Atlanta Airport...short layover

[PlainJane]

Oh ATL, my worst experience there was when they changed our gate after we landed and were already walking over. The people checking boarding passes didn't even catch on that they didn't match the flight. As we were waiting to board a flight attendant asked us what our plans were in Columbus, OH. If she hadn't asked that question we most likely would have missed our actual connection. Who knows, if no one else had those seats on the plane, we might have made it all the way to Ohio.

I would allow an hour if possible. If it doesn't mean a much higher flight fare or a ridiculously long layover, I would pick the layover with more time. Especially if there are children involved.

 

[fly girl]

OP, if you're flying Delta I would highly suggest having at least 1 hour 20 minutes in ATL. I worked for Delta, trust me on this.

You may get lucky and only have to move 3 gates away. Or, you may have to go from Concourse E (yes, they have domestic out of that concourse) to Concourse A and that won't give you enough time. Especially if you're at far ends of any terminal. They're long! And no, they won't hold the plane for you. On time departures is HUGE to Delta, their goal is to shut the boarding door 10 minutes prior to departure.

It's not worth it. Sure, they have hourly flights to MCO, but they are usually full -- and you'll have to sit on standby which means you may have to wait several hours until they have open seats for all of you.

With all that said, if you're flying an airline other than Delta into ATL, 41 minutes isn't ideal but it should be fine.

 

[Kaytie]

As I stated earlier, I live here and fly in and out a lot

Ah, but how often do you connect in Atlanta?

Let the flight attendant know you have a transfer and they'll assist you in getting off the plane.

Ideally. But there will be other passengers connecting to the same and other flights, and pretty much nobody needs the request to let these passengers off first.

 

[pryncess527]

I'm from ATL, I'd do it without a second thought. But I'm also very comfortable in that airport.

 

[4Hawks]

Another Atlanta resident here. The answer is it depends on the airline. Delta has lots of gates at this airport and they can be pretty far apart. The terminals are not far from each other, but each terminal is quite long, so it can take a while to get to the last gate.

With other airlines, it's hit or miss, because your plane might sit on the tarmac for a while waiting for a gate (it's happened to me). AA is probably the exception, because all their gates are close together and they only share gates with Delta.

I would not risk such a short layover, most definitely not with kids.

 

[bcla]

Another Atlanta resident here. The answer is it depends on the airline. Delta has lots of gates at this airport and they can be pretty far apart. The terminals are not far from each other, but each terminal is quite long, so it can take a while to get to the last gate.

With other airlines, it's hit or miss, because your plane might sit on the tarmac for a while waiting for a gate (it's happened to me). AA is probably the exception, because all their gates are close together and they only share gates with Delta.

I would not risk such a short layover, most definitely not with kids.

I found this as a visual for the OP:

https://www.delta.com/content/www/e...s/airports-and-aircraft/airports/atlanta.html

Each terminal is over a half mile long north to south. If one is transferring from one Delta flight to another, this airport is for masochists. It's just insane.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

We are looking at buying tickets to Orlando, Florida for our next Disney trip. We would have a 41 minute layover in Atlanta. Is that long enough to get from one flight to the next in an airport that large ?

For those reading, as a general rule, 41 minutes at ATL is marginal. If you're on an airline where your departure gate will be in the same section of the same terminal as your arrival gate, and you're on time, you'll make it. But if you're late and you land at one the ends of the terminal, and you're going to depart at the end of another, you're probably not going to make it. You have very little safety cushion.

 

[fly girl]

It has been my experience with Delta and in Atlanta that they will not hold the gate for a passenger. Even when they are late and even though they know your late flight has landed.

That is correct. The only time they may actually hold the flight is if it is the last one out for the evening. Morning and middle of the day, nope. That in turn messes up all the other flights that plane does that day. Delta schedules their planes with minimum ground time during the day. They do not want planes sitting around -- they want them in the air making revenue.

Do you live in Atlanta and use Hartsfield a lot? No, the odds are NOT that they will miss a flight and it is not bad advice. As I stated earlier, I live here and fly in and out a lot. Since OP will not have to go through security a second time, moving around isn't that hard. It's not wall to wall people like MK on 4th of July, so it's easy to hustle through the airport. If they only have to change gates within the same terminal, it'll be a breeze with 41 minutes. If they have to change terminals, it's still quite doable. Let the flight attendant know you have a transfer and they'll assist you in getting off the plane. They can also alert the gate agent at the connecting flight that you are on your way.

Is 41 minutes optimal? No. But it's very realistic and not hard to do.

You live it ATL, but have you ever had to make a connection through there?

Breaking it down. Say it was a good day and you land on time. Deplaning door opens, you have 41 minutes. But, minus the 10 minutes due to agent closing door for connecting flight. That gives you 31 minutes. Same concourse, yes you and your family could do it. Switching concourses? Solo, it would be a race because you have to give yourself 15 minutes to get off the plane (unless you were in the front) and then 16 minutes to get to your connection. If you're going from Concourse D to Concourse A, 16 minutes is really tight. You'd have to hit the "plane train" and not wait. And you may have to carry your bag up the "escalator to heaven," then run to the end of the concourse for your connection. OP is going on a family trip. You add another person into that equation, forget it.

Oh, and it can be wall to wall during peak season. Not to mention the electric carts to shuttle those who can't walk long distances. Those drivers are ruthless at times.

41 minutes is tough if you're on Delta. If you get lucky and connect in same concourse you could likely make it, barring no delays. But you won't have a crystal ball to know if you'll be in the same concourse -- the same flight could be in concourse B one day, and A the next. If you are in the back of the plane and switching concourses, no way. Add in the fact you're not a seasoned ATL traveler, don't do it! (I have witnessed the bewildered and stressed more times than I care to discuss. I find it one of the absolute easiest airports, but if it can be intimidating for a first timer.)

As for the Flight Attendant. Yes, I have made announcements on arrival to help those with close connections make their flight. Do you think it actually works? It doesn't. Just like people want to be first on, they want to be first off. Sadly, many of your fellow passengers don't give a rip. I wish it weren't the case, but I have seen it enough to know the reality. And we don't alert any gates that you are coming. The agent can look on the screen to see where you are, but their main priority is to get the door shut at 10 minutes prior.

 

[QueenIsabella]

That is correct. The only time they may actually hold the flight is if it is the last one out for the evening. Morning and middle of the day, nope. That in turn messes up all the other flights that plane does that day. Delta schedules their planes with minimum ground time during the day. They do not want planes sitting around -- they want them in the air making revenue.




You live it ATL, but have you ever had to make a connection through there?

Breaking it down. Say it was a good day and you land on time. Deplaning door opens, you have 41 minutes. But, minus the 10 minutes due to agent closing door for connecting flight. That gives you 31 minutes. Same concourse, yes you and your family could do it. Switching concourses? Solo, it would be a race because you have to give yourself 15 minutes to get off the plane (unless you were in the front) and then 16 minutes to get to your connection. If you're going from Concourse D to Concourse A, 16 minutes is really tight. You'd have to hit the "plane train" and not wait. And you may have to carry your bag up the "escalator to heaven," then run to the end of the concourse for your connection. OP is going on a family trip. You add another person into that equation, forget it.

Oh, and it can be wall to wall during peak season. Not to mention the electric carts to shuttle those who can't walk long distances. Those drivers are ruthless at times.

41 minutes is tough if you're on Delta. If you get lucky and connect in same concourse you could likely make it, barring no delays. But you won't have a crystal ball to know if you'll be in the same concourse -- the same flight could be in concourse B one day, and A the next. If you are in the back of the plane and switching concourses, no way. Add in the fact you're not a seasoned ATL traveler, don't do it! (I have witnessed the bewildered and stressed more times than I care to discuss. I find it one of the absolute easiest airports, but if it can be intimidating for a first timer.)

As for the Flight Attendant. Yes, I have made announcements on arrival to help those with close connections make their flight. Do you think it actually works? It doesn't. Just like people want to be first on, they want to be first off. Sadly, many of your fellow passengers don't give a rip. I wish it weren't the case, but I have seen it enough to know the reality. And we don't alert any gates that you are coming. The agent can look on the screen to see where you are, but their main priority is to get the door shut at 10 minutes prior.

Thank you. I didn't want to say too much, since I don't connect through ATL. I go through CLT. Even on our best day, it takes a good 15 minutes to get off the plane. On my trip the other day, my boarding pass didn't give me a gate number, so we had to check that on our way by. Luckily, I arrived at CLT on Concourse D, and knew I was going to Concourse E--my poor DD22 had to go from D to B. CLT has moving walkways, but it was still quite a schlep. We got to our departure gate with a few minutes to spare, but that was mostly because our departure was delayed. We had 2 hours between flights, but we had to go through customs, so it's not really the same as what the OP is contemplating (customs eats up a lot of time). But, our flight also departed late because there was a mechanical problem with a bathroom. On our flight out (no customs involved at CLT), we had less than 2 hours between flights, and made it with ~30 minutes to spare.

I guess my point is, you can have everything break your way, get to your departure terminal, and have enough extra time to think, "Why did I even worry?" Or, you can have your first leg get its departure delayed, have the arrival gate unavailable (they gave your slot to someone else because you were late), take 15 minutes to deplane, have to pick up gate-checked luggage, and then sprint across the terminal to your departure at Gate 666.

 

[mom2rtk]

You live it ATL, but have you ever had to make a connection through there?

I must be missing it, but how would one make a connection through their home airport?

I think my home airport (MCI) is great to leave from and arrive at, but probably not as great to make connections through.

 

[sam_gordon]

I mentioned it earlier, but I have made a 10 minute (actually less than that) connection from concourse A to concourse B in ATL. BUT...
1) I was by myself.
2) I could move quickly
3) The plane train doors were open when I got there
4) Both gates were pretty close to the center.

ETA: The connection was so tight, they started push back from the gate while I was still walking to my seat.

I would have no problems booking a 41 minute connection if I was by myself. I've even done it with the family because of cost or I didn't want to wait 3 hours for the next connection. 41 minutes IS doable under the right circumstances.

Those who say "no way", would you pay extra to get a longer connection? If so, how much? $100pp? $200?

I agree with those who say it's not ideal, but it is doable.

 

[sam_gordon]

I must be missing it, but how would one make a connection through their home airport?

I think that's the point. Since the PP uses ATL as their home airport, they wouldn't know what it's like to connect through there.

 

[fly girl]

I must be missing it, but how would one make a connection through their home airport?

I think my home airport (MCI) is great to leave from and arrive at, but probably not as great to make connections through.

If you lived there your whole life, you wouldn't! Rhetorical question.

However, say the person used to live in Dallas and then moved. They could have had a connecting flight through ATL before they moved. In which I would highly doubt they would recommend 41 minutes if flying Delta. I kid, I kid.

(To be honest, I used it as a rhetorical question.)

 

[dish rag]

I mentioned it earlier, but I have made a 10 minute (actually less than that) connection from concourse A to concourse B in ATL. BUT...
1) I was by myself.
2) I could move quickly
3) The plane train doors were open when I got there
4) Both gates were pretty close to the center.

ETA: The connection was so tight, they started push back from the gate while I was still walking to my seat.

I would have no problems booking a 41 minute connection if I was by myself. I've even done it with the family because of cost or I didn't want to wait 3 hours for the next connection. 41 minutes IS doable under the right circumstances.

Those who say "no way", would you pay extra to get a longer connection? If so, how much? $100pp? $200?

I agree with those who say it's not ideal, but it is doable.

It's doable if your flight is on time and conditions are just right. 3 close friends are flight hosttesses.2 with Delta 1 with Air Canada. All have 30+ years service all now do the exotic location flights. I've heard them comment many times about people missing connections for cruises and so forth due late flights and they miss the cruise. Even for cruises overseas. The people just don't leave enough time. They say for over seas connections for cruises that the people should lay over for the next day. Not several hours even.

 

[fly girl]

I mentioned it earlier, but I have made a 10 minute (actually less than that) connection from concourse A to concourse B in ATL. BUT...
1) I was by myself.
2) I could move quickly
3) The plane train doors were open when I got there
4) Both gates were pretty close to the center.

ETA: The connection was so tight, they started push back from the gate while I was still walking to my seat.

I would have no problems booking a 41 minute connection if I was by myself. I've even done it with the family because of cost or I didn't want to wait 3 hours for the next connection. 41 minutes IS doable under the right circumstances.

Those who say "no way", would you pay extra to get a longer connection? If so, how much? $100pp? $200?

I agree with those who say it's not ideal, but it is doable.

I have seen too many sad, angry, stressed passengers in 20 years with short connection times in ATL to know I wouldn't do that to myself. I have no problem with ATL, but too many variables out of my control for a 41 minute connection. Yes, it can be done. But I wouldn't personally take that gamble. Like you said, you got lucky with switching only one concourse away and gates in the center. I swear all my flights for personal travel are at the end. I'm never in the center of the concourse!

I can't stand that you can book a 35 minute connection through ATL. But I can't change that. It is just asking for a headache ! I told my family and passengers, 1 hour 20 minutes in ATL for as long as I can remember. All of my Delta friends say the same. We have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just comes from living it, I guess.

How much more I would pay depends on where I am going and for what reason. For example, if I was going on a cruise (and for some reason couldn't go night before) I'd definitely spend a couple hundred extra. I'm not setting myself up to miss the entire vacation.

 

[fly girl]

It's doable if your flight is on time and conditions are just right. 3 close friends are flight hosttesses.2 with Delta 1 with Air Canada. All have 30+ years service all now do the exotic location flights. I've heard them comment many times about people missing connections for cruises and so forth due late flights and they miss the cruise. Even for cruises overseas. The people just don't leave enough time. They say for over seas connections for cruises that the people should lay over for the next day. Not several hours even.

Ha! I was typing the cruise scenario as you posted this! Jinx!!

 

[ols386]

I would not want to have only 41 minutes for a connecting flight in Atlanta. I've connected through that airport many times and always end up in a different concourse for my connection.

 

[Alpineslide]

Thanks for all the replays. It is a Delta flight and the 41 minute layover certainly has me worried. I think I'll likely look for another flight even though the flight in question has the best price and would get us to WDW the earliest.

 

[sam_gordon]

It's doable if your flight is on time and conditions are just right. 3 close friends are flight hosttesses.2 with Delta 1 with Air Canada. All have 30+ years service all now do the exotic location flights. I've heard them comment many times about people missing connections for cruises and so forth due late flights and they miss the cruise. Even for cruises overseas. The people just don't leave enough time. They say for over seas connections for cruises that the people should lay over for the next day. Not several hours even.

I have seen too many sad, angry, stressed passengers in 20 years with short connection times in ATL to know I wouldn't do that to myself. I have no problem with ATL, but too many variables out of my control for a 41 minute connection. Yes, it can be done. But I wouldn't personally take that gamble. Like you said, you got lucky with switching only one concourse away and gates in the center. I swear all my flights for personal travel are at the end. I'm never in the center of the concourse!

I can't stand that you can book a 35 minute connection through ATL. But I can't change that. It is just asking for a headache ! I told my family and passengers, 1 hour 20 minutes in ATL for as long as I can remember. All of my Delta friends say the same. We have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just comes from living it, I guess.

How much more I would pay depends on where I am going and for what reason. For example, if I was going on a cruise (and for some reason couldn't go night before) I'd definitely spend a couple hundred extra. I'm not setting myself up to miss the entire vacation.

Great googily moogily. I'm not saying it's ideal, just that there are situations that make it more appealing, namely costs and other options. Yes, if enough things go wrong, you will miss your 41 minute connection. But, if enough things go right, you can make a 10 minute connection. As far as flying to cruises, IMO flying in the day a cruise leaves is stupid, REGARDLESS of how many connections (if any) you have.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Thanks for all the replays. It is a Delta flight and the 41 minute layover certainly has me worried. I think I'll likely look for another flight even though the flight in question has the best price and would get us to WDW the earliest.

Just for your own information, Delta (like many airlines) has a habit of changing flight times/equipment after you book the flight. I have booked flights with comfortable amounts of time to make a connection, only to have the airline change one of my flights so that my very comfortable window of time narrowed down to their minimum connection time. No matter how well you plan, sometimes these things just happen.

It's just...part of the adventure of travel.