want us to fly via Atlanta rather than Detroit but with a 6 hour stop at that airport, leaving at 8.30pm. I checked the Delta website and discovered that there are 2 earlier Orlando flights which looked possible, one at 4.55pm and the next at 7.30pm. I phoned the agent informing him of this and he said he would look into it. He got back to me with the option of the 7.30 flight (which at least is better) but saying that the 4.55 flight wouldn't give us enough time to catch it. We are due to arrive in Atlanta at 2.26pm giving us 2hrs 29 mins. I thought that would be sufficient but wonder if immigration would cause the problem. Anyone else have any thoughts.

 

[scoobydooby]

Wow. I think that's why I fly direct!

Reports on immigration suggest 2.5 hours quite possibly not long enough. Good luck sorting it though.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Plenty of time...we went through Atlanta and immigration was smooth. Think we may have changed terminals, but they have monorail type trains for that. I seem to remember we had just enough time to grab a bite to eat and then onto the next plane. Plus you don't want to be waiting round the airport for hours.

 

[MrRomance]

Hi. Just wondered what other experienced travellers on this route thought.

The flights that we booked - Glasgow/Amsterdam/Detroit/Orlando - had already been changed once increasing overall travel time by 2 hours. Yesterday I had an email from the agent changing them once again due to the cancelled Detroit/Orlando leg. They now want us to fly via Atlanta rather than Detroit but with a 6 hour stop at that airport, leaving at 8.30pm. I checked the Delta website and discovered that there are 2 earlier Orlando flights which looked possible, one at 4.55pm and the next at 7.30pm. I phoned the agent informing him of this and he said he would look into it. He got back to me with the option of the 7.30 flight (which at least is better) but saying that the 4.55 flight wouldn't give us enough time to catch it. We are due to arrive in Atlanta at 2.26pm giving us 2hrs 29 mins. I thought that would be sufficient but wonder if immigration would cause the problem. Anyone else have any thoughts.

First of all, I have to say that the Glasgow/Amsterdam/Detroit/Orlando gig sounds like pure hell to me. We travel to Detroit regularly because my DW is from there, but 3 changes?? So, let me get this right, they now want you to go Glasgow/Amsterdam/Atlanta/Orlando? What time are you leaving for the first leg, dawn?

Recently, immigration delays have been common and I've read reports of up to 2.5 hours. NOt only that, the times you're using at the landing times and it takes a while to taxi in, disembark, get to the immigration halls etc. My experience in Atlanta was pretty good but that was a while ago now. I would say that 2.5 hours is cutting it fine. Probably would be OK on a good day, but on a bad one, you'd miss your connection to Orlando and if the later flight is fully booked, you'll be kipping in Atlanta departures for the night!

Obviously, the later flight is going to be unpleasant because that is a LONG layover when you've already travelled so far with 2 previous connections. But if I were making the decision, I'd go for the later connection just in case you're delayed or something goes boink with immigration queues.

Tip for the future: Fly direct or have 1 connection if you have to. These multi-leg flights are a nightmare when there are schedule changes.

 

[stephensmum]

I think it will be fine, we changed at Atlanta in 09, our first time indirect and were sat waiting for our next flight within 1 hour 30 mins, this included us messing up by not getting off the tram at the right stop & a gate change. If you miss it they will just put you on the next flight. If you go for the later one, it's unlikely that they will put you on the earlier one, we asked but they were going to charge quite a bit.

 

[Tony Toon]

mmmm .... we've flown via Atlanta before a couple of times and I don't remember having any great difficulty or delay getting the onward flight. I suspect the agent is, correctly, suggesting that it might be risky so it is probably safer for us to go for the later option. I suppose a 5 hour stop is better than 6. But what started out as an attractive set of flight times (leaving Glasgow at 8am and arriving Orlando about 5) has all gone wrong, now leaving at 6 arriving at 9

 

[wayneg]

We fly thru ATL often, longest we have ever taken is 2 hrs when we had a long wait for luggage, 90 mins usually enough so 2.5 hrs is plenty and thats if you arrive at the old terminal, I believe the new international terminal that opened last year is far quicker but for some reason we have never used it. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/internationalterminal/

We once had 2 stops coming home with the ash cloud, sounds bad and it is a long day but if the price is right I would do it no problem, this summer we only have one stop (Ireland) saving was almost £3,000 compared to direct.

 

[bex7583]

i booked just the one connection in atlanta with budget airlines and we have 2hr.25min between ours so other airlines must see it as a viable connection time

its our first family orlando visit and our first time flying indirect so hope it goes smoothly

 

[mackay_j]

Tip for the future: Fly direct or have 1 connection if you have to. These multi-leg flights are a nightmare when there are schedule changes.

Traveling from Scotland - That is not always possible. We need to drive 5hrs to Manchester (ok on way hell on the return). Or do muti-leg flights.

Also sometimes doing changes makes traveling affordable - eg we wanted to go to Cayman over Xmas - 1 Stop from Glasgow via London (with touch down Bahamas - BA flight) was £1530.
However Glasgow to Paris -Paris back to London - London to Cayman (on same flight as above - all BA flights) was only £730 which for a family of 4 - made the holiday possible. -In fact we were very very luck due to fog in UK and Paris BA allowed us to drive to London and get on plane there

Sometimes it pays to put up with the changes and other times from Scotland there is no alternative.

 

[Tony Toon]

Yes - it does come down to cost, practicality and anything to save that long drive from other airports, particularly the return trip when we're all so tired after the overnight flight. Mackay describes it as hell. He is not wrong and the multileg trip is far preferable believe me, as we live a short 20 minute drive from Glasgow airport. Although there are some direct flights (Virgin) they are snapped up at a price we are not prepared to pay, being more inclined to spend the saving on dining or extra treats once in Florida. Of course thats why we spend quite some time finding flights with good times. A pity that one cancelled leg has upset the entire plan. It won't prevent us looking at cost effective multileg trips in the future.
After all that it looks as though we will accept the 7.30 flight, saving at least 1 hour on the first amendment suggestion although I do believe we might find we could have made the earlier one.

Thanks for the views from everyone.

 

[chmurf]

here is a very recent article (2 days ago) titled : 10 US Airports you're likely to breeze through

Atlanta has a very honorable mention

http://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...ports-youre-likely-to-breeze-through/2416633/