Hales89

So my husband called AA directly to book our flights for an upcoming trip. We wanted to use our air miles, so the rep he spoke with found flights for the miles we had. When he got off the phone I received an alert on my AA app showing our upcoming trip. I decided I'd take a look at the flight information. We depart DFW at 6:15am & arrive in Phoenix at 6:51am. That's fine... Then I noticed our next flight leaves from Phoenix at 7:19am!! That seems really close together considering we have to get off one plane & get to the other. I'm not vey familiar with the Phoenix airport, so I'm not sure if this is going to be a problem. Any advice??

Often1

It is within Minimum Connect Time, so it is a "legal" connection, but it is below Sensible Connect Time as it leaves no margin for error.

Where are you headed from PHX? That is what makes the difference. If you misconnect, when will the next flight be?

Yoshi212

This will do better in the AA forum. I've alerted a MOD.
This is too tight for my comfort for the connection.

This forum itself is for topics related to trusted traveler programs.

Hales89

Our destination is Sacramento, CA. I believe the soonest direct flight is 9:45am. We would still be able to get there the same day, but it would definitely put us behind schedule.

Hales89

Thanks! I'm new to the site, so I'm still finding my way around!!

arollins

Hello, and welcome to FT.

I hope you are not bringing luggage, are sitting towards the front and are a sprinter/fast runner. I must say that is a rather tight connection. Even with all the "time padding" that airlines add, I would never do something like this. If the flight arrives in time and on the gate in time, you still need to wait for the jetbridge to get connected to the plane, people to start moving out. I will certainly start asking others to wait to deplane as I have a tight connection to make. By the time you get out of the plane, and on to your connecting flight, they may have closed the door for boarding, and even if you manage to board, you are most likely the last one to do and will have no overhead bin space.

Was this the only flight available? When the reservation was being made, the agent clearly gave info indicating departure and arrival times, and no one questioned the tight connection?

I see you checked this through your AA app, you realize you could've done all this online and research alternate flights instead of calling. At this point, I'm not sure if you can change your flights or not. The other option is wait to see if a substantial schedule changes occurs on your reservation and then call AA and request and alternate routing, prior to this, make sure you look at possible alternatives and provide it to the agent.

If no schedule change, the other option is wait 24hr prior to check in, and see on your reservation if you are a given an option to change your flights free of cost. Good luck and safe travels.

BStrauss3

The problem is that PHX connections are luck of the draw. I've come in and gone out of adjacent gates. And I've had to change terminals. It's not a huge distance, but it's far enough that a 28m connection would have me climbing the walls.

Best advice is to call back and ask to have the res changed to the later flight. This should be changeable as long as the next flight has availability.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I'd call AA back and explained you really didn't realize until afterwards this is a 28 minute connection. It seems as though you would be looking at a later flight. If a later flight is unappealing than you could take your chances. Try to get in the front of the a/c on the first flight (even if you have to pay for MCE) and DO NOT CHECK BAGS. Also monitor gate connecting info in flight, you might get lucky with the gate assignments. Either way you will probably be forced to check your bags at the gate for the 2nd flight, which would only marginally delay you continuing on in your journey.

brp

I will disagree with this statement (I mean, I agree in that we never check bags, ever, but not for this reason ). MCT for a given airport if determined, in part, based on being able to get bags between aircraft. I daresay that the bags are more likely to make the connection, and then the worst is that the bags are there ahead of time if the OP misses the connection.

Cheers.

BayAArea

FWIW:

I just had a 26 minute connection in PHX (somehow a legal connection) on New Years Eve (incoming flight was from JFK and arrived ten minutes late) - luckily, the connection (to OAK) was right across the hallway from the arrival. If it wasn't, or if it was an A to B or C transfer, I would have been toast. PHX is a sprawling place, with AA taking up multiple 'wings' and you need up to ten mins to get from one to another.

Also, for the first time in a long time, they held the departure because there were several connections that were tight. I assume they only did it because it was a very light day in terms of flying (NYE morning). If they didn't, and they stuck to the T-10 rules they have been sticking to, I would have not made it.

A flight attendant said the T-10 thing is driven by the DOT hammering airlines re: on-time departures. But we agreed that 26 minutes should not even be an allowable connection time. I just got lucky in many aspects.

If you want to keep your blood pressure under an advisable level, take a later flight and have a drink at PHX. Not worth the hassle and the hustle.

Often1

It is certainly worth a call to AA to ask whether they might consider changing you to the 9:45 AM non-stop and waiving the change fee. The answer will likely be "no" but it is a toll-free call.

When you are within 24 hours of your flight, you may be able to change for less.

If you misconnect, which is likely, AA will rebook you on the next available flight. That will be at 9:45 AM if there is still space available. If not, it will be the next flight after that and so on.

If you have mission critical meetings on both sides of this trip, this is a fine itinerary. I do this sort of thing sometimes. But, otherwise, it really pays to give yourself more time.

corncob

I would only do it if the alternatives were much worse options. The decision to take the risk should always depends on the reward.

corncob

I don't see a direct flight DFW-SMF for the next 6 months that leaves at 9:45am. They look like they leave at 9:05am, which gets you there at 10:58am vs 9:17am.

If you miss the PHX connection, the next flight from PHX-SMF gets in at 11:40am.

So you potentially gain 90 minutes on the tight connection vs the direct connection, but missing it gets you in 50 minutes after the sure thing (and it might be longer if that flight is full). Other alternatives if you miss the connection get you in at 1:38pm (through LAX) and 3:29pm.

justhere

You would never have a transfer to C unless AA was somehow interlining with Southwest.

dabu

did a F9 to AA transfer once in PHX
saving money but had to take the train and re-enter security