changing planes

[momofrrr]

is 48 minutes enough time to change planes in Chicago or in DC? We are going from Houston to NYC this summer and I can still get frequent flyer flights but they all change in one place or the other.

 

[kathyell]

We had a 40 minute layover on our last trip (we booked it before I really thought about how little time that is in "airport time") and I was VERY nervous about it. It was in Nashville, a MUCH smaller airport than the airports in the cities you're talking about.

When our plane landed on our first leg, we just sat there after taxiing toward the terminal. We asked our flight attendant and she told us that the plane that was supposed to have vacated our assigned gate was still there because they were waiting for a couple of passengers connecting from a delayed flight. Eventually they assigned us a different gate and we ended up in the gate right next to our connecting flight. Even with that, we barely made our connection and we had to negotiate so that I could sit next to my daughter. (The other person in that row was very kind and he moved also, which allowed my husband to sit with us, even though we never asked him to consider doing this.)

We lucked out and it worked out okay in the end, but the anxiety that I experienced sitting on the tarmac at the end of our first leg was simply not worth it. I told myself that I would never commit to a layover of less than 60 minutes ever again, and more likely, that number is probably 90 minutes. I doubly don't recommend short layovers if you don't have your seats assigned ahead of time. (We were on Southwest and knowing how the open boarding goes there, I knew the longer we were delayed, the less chance there was that we would be able to sit together.)

I should note that we were flying recently and there were a lot of snow-related delays and cancellations that factored into our situation. However, there can be flight delays at any time of year and in any weather, so it could still cause problems for people trying to make a short layover.

The anxiety and tension just wasn't worth it for me. If I had guaranteed seat assignments, you MIGHT be able to talk me into a 45 minute layover. Maybe. (But I doubt it.) If I wasn't traveling with a child and wouldn't be too stressed out about whether I would be able to sit next to my flight companion(s), that might factor into my decision to accept a shorter layover, too.

Good luck, I hope you find a good flight combo and everything works out for you.

 

[brockash]

You'd definetely be hoofing it, but I think it's doable. I get more anxious when we only have a half hr. layover, but we've still made it with 2 kiddos (one an toddler with a stroller.) We've done this in Dallas, Atlanta and Denver (just to give an idea on the size.) If we had a 48 min. layover I wouldn't change flights or anything, but I also wouldn't let anyone in my party stop to go to the bathroom or get a drink until you're at the gate and know how much more time you have.
In all honesty, a lot of it is gonna depend on things you can't control (if you leave on time from your first flight, how long you have to "taxi" once you land and how far apart your gates are ect.) Somehow we've always managed to make all of our tight connection times, but missed one at JFK, even though we originally had over an hour layover (we left a little late, and got to our connecting gate right as they closed the doors, and they had already given our seats away- that was our flight from you know where...)

 

[disfan07]

You should be okay at Dulles. its fairly simple to change planes there because most of the airlines only occupy one terminal

Which airline are you planning on flying?
Depending on the airline, I can probably tell you if its a bad idea but its generally an easy airport to change planes at

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd stay away from Ohare - it's huge, with trams from one terminal to the next, and lots of walking!

 

[momofrrr]

You should be okay at Dulles. its fairly simple to change planes there because most of the airlines only occupy one terminal

Which airline are you planning on flying?
Depending on the airline, I can probably tell you if its a bad idea but its generally an easy airport to change planes at

I have a choice of either Continental at National or United at Dulles. My dd is 14 so I don't have to worry about getting a toddler/small child from one place to the other. We have traveled with them frequently so our kids know how to handle airports and boarding. Maybe I am looking for trouble.

 

[disfan07]

oh...in that case with a 14 year old, you should be fine at either dulles or national.

At dulles going form terminal C to terminal D would be the farthest you would have to go and that would take maybe 10 minutes at most.
At national, all continental flights are in one terminal and its small terminals so maybe 3-5 minutes at the most from gate to gate.

I think going through DC you should be perfectly fine.