Hi. I'm trying to book a flight from Quito, Ecuador to Detroit through MIA for my wife's family. My wife really wants a direct flight from MIA to DTW, but the only option is a flight with a connection time of two hours and nine minutes. It arrives at 4:51 AM (yes, overnight flight) and departs at 7:00 AM. First, is Customs even open and operating at 5 AM? Second, even if it is, two hours and nine minutes isn't enough time, is it? You have to get your bags, go through customs, go through immigration, go through security and get to the gate at least 15 minutes before departure. While theoretically possible, that doesn't seem likely at all.

There's another option which has a three and a half hour connection, arriving at 4:51 AM and leaving for Charlotte at 8:30 AM, followed by a two hour and fifteen minute layover in CLT. That's plenty of time to get lunch and then they would arrive in Detroit at 2:45. Going through an extra airport is always a little bit of a hassle, but all things considered, it doesn't seem too bad in this case.

I'm sure if we book the direct flight with the two hour and nine minute layover, her family will miss the connecting flight and end up with a long delay while American finds another way to get them to Detroit. If that were to happen, is there a risk that American would not get them to Detroit until the next day?