Originally Posted by
SDQBound
I have not connected from Schengen to International for quite some years. I'm currently in the dilemma of choosing a MAD- CDG - IAD flight with 1:05 connection time, or a MAD-ATL-DCA flight with 2 hours to connect. Any recent experiences with such short connections at CDG especially when there's a security check for US-bound flights before boarding the flight at CDG?
The advantage of connecting through CDG is that I will have one less security checkpoint to worry about and will arrive 1.5 hours earlier (but this time can be consumed between the mobile lounge, immigration, and traffic to DC.
As much as I enjoy avoiding TSA, I would take the ATL routing. It puts the most important segment first, and if you get stuck it's going to be a lot easier to get back to DC from ATL than CDG.
1h5 is tight but OK at CDG... if everything is on time. If your MAD flight is delayed, arrives at a bus gate, and immigration is backed up you'll end up having to route via JFK or something, getting stuck in whatever middle seat is still available. (And with AF, even J sometimes has middle seats...)