51 minute layover

[Allison]

I am flying solo to MCO on Saturday, October 15.

I can connect through Chicago via United. My flight would land at 6:39 am and depart at 7:30 am, so a 51 minute layover getting me into Orlando at 11:03 am.

My next best choice is through Atlanta with a 1 hour 56 minute layover arriving into Orlando at 12:29 pm.

Of course, I prefer to arrive earlier but would you be comfortable with the 51 minute layover first thing in the morning? I have flown through O'Hare many, many times so I'm comfortable with the airport.

I'm normally someone who doesn't like anything less an a 1 hour layover but it is first thing in the morning and I'm flying solo.

 

[strat68]

Personally, I'd go with Atlanta. I too dislike any layover shorter (correction) than 1 hour. That 51 minutes does not allow for much of any type of delay getting to O'Hare.

 

[sunshinemelody]

I'd go for it. Give yourself some time to stretch your legs and read a book in peace or buy something to snack on? Or, oh! Charging your phone! 51 minutes is ample time!

 

[Allison]

Thanks.

The next flight through Chicago arrives at 12:40 pm and has a 2 hour 26 minute layover. I would be coming into Chicago on the same flight as the first option.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[strat68]

Personally, I'd go with Atlanta. I too dislike any layover shorter (correction)than 1 hour. That 51 minutes does not allow for much of any type of delay getting to O'Hare.

 

[LilyWDW]

Personally, I'd go with Atlanta. I too dislike any layover longer than 1 hour. That 51 minutes does not allow for much of any type of delay getting to O'Hare.

This... no way would I do a 51 minute layover somewhere like O'Hare. There just isn't much flexibility in that if something were to go wrong or be delayed.

 

[Allison]

Agreed. I'm going to go with Atlanta (I think...maybe).

 

[bumbershoot]

If both are in the (gorgeous) United terminal, IMO it would be doable, though rushed.

 

[richmo]

I'm not very familiar with O'Hare and my first feeling was the 51 minutes isn't enough, but upon thinking about it, October and early AM sound like a good combination for flights to run ontime. I'd never try that tight a connection later in the day, but early flights tend to do much, much better.

 

[sunshinemelody]

I'm not very familiar with O'Hare and my first feeling was the 51 minutes isn't enough, but upon thinking about it, October and early AM sound like a good combination for flights to run ontime. I'd never try that tight a connection later in the day, but early flights tend to do much, much better.

With the bold in mind, is there any way to get a terminal map of the airports? If you know where your terminals are, you might be able to figure it out. It takes about 20 minutes to de-board, quicker if you're in the front of course, and give or take a 10 minute walk to the next terminal, you've got enough time for a potty break, a snack break, and enough time to jump on your plane. You've gotta be quick, but my prior saying of 51 minutes being enough time, I'm clearly an optimist.

 

[bumbershoot]

With the bold in mind, is there any way to get a terminal map of the airports? If you know where your terminals are, you might be able to figure it out. It takes about 20 minutes to de-board, quicker if you're in the front of course, and give or take a 10 minute walk to the next terminal, you've got enough time for a potty break, a snack break, and enough time to jump on your plane. You've gotta be quick, but my prior saying of 51 minutes being enough time, I'm clearly an optimist.

Terminal maps are easy, and they can check past flights on sites like flightstats, but there's no guarantee that where x flight came into and y flight left from the last 2 months will be the same gates as the OP's flights com into and leave from.

edited by Admin to remove quoted post

 

[nacho113]

51 minutes is fine at ORD as long as you don't plan on grabbing breakfast or something while you are there. Coming down from Winnipeg, we quite often fly United through ORD and have never had an issue with connections of 40-60 minutes. United uses Terminal 1 and has 50 or so gates spread between Concourse B and C. We invariably arrive on at gate on Concourse B and have to hike over to Concourse C for our connecting flight (takes 10 minutes).

Personally I would rather arrive in "the magic" a couple of hours earlier (with the short layover).
If you're not comfortable with a time crunch, take the longer layover you will be able to leisurely find your gate, stop for a coffee or breakfast and not be stressed. No sense starting your vacation stressed out from the flight. We don't usually plan much on arrival day, just like to get out into the warm Florida sun

As far as ATL goes, I'd never attempt any layover here that was less than 90 minutes. Every time we have connected through ATL, it was crazy busy and our departure gate always seemed to be "at the other end of the world" to our arrival gate. We try to avoid ATL all together now unless its our only reasonable option.

 

[Minnesota!]

I hate short layovers, too, but at that time of morning, I would take the earlier flight. Less chance that you are delayed, and O'Hare is pretty easy to get around, from what I recall.

Although, I hate ATL with a passion as that is the only place I seem to have issues with connections...so I might be a bit biased

 

[Yellowjj]

That connection is totally fine and 6:30am is the one of the best times to arrive at O'hare. With that said, is your first flight United Express or United Mainline? If it is Express...which express carrier is operating it? This will help to determine how fluid your connection will be.

 

[Jestocost]

I definitely wouldn't do it on United. I did a 30 minute connection at O'Hare on American every week for about two months straight and never missed it once, but United left me stranded three out of the four times I tried to do a 45 minute connection.

 

[sunshinemelody]

I definitely wouldn't do it on United. I did a 30 minute connection at O'Hare on American every week for about two months straight and never missed it once, but United left me stranded three out of the four times I tried to do a 45 minute connection.

I really don't understand how they're still in business. I honestly find United to be one of the worst airlines flying the skies right now.

 

[sunshinemelody]

Agreed. I'm going to go with Atlanta (I think...maybe).

Did you ever get around to booking that flight?

 

[Allison]

Did you ever get around to booking that flight?

Nope, not yet. I'm looking to pull the trigger today.

 

[sunshinemelody]

Nope, not yet. I'm looking to pull the trigger today.

Good luck!

 

[Allison]

Thanks.