Connecting flight help

[tinkandonaldfans]

Hi, we are heading to the world on the 18th December. This trip was only possible by getting a non direct flight. We are flying with united airlines to Charlotte then again with United onto orlando. We have about 2-2.5hrs in between changes. We only ever flown direct and we have our technique of getting through customs down to a fine art! Now I'm a little anxious as I don't how it works

Do I do the customs bit in Charlotte? And if so do I avoid having to do it in orlando

What about our bags? Do we collect them at baggage claim at Charlotte or would they be transferred onto our next flight?

Will 2hrs be enough and will it be clear where we are going to check in for our connecting flight?

If I don't have to do customs how quickly could we get out the airport? We are arriving quite late and want to get to the hotel Asap! We are staying at the swan so no magical express so we will pre-book a taxi

Any suggestions on a taxi company?

I miss direct flights already but you can't dismiss the massive difference in price!

Any help would be appreciated

 

[petals]

I usually always fly with a flight transfer from Ireland to Orlando. Usually we change at Atlanta or Newark but what I have found is that you do have to go through customs at the change over airport. It's been a while but I don't eve remember going to customs again once I landed in Orlando.

Regarding the bags I've experienced different things most times I go. Sometimes they'll transfer the bags automatically. Sometimes they will tell you to collect your bag from one belt and bring it to another belt if that makes sense

2hrs should be enough but keep in mind that you will have to go through some form of customs again so don't delay at anything unnecessarily.

Usually everything is well sign posted for where you have to go.

Regarding landing in Orlando it will depend on how quick the airline are getting your bags out as to how quick you'll get out of the airport but Mears is a good taxi company we've used before.

Hope that all helps

 

[zippy99]

We have flown indirect on our last two trips - each with a 2 hour transfer - once via Atlanta and once via Miami.

In each case we got off our flight, went through immigration, collected bags, through customs, dropped bags off again at a dedicated connecting flights bag drop off and then back through security to the boarding zone of our next flight.

Now... for the exciting bit - when you get to Orlando - you get off as a domestic passenger and can simply collect your bags and leave - no queues!

We car hire now - but on previous holidays needed transport to Universal on arrival - we used a company called Tiffany Towncar (was recommended on here)
They were great - smartly dressed man, nice car and he stopped at Publix for us on the way so we could get the important things... Beer & Wine!

I highly recommend them

 

[Elise79]

You will always clear immigration and customs at your first point of entry to the US so in your case Charlotte. You will need to collect your cases to pass through Customs then follow directions for connecting flights.

I would say 2.5 hrs will be long enough although I haven't done a straight through indirect myself so I am going by what I have read on here.

Once you reach MCO it will be straight out as you are on a domestic flight the only wait will be on the cases but I would guess about 30 minutes from disembarking to leaving the airport. I can't remember how long it took us in April when we arrived on a domestic flight.

 

[chmurf]

From experience going through CLT in october last year

all of the above is correct, you clear immigration, collect bags, go through customs, drop bags off after customs, then you go up a flight of stairs to clear security, and then go to the next terminal/concourse and board your next flight

2.5hrs is enough but your main objective is to clear immigration, customs and security as fast as you can
you'll find a food court after security in case you need to grab something to eat, so don't waste time before being inside your 2nd flight terminal (security can take up a large amount of time, so get this over with ASAP)

we cleared Immigration in around 10 minutes, but we were among the first off our plane.
Immigration hall was rather small compared to other airports.


if you fly indirect, you need to consider that boarding (for your 2nd flight) will start 40 minutes before the time your flight is scheduled to take off (departure time), and the doors will be closed 20 minutes before departure time
so you essentially need to consider that you need to be at your gate at least 20 minutes before the time displayed on your itinerary or you miss your flight
so if you take off at, say 6pm, think of it as "I need to be inside the plane at 5:30pm"


in orlando, you'll come as a domestic passenger, so get off the plane, and head directly for that small train, then in the airport's lobby go down the stairs to baggage claim, and collect your bags there.

last year we made it in under 1 hour from standing up in the plane to parking at Art of Animation including car collection at Alamo (going to the desk)

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I'll just add that they know some passengers will be transferring, so if there is a delay they will try and help