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Old Oct 16, 2014, 7:13 pm
  #1  
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DTW - International Connection Time to Domestic Flight

Guys/gals,

I will be traveling with the family after Thanksgiving from CDG to DTW with AF, but we need to connect to domestic flight with SWA to HOU. Flight AF 378 is scheduled to arrive at 4:50PM and connecting flight with SWA departs at 7:25.

Is that enough time to connect from international flight, clear customs and immigration? I have never been to DTW. Please advice.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 7:56 pm
  #2  
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You'll have to change terminals via landside shuttle bus. If your AF flight lands on time and you get out of customs / immigration within an hour, you should just make it.

Note, though, that with two separate itins, if your AF flight runs late and you miss the WN segment, it's on you. Always a risk.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 7:56 pm
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Originally Posted by dusty2010
Guys/gals,

I will be traveling with the family after Thanksgiving from CDG to DTW with AF, but we need to connect to domestic flight with SWA to HOU. Flight AF 378 is scheduled to arrive at 4:50PM and connecting flight with SWA departs at 7:25.

Is that enough time to connect from international flight, clear customs and immigration? I have never been to DTW. Please advice.
If you don't have any issues, yes, you'll be fine.

But with any sort of IRROPS, you're going to see that time evaporate very, very quickly.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 8:55 pm
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When leaving McNamara terminal you can catch the shuttle bus either in front of the Westin Hotel or in the "Ground Transportation Center" which is really level 4 of the parking garage. Remember AF does not transfer baggage to WN. So you get to carry it.

Then take bus to North Terminal which is about a 10 minute ride, check baggage at counter, then reclear security. Boarding time will be 6:55 pm - two hours after your intl flight arrives at a different terminal. I would not be comfortable taking family on this connection.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 9:26 pm
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Tanic
I would not be comfortable taking family on this connection.
They'll make it if AF arrives on time. But I would not be comfortable staking the whole value of the WN ticket buy on it. Risky.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 9:47 pm
  #6  
 
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DTW - International Connection Time to Domestic Flight

2:35 is tight for this. Things that make it less tight are premium cabin (priority deplaning and baggage delivery), cabin baggage only (no waiting for baggage delivery, no need to check baggage with WN) and Global Entry (you'd have to have it for every member of your party). If you don't have at least one of those, it will probably be tight.
If CDG-DTW goes IRROPS, all bets are off.
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Old Oct 17, 2014, 5:25 pm
  #7  
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The AF flight arrives at the end of many intl arrivals, namely the Asian DL flights. So baggage arrival at the carousel will be slow until those flights (earlier and DL's own) are taken care of.

What passports will you be using? If it is not American or Canadian then all bets are off.
You will be subjected to the alien processing which takes longer and has a longer lineup.
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Old Oct 19, 2014, 6:38 pm
  #8  
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As this query is about a specific airport, we'll move this to the more appropriate Midwest forum. Thanks. /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
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Old Oct 24, 2014, 5:36 am
  #9  
 
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Originally Posted by dusty2010
Guys/gals,

I will be traveling with the family after Thanksgiving from CDG to DTW with AF, but we need to connect to domestic flight with SWA to HOU. Flight AF 378 is scheduled to arrive at 4:50PM and connecting flight with SWA departs at 7:25.

Is that enough time to connect from international flight, clear customs and immigration? I have never been to DTW. Please advice.
If you switch your domestic flight to Delta, you can avoid the change of terminals and have a much better experience.

Same applies if you're making a return trip.

Bob H
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