Connecting flight 1:15

[PumpkinKingGB]

Has anyone here flown through Dulles? We have a connecting flight in December for 6 of us (2 adults, 4 kids), and United have said the 1h 15m is enough time for us to get it.
We're doing hand baggage only and will buy whatever return luggage we need over there, and according to the Internet United and star alliance customers have a dedicated immigration point to clear at Dulles. I'm just wondering if that really is enough time.
Damn nerves and it's still 5 months away!!!!

 

[2Tiggies]

I think you should give United a call. I think an hour is the legal time for changeover but they sometimes cut it a bit close to the edge when they don't consider that your inbound is international. If they feel the layover is too tight, they will put you onto another flight. You could check and see what other options you have and then call and make a specific request. You still have to clear immigration and there's no telling how long that would take. Then you still need to get through TSA and right now, security is taking a bit longer than usual for screening at airports. Last time we had a tight connection with UA I called and they gave us the option to reroute us. I took it gladly. Strangely it was also a Dulles connection. It's a big, busy airport and if you have a terminal change I'd say no way you'll make it.

 

[PumpkinKingGB]

Thank you for the advice, I'll give UA a call in the morning

 

[disneyholic family]

Has anyone here flown through Dulles? We have a connecting flight in December for 6 of us (2 adults, 4 kids), and United have said the 1h 15m is enough time for us to get it.
We're doing hand baggage only and will buy whatever return luggage we need over there, and according to the Internet United and star alliance customers have a dedicated immigration point to clear at Dulles. I'm just wondering if that really is enough time.
Damn nerves and it's still 5 months away!!!!

wow....that's kind of warp speed for immigration / customs /security...
however, since you don't have to wait for your luggage i suppose theoretically it's possible....on the planet of fairies and make believe..

well...maybe....i'd be pretty damn nervous though..

granted there's a dedicated immigration...and non-traditional entry points into the USA tend to be slightly faster than say new york...
but still...

i have made it through detroit in that amount of time...even with picking up luggage...
but the problem was making it through security again to get to the next flight...
you can trip up on security rather than immigration...

ahh...but you don't have luggage....so it's possible you might not have to go through security again...maybe....maybe not..

it's a crap shoot.....i would definitely call united and ask them if there are alternatives....

1:15 is pretty darn tight on any planet...

i'm editing this to add my experience at dallas...i just remembered DD and i went through dallas - as a domestic flight, not international.....security was a nightmare.....probably one of the worst we've ever encountered...how could i forget that....the only entertaining part of it was the very handsome texan standing behind us....a senior executive type...non-stop one liners about TSA....had us laughing our heads off the entire 45 minutes we were stuck in that TSA line!!....

 

[sam_rogers]

I would be a bit nervous about 1.15 to make a flight. We went to hawaii last year and had about 3 and a half hours to make out connecting flight at lax. We were delayed on the tarmac at Heathrow for the best part of an hour, were delayed on the tarmac at lax for 45 minutes, immigration took about 45 minutes then by the time we'd picked up and rechecked our bags and figured out which terminal we needed to be In and caught the bus we almost missed our flight. Fair to say we were a little stressed out haha

 

[PumpkinKingGB]

Urgh, just got off the phone with United. Apparently it's a 45 minute transition (is it bollocks) but apparently they will put us on the next flight if we miss it, which is about 5 hours. Either way we should be ok. Just don't want to rush the kids if I don't have to.
Who knows, maybe all the planets will align and we'll make it...
I guess I'll just have to put my faith in the airlines

 

[sam_rogers]

At least there's a back up plan so you don't need to stress too much if you don't make it.

 

[disneyholic family]

yes as long as there's a flight you can get on - assuming they have seats on it...
if it were me, i'd have them change me to the second flight already...

 

[sam_rogers]

yes as long as there's a flight you can get on - assuming they have seats on it...
if it were me, i'd have them change me to the second flight already...

I'd agree, all you need is a slight delay at your departure airport and you're in trouble before you're even in the air

 

[Wakey]

Flew into Dulles 2 years ago, albeit we were staying in Washington. I got United from Manchester. It landed at a terminal and was then very slow as you have to get on these bizarre people movers, they look like an At At Walker. Enter 'Dulles People Mover' on Youtube, its a bizarre set up. You sit in it and then it slowly trundles to the main terminal. When we arrived there were also planes full of people from Middle Eastern and African countries at immigration, it was not quick. There was no dedicated immigration point then though so they may have put this in. When we went we wouldn't have got through in an hour. Coming back though I don't think we got on the At At so it maybe depends on gate.

 

[Wakey]

wow....that's kind of warp speed for immigration / customs /security...
however, since you don't have to wait for your luggage i suppose theoretically it's possible....on the planet of fairies and make believe..

well...maybe....i'd be pretty damn nervous though..

granted there's a dedicated immigration...and non-traditional entry points into the USA tend to be slightly faster than say new york...
but still...

i have made it through detroit in that amount of time...even with picking up luggage...
but the problem was making it through security again to get to the next flight...
you can trip up on security rather than immigration...

ahh...but you don't have luggage....so it's possible you might not have to go through security again...maybe....maybe not..

it's a crap shoot.....i would definitely call united and ask them if there are alternatives....

1:15 is pretty darn tight on any planet...

i'm editing this to add my experience at dallas...i just remembered DD and i went through dallas - as a domestic flight, not international.....security was a nightmare.....probably one of the worst we've ever encountered...how could i forget that....the only entertaining part of it was the very handsome texan standing behind us....a senior executive type...non-stop one liners about TSA....had us laughing our heads off the entire 45 minutes we were stuck in that TSA line!!....

He/ she was asking about Dulles (Washington). Good info for future Dallas trips tho!

 

[pinklotusflower]

I think it's really tight and agree with the other posters I'd ring them back and ask to be transferred to the later flight, if you miss your connection the later flight could be full and you'll end up waiting longer. We try to only do direct flights now as we near missed our connection on our way home as the flight was delayed 30mins taking off.

 

[disneyholic family]

He/ she was asking about Dulles (Washington). Good info for future Dallas trips tho!

oh yeah....talk about being careful what you read...

well i have LOTS of experience in dulles, given that DH was born and raised in DC and we did lots of fly throughs at dulles (and reagan)...

TSA is bad news in every airport....there is no way anyone is getting from one plane to another in 45 minutes....zero....

for that matter, UA is one of the worst airlines there is in the USA.....if the call rep claims you can get from one plane to another in 45 minutes she's either lying or smoking something...actually, she's probably just completely unfamiliar with the procedure you're going to have to go through to get from one plane to another....and being clueless, she probably thinks it's like switching domestic flights...and by the way, i would never leave only 45 minutes between domestic flights either..

bottom line - call UA and have them switch you to the later flight
45 minutes is playing with fire

 

[disneyholic family]

from the dulles frequent flyers website - here is a question/answer that applies to you:

• Hi, I'm traveling from Barcelona to Seattle with United on July 5th and I'm changing planes at IAD. I only have 70'. Will I have time? Will I need to take any means of transportation to catch the domestic flight? The same thing will happen on my way back home. Thank you in advance.

• 70 minutes is not enough time for an International to domestic connection at IAD, unless the flight from Barcelona is quite early. Everything should be handled in the C/D complex. On your return all you have to do is walk from your arrival gate to your departure gate.

 

[PumpkinKingGB]

Thank you to everyone for updating here, I will ask United to change our flights if possible.

 

[chmurf]

If you misconnect they'll put you on the next flight granted that there are seats available

There are 6 of you, that makes it 6 times less likely there will be enough available seats for all of you, on that next flight.
A single pax can be easily rebooked, so short connections are less of an issue, but a party of 6 is trickier

Definitely have UA change your flight