How much time to allow for connecting flights?

[uksaint]

I will be flying to Orlando via Miami and was wondering how much time I should leave between connecting flights.

I understand that you now have to clear customs and collect luggage at Miami and then re-check it for the Miami-Orlando piece. The last time I did this luggage was transferred straight through so I am concerned that the additional luggage collection could take some time. Anyone got any experience of this?

Thanks
Andy

 

[vernon]

I presume you're getting connecting flights on the same ticket, so the airline will organise your tickets with a turnaround time they consider adiquate, personally I find this always means you have a bit of a rush and would prefer a little more time. Generally it seems they allow about 75-90 minutes. I'd prefer they allowed a couple of hours.

 

[BevS97]

I agree with Vernon, if you need to clear Customs at Miami then I would allow at LEAST 2 hours, preferably longer.

It took us the best part of 2 hours just to get through immigration when we landed there, but we didn't have connecting flights. I didn't see any way that those on connecting flights would have got through any faster though

Bev

 

[Enright78]

We've done this a lot but not via Miami. I wouldnt be comfortable with anything under 2 hours but as Vernon says the airline will give you a connection that they think is doable.(?)
Anyway, if youmiss the connection they will just put you on the next flight anyway. They must be pretty frequent between Miami and Orlando.
We have always had to collect and recheck luggage, but it is not a real recheck, you just hand them over to the airline, very qiuick!

 

[uksaint]

Thanks all for feedback.

We have 1 hr 45 min between flights so hopefully this will just about be enough, but any delay would seriously screw us up. I have one thing on my side, both DW and DS are US citizens so I get to go through the US citizen line in immigration which is usually a lot quicker.

 

[Wednesday till I die]

Just back Tuesday. Flew via Atlanta with Delta (highly recommended) and had two hours out-bound between flights, which was comfortable. Coming home, should have left MCO at 17.35 for the 20.45 Atlanta flight. A security scare meant everyone had to leave the fully boarded plane. The plane was then searched by a security team and we all had to re-board. It was tight, but we made it in time for the return to Manchester, landing in Atlanta at 20.00. Coming home Delta transfer the bags, so no need to re-claim. One guy missed his (last) flight to Frankfurt.

As stated above, two hours would be a good time between flights.

Barry.

 

[BevS97]

both DW and DS are US citizens

that will make a huge difference, I reckon all the US citizens were through in half an hour and we were still there 2 hours later...