Originally Posted by LordDenton

A couple of months ago I booked a flight out of ORD at 2:25pm on December 24 with a connection in FRA (inside Schengen). The flight was to leave ORD at 2:25 pm, layover for 5 hours in FRA, and then take the next leg to my final destination (FCO).

I randomly checked my reservation today and noticed that United had somehow moved me to the flight out of ORD at 6:05pm. No notification or anything like that... But United's IT is besides the point. This change leaves me with only 1hr of connection time in FRA

After searching flight options seems there is now literally only one direct flight on that day: the UA at 6:05pm. Not even LH is flying that day.

My question is: should I wait for the 2:25 pm flight to eventually return or should I already rebook myself with a connection out of say IAD? I really hate adding a domestic connection to such a flight because of high chance of IRROPS during that season.
Is there even a chance the 2:25 pm flight will return?