Originally Posted by
sltlyamusd
It's doable if your flight arrives ontime, but I personally would never book a connection this short unless getting to my destination ontime wasn't important.
It's of course a personal choice. I tend to book short connections because if you miss the connection, you'll be high on the standby list for the next flight (when there is a next flight), since IRROPS trumps any voluntary standby. If you book on the next flight, it's much more difficult to get on the earlier flight, so you have much less chance of making the earlier flight, although I find that I only rarely miss connections even with short layovers. Of course, if there is not later flight, it's a moot point unless there's an earlier inbound option.
Anyway, 40 minutes in SEA is safe if your inbound flight is on time (although there probably won't be time to dally), and AS runs a very good on-time operation in SEA in general.
Originally Posted by
channa
This is key.
If you have to gate check on an RJ or prop, that can easily add 5-10 minutes before you can start walking to the next plane.
Yeah, although sitting in the back of a 737 can also add 5-10 minutes, as noted upthread. A seat near the front of a 737 is certainly faster, but if you're pretty far back on a 737, I'm not sure it's much different than a Q400. The wait for bags on a Q400 largely feels longer because you're waiting on the ramp once you're off the plane, I think.
If that's the case, I would check the luggage through. By checking a bag, you transfer the liability of getting the bag to the final destination to the airline. If they mishandle it, they will have to deliver it to you at the final destination.
+1 Although it sounds like the OP is not a frequent traveler on AA (miles are expiring) or AS, so it will cost $25 per person per bag to check. That would not be worth it to me. You can ask to gate check or even ask at the ticket counter about checking a legal carry-on for free.
All SEA-Montana flights are on Q400s, I think, so at least the Montana-SEA flight will be on a Q400; it's not clear in which direction the OP has the 40 minute layover.