Connecting flights - enough time?

[Beep]

Hi,

We are looking at a connecting flight from New York (Liberty) to Orlando and the wait time at the airport is 1hr 45min.

Is that enough time to go through immigration and get to the next flight with the bags cheked through? We've never been through New York Liberty so have no idea.

Thanks

 

[Miffy2003]

Liberty is Newark, right?

If yes we have done this route a few times. 1 hour 45 will be fine, as long as your plane is on time and there are no significant hold ups at immigation or security checking back in. It will help you if you fly in and out of the same terminal, too.

If there are delays or you get stuck and miss your flight, don't worry as there are lots of flights to Orlando every day so you'd be unlucky not to get transferred onto one of them (s long as you've booked your ticket as one leg and not separately).

For example, last time we flew in our plane from UK was due to land at 1.25pm and we were due on the 15.20 (?) Orlando flight. Had we missed that one there was another at 16.10 ish, and another at 18.15 ish etc. This was with Continental.

Of course, if Liberty isn't Newark then I've just wasted a lot of typing

 

[Beep]

Hi, yes Liberty is Newark.

Thanks for the info - that helps a lot. The connecting flight times back aren't so good if we go for the longer wait going out so we're trying to go for the best option.

We're flying from Birmingham with Continental rather than trekking down to Gatwick, so to be honest almost any connecting times seem good!

 

[tubtruck]

It really depends on what time your flight sets off from the UK, if it sets off on time there shouldnt be anything to worry about.

If it sets off a couple of hours late then no you will miss your connection.

 

[pixiepower04]

We flew with Continental in September from Edinburgh and our connection time was 1hr 30 mins. I will NEVER do this again and will choose the 3 hour connection time instead next time.

I know there are many people on here who have no problem with it but we were 2 adults and 2 children (10 & 8) and the first time taking this route, we were at the back of the plane on the flight so last off which meant back of the queue at immigration and some numnut sent us to Continentals desk instead of letting us straight through because he insisted we didn't have boarding cards when we did so we missed the connection and had to wait 7 (SEVEN) hours before the next available one. Every connection flight was full and 7 hours in an airport isn't much fun!

The Continental guy was really good and gave us food vouchers each to eat anywhere in the Airport so we spent hours browsing in shops and sitting in a restaurant.

By the time we got the the hotel at Universal it was 1am their time (6am our time) which meant that we'd been on the go for over 24 hours!!! I was upset, my kids were upset and DH was trying to keep me calm (not easy).

The timing was great on the way back, 2hr 30 mins and it passed by fairly quickly.

 

[orangetiggs]

you might find your bags are through checked if you booked all with the smae company, we flew orlando/miami/cancun and we had a connection of 30mins and our bags went on their own to the connecting flight

 

[juliebro]

you might find your bags are through checked if you booked all with the smae company, we flew orlando/miami/cancun and we had a connection of 30mins and our bags went on their own to the connecting flight

Only on the return journey. On the outbound flight you have to clear immigration and customs at the first airport you land in in the US.

 

[T16GEM]

We flew with Continental in September from Edinburgh and our connection time was 1hr 30 mins. I will NEVER do this again and will choose the 3 hour connection time instead next time.
.

Exactly my thoughts, we did that connection last year with 2 small children (11 months and 2 years) we struggled. This year we had a 3 1/2 hour connection and it was fine, we didn't rush or anything and had plenty of time to chill out with the kids. It took us over 2 hours to clear immigration anyway so we would have missed our connecting flight anyway had we gone with the shorter connection.

BTW we flew Birmingham to Newark then Orlando too, our 4th time doing it so we must like it!

 

[Beep]

Thanks for the replies. Mom and Dad have booked their flights today (we're flying out on the same flight) and we've gone for the 2hr 50min wait at Newark.

We tried to book ours today and althought the airlines have released the details they can't confirm until tormorrow so hopefully we will get the same flight.

Coming back it's about 2hrs so Mom can do the last minute shopping!

 

[Lizzybear]

I think 2 hours 50 is much better, i'd be inclined to say 1 hour 45 would be very tight! We flew Manchester-Newark-San Francisco and our flight was about 45 minutes late which meant a few people had very tight connections (45 minutes for one woman!) It takes a while to pick up then drop off your luggage and clear immigration and security so IMO the longer the connection time the better.. Also we had to change to another terminal (not sure if that's the case for Orlando) which is more time again. We found the departure lounges in Newark pretty good.. Lots of restaurants and shops near the gates so it's not hard to while away the time if you happen to get there with time to spare

 

[Pinklepurr361]

I flew in to Newark recently and the queues for immigration were massive and very slow moving. It took a good hour to get to the front of the queue. I think I would be sweating somewhat with only an hour and 45 mins connection.

If you cannot change the connection, make sure you are seated as close to the plane exit as possible and make sure you leg it to the immigration hall!

 

[Beep]

I've just posted this separately too but we have booked our flights today and we went for the 2hr 50min connection. We will have my Mom and Dad with us so it would be nice to have a look round and hopefully grab a coffee rather than trying to teleport to the next flight!

Thanks for your help guys

 

[merlin307]

this is very interesting as we are considering using continental from edinburgh to newark then orland this april (680 for the two of us which is excellent)
i have a couple of questions :
it says on the continental site that you need to collect your bags after immigration and recheck in - is this the case or are they all checked through (like BA)
also once you are through immigration are you stuck in the airport or can you get outside (to smoke)?

any help will be appreciated

cheers
m

 

[Beep]

this is very interesting as we are considering using continental from edinburgh to newark then orland this april (680 for the two of us which is excellent)
i have a couple of questions :
it says on the continental site that you need to collect your bags after immigration and recheck in - is this the case or are they all checked through (like BA)
also once you are through immigration are you stuck in the airport or can you get outside (to smoke)?

any help will be appreciated

cheers
m

Here you go Merlin - from the Continental website:`

For domestic flights, baggage must be checked at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure.
EXCEPTION: At the following airports, customers must complete baggage check-in at least 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure: Tampa, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Denver, CO; Atlanta, GA, Los Angeles, CA; and Ponce, PR.

For international flights, baggage must be checked at least 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

For domestic and international flights (excluding certain flights departing for Agana, Guam (GUM)) baggage will not be accepted for check-in more than 4 hours prior to scheduled flight departure.

If the above time limitations are not met, Continental can refuse to check baggage without a signed release of liability from the passenger.

Baggage will be checked to a customer's final destination or to a permissible stopover for the fare paid. Customers making connections which involve an overnight stay must claim baggage at the intermediate point and re-check baggage for the connecting flight on the following day.

Hope that helps - not sure about the smoking question though. 3 of the 4 of us travelling smoke so I'm sure they'd want to know too!

 

[pixiepower04]

Yes you have to collect your luggage and recheck it in and clear immigration.

I'm trying to think about the going outside bit but to be honest once you've rechecked your bags, cleared immigration and headed down to your boarding gate it will probably be time for the flight.

Newark is a big airport too so if you wander off keep an eye on the time, there are tons of shops and food outlets.

Here is the airport link, perhaps you'll find something on the website that will help answer your question.
http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/airports/html/newarkliberty.html

 

[merlin307]

thanks I'll check it out

 

[mesyjesse]

I live in New Jersey and use newark airport alot, if you are flying continental you will fly into terminal c and your flight from orlando will take off from terminal c, this because continental built and only uses terminal c

hope that helps