Short connection home through Minneapolis Airport - doable?

[jaceraden]

Hi there.

There is a decent flight sale for my daughter and I but it would mean a 35 minute layover in Minneapolis on the way to Winnipeg. I am not looking for replies telling me this is a short layover and I'm cutting it close. I am aware of this. I am looking for experience with purchasing itineraries that have short connections and going through customs added in. Bonus points if you have Minneapolis experience.

Points to consider:
1. I am familiar with this airport as I have travelled through it before many times
2. My daughter and I are able bodied and walk quickly
3. We will only have carry on luggage
4. These are both Delta flights but the Minneapolis to Winnipeg flight is Delta/Westjet partnered ( I have done this flight combination twice before but this year the layover changed from 3 hours to 35 minutes???)

Is this short of a layover possible? What happens if we miss our connection? Do airlines often sell itineraries that are clearly close to impossible to make?

Any other tips or tricks?

 

[ottawamom]

I don't know the airport you are using so I'm no help there. Try searching minimum connection time. Although if Delta sold you a ticket with that connection they are confident you can make it.

If you don't, Delta is a great airline to miss a connection with. Last year we missed a connection in Detroit on our way to San Diego. Plane left Ottawa late. They rebooked us onto another flight while we were in the air. I didn't have data on my phone yet (got it a couple of hours later when we were supposed to land in San Diego) so I didn't know about the new flights. We likely would have missed that connection as well. I went to their assistance counter and they put us up in a hotel for the night after booking us on flights to our destination in the morning. Is your flight to Winnipeg their last flight for the day?

I'm not certain I would have received the same service if I had missed a flight in Toronto on Air Canada.

You mention customs, I don't think you will have to go through customs until you reach Winnipeg so that is one less thing to worry about.

Keep thinking to yourself "if they booked it it must be fine".

 

[ottawamom]

I was just reading a discussion thread about Minneapolis. Don't let them gate check you luggage on the way to Minneapolis. Tell the flight crew you have a short connection time (if the flight isn't running early). They may be able to get you off the plane sooner.

 

[jaceraden]

You mention customs, I don't think you will have to go through customs until you reach Winnipeg so that is one less thing to worry about.

I misspoke. While we wouldn't be doing customs in Minneapolis, we would be deplaning from a domestic flight and going to the gate of an International flight. This usually involves having to redo the security and do a more in depth screening process. It's not a simple matter of going from one gate to another.

 

[badiggio]

Why would you have to do security again?Ive never,ever had to do security again catching a connection to Canada unless you're doing canada customs before entering Canada,OR it's not a connection and on a separate ticket.If anything,going from a domestic flight to an international flight,the gates would be at 2 different terminals,which would take time

 

[Mikey15]

Maybe it's because I've been flying more morning/first flights, but lately I've been seeing everyone boarded, doors closed, and taxiing 10-15 minutes ahead of when the "departure" time is supposed to be.

If you do have to go to a separate international "terminal" so to speak and redo security, I can't imagine 35 minutes being enough. I'm surprised it's Delta that's listing it as possible given the circumstances.

 

[ottawamom]

Have a read through this post. It may help to allay your fears.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/del...eapolis-st-paul-msp-definitive-thread-18.html
It says Domestic to International 35 min. Again if Delta has cut it too short is there another flight later in the day? Have you looked to see if you have to change terminals. Often flights to Canada are treated as domestic flights. Check your flights with today's date on flight aware and see what gates they are using. Watch the gates over the course of a few weeks and see if the distance is doable. From a look at the airport map it all looks to be behind security so it should just be getting from one gate to the other.

 

[disneyseniors]

Hi there.

There is a decent flight sale for my daughter and I but it would mean a 35 minute layover in Minneapolis on the way to Winnipeg. I am not looking for replies telling me this is a short layover and I'm cutting it close. I am aware of this. I am looking for experience with purchasing itineraries that have short connections and going through customs added in. Bonus points if you have Minneapolis experience.

Points to consider:
1. I am familiar with this airport as I have travelled through it before many times
2. My daughter and I are able bodied and walk quickly
3. We will only have carry on luggage
4. These are both Delta flights but the Minneapolis to Winnipeg flight is Delta/Westjet partnered ( I have done this flight combination twice before but this year the layover changed from 3 hours to 35 minutes???)

Is this short of a layover possible? What happens if we miss our connection? Do airlines often sell itineraries that are clearly close to impossible to make?

Any other tips or tricks?

We fly almost from Canada (extreme northern Mn) and our connector is in Mpls/StPaul. One time we had a 35 minute connector flight. It did not go well. We were all younger and able bodied. It took us a full run to get from point A to point B. If you can find out what number gate you will be flying out of, that would help.
We are older and tried it again with a 40 minute connector. We were at one end of the huge airport and had to hoof it to the other end. They were holding the plane for us, and we just about didn't make it.
We decided that no way would we ever do that again, but that's us.
If you feel you can run to a destination from one end of the airport to the other, then you might make it. Good luck

 

[MamaLema]

Ive never been through Minneapolis, but had plenty of 35 min connections and made them all, but I will admit they made me nervous!

 

[Sue M]

I’m not sure where your flight is originated from? I’ve flown from Vancouver to Minneapolis with 35min connection with Delta going to Florida. With checked luggage and both us and luggage made it. We go thru US customs here in Vancouver so it’s just a matter of changing planes/gates. Going from international to a domestic flight we didn’t have to go thru security.

Maybe you could phone Delta and find out what the process entails.

 

[seashoreCM]

If 35 minute connections make you nervous then do not book them (or immediately call to request a re-change if the airline makes a schedule change leaving you with a connection too short for comfort while never going so far as to pay more).

When booking, hand pick individual flight segments rather than select the flight combinations they show and suggest.

- doable?

It has been done but I won't bet you anything that you can.

* On average nationwide, one in four flights lands more than 15 minutes late.
* Some airlines may refuse boarding and/or give away your seat to a standby or even close the door 10 minutes before departure time.
* If the plane is full, it may depart the gate ahead of schedule.

 

[jaceraden]

When booking, hand pick individual flight segments rather than select the flight combinations they show and suggest.

This is great advice except that when you're dealing with sales, you don't get to do this!

I appreciate the info about full flights and late departures. That was good food for thought.

 

[bigjon94]

MSP is a gigantic airport. There are lots of moving walkways but 35min connection is tough. If Delta sells it that means they believe you can make it and if you miss it they are responsible for getting you home. I wouldn't worry that much.