SW Changing Planes in Atlanta

[DJT]

We have a choice to make. Either two hour non-stop to MCO or change planes in Atlanta. The ONLY reason to go via Atlanta is to get to WDW two hours early (we arrive on Tuesday and leave on Saturday morning). If we go nonstop we arrive at MCO at 6:00. If we change planes in Atlanta we arrive at MCO at 4:00. We would have an hour from the time our plane arrives at Atlanta to get to the other plane. I've never been in the Atlanta airport. Is an hour enough time (and presuming the flight is on time)? TIA.

 

[sam_gordon]

We have a choice to make. Either two hour non-stop to MCO or change planes in Atlanta. The ONLY reason to go via Atlanta is to get to WDW two hours early (we arrive on Tuesday and leave on Saturday morning). If we go nonstop we arrive at MCO at 6:00. If we change planes in Atlanta we arrive at MCO at 4:00. We would have an hour from the time our plane arrives at Atlanta to get to the other plane. I've never been in the Atlanta airport. Is an hour enough time (and presuming the flight is on time)? TIA.

I would have no problem booking that flight. One thing to consider is who is travelling with you? If you have someone who requires a wheelchair or anyone else who travels "slowly", I would go with the non-stop.

I have made a connection (and changing concourses) in ATL in 5 minutes. I was by myself though, no DW, no kids. I've made an hour connection with the whole family and that's going from the end of one terminal to the end of another.

The key is to understand the ATL layout, and not stop (except maybe a QUICK bathroom break) until you get to your departure gate.

 

[OKW Lover]

Thats more than enough time in ATL. Its got a very straightforward layout so you shouldn't have difficulty finding your way from one gate to another. Since you are on SW, you probably won't even need to change concourses.

 

[DJT]

That sounds very good. It will be just my DSis and I. We are both fast walkers so no problem there. Plus, I just checked SW again and found a flight that leaves at 6:00 A.M. and arrives at MCO at 10:00 something so that would be even better. Almost another whole day! Thanks for the info.

 

[PWammy]

I hate connecting in Hartsfield and would never do it if I could avoid it, but I travel with my daughter and if I'm connecting in Hartsfield, it's on a Delta flight and I never seem to get in on time, have to change terminals, etc. That hour on paper could easily become 10 or 15 minutes.

 

[JanB]

The ease of connecting at Hartsfield depends a great deal on the airline that you are using.

Domestic flights arrive and depart from any one of 6 concourses -- A, B, C, D, E, and T. Each concourse has maybe 25 gates.


If you are flying Delta, then you really have to allow more layover/connecting time. Because Delta has such a large presence in Atlanta, they use gates in probably 5 of those 6 concourses. So you might arrive at A and have to connect to a flight at D.

Southwest has a smaller presence in Atlanta, so their gates are confined to just a couple of concourses. Looks to me like it's C and D. You would have less possible territory to have to cover to go from one Southwest gate to another Southwest gate.

It also always works in your favor when your connecting flights are on the same airline. They know where their connecting passengers are coming from, and they do all they can, within reason, to wait for you to make your connection.

So, to the OP, your original option that involved a 1 hour Atlanta layover, with both flights being Southwest, would in all likelihood work just fine.


Connections that involve an international flight are altogether different. There is a brand new international terminal that is a bus ride away from the domestic terminals.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Given a choice between a nonstop and a connection (at similar pricing), I would always pick a nonstop.

To arrive two hours earlier, you would probably have to leave your house around four hours earlier because the nonstop involves much less total travel time. The extra four hours at home can be useful before a vacation.

Atlanta Hartsfield is well designed for connections, but it's still a huge airport. Afternoon thunderstorms can wreak havoc. A connection always comes with the risk that your first segment will be substantially delayed, but your second segment won't be -- which means missing the connection despite the perfectly adequate scheduled hour for the connection.

Other will disagree with me, but I would pick the nonstop.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If it were me I would be sure an sit at the front of the plane that is arriving in ATL. The more time you waste sitting on the plane while everyone in front of you gets off the plane the less time you have to catch your connection. And if your flight is late getting in that makes your connection time even tighter. Remember ATL is one of the busiest airports!

 

[LadyBeBop]

It helps that OP is now taking a much earlier flight than before. The earlier the flight, the better chance of an on-time departure/arrival. Plus, isn't SW known for padding time, so you'll actually arrive well before your scheduled time?