I have a flight booked from ATL to BOS, departing at 2:30 PM. I want to fly from BOS to ATL that morning. When do I need to get into ATL in order to be "safe"? Here are my options:

BOS-CVG-ATL, arriving 10:29 (but leaving BOS at a ghastly hour)

BOS-PHL-ATL, arriving 1:28

BOS-EWR-ATL, arriving 1:30

BOS-CVG-ATL, arriving 1:42

I have a bad feeling about connecting in EWR. I've sat on the runway there for an hour and half. I don't really want to take the first flight out, and getting in at 1:42 seems like it would really be pushing it. Does the flight that connects in PHL make the most sense? Wish I could fly direct, but I want to stick to the cheap U fares on DL.

Another possibility is I could connect in CVG getting in at (supposedly) 1:42, plan on missing my flight back to BOS, and go back standby...

What do you think?