SavvyTravel

I am certain this has been covered but I am overwhelmed with information after being on the forum for a couple of hours now. I'm from the UK doing a TP in January. Most of the advice seems to be about flying and connecting into the US but my question is about going home (ie leaving the US).

I'm flying AA Business class LAX-JFK (overnight arr 7.00am) [into T8]. I then fly later that day (8pm) with BA JFX-LHR (assume T7) again in Business. [I also have BA Silver/OWE status]

I would really like to do a Manhattan run (just because I can, as I have been to NYC a few times. So I have two questions

1. Can I get a shower? Can I get into the FL lounge on arrival (given I have an international same day connection business flight)?
2, What happens to my checked in bags? Will they be checked straight through to LHR ?
Thanks all

Fraser

I agree with you. The JFK game of Tetris makes a whole lot of sense this way. I actually didn't know about the two little wings close to the road! But to me the build out of T8 makes a huge amount of sense at this stage. Given how much BA value JFK they can build their own lounges, check-in areas with private wing, etc. and almost run the gates from the right hand of 16 as their own. Co-locating with your JBA plus other oneworld partners makes too much sense for obvious reasons.

1) Yes. Yes.
2) They will be checked through to LHR, assuming you are on the same ticket. At LAX you might be asked if you want to short check them, something you could reasonably request with a 12hr stop

SavvyTravel

Thanks @Fraser. Much appreciated (and yes, it is all on one AA ticket).

richarddd

I'm concerned about reported TSA slowdowns given various media reports. How are wait times at JFK today (Monday, Jan 7) compared to normal?

Is the Security Wait Time tracker at https://jfkairport.com/ generally accurate for AA flights from T8, especially regarding the pre-check line?

Amil

Hello I am flying LAX-JFK-LHR in J but only have 1 hour 46 minutes of a layover, is that enough time to transfer over? Is there enough time to go to any lounge as well? Any experience with fivestar or blacklane pass will they arrange a vehicle to take me over?

Thanks in advance

JJeffrey

1:46 is plenty for this connection. You just have to exit T8 and proceed up a level and take the AirTrain one stop over to T7 and clear security again. Hiring a car for this would be a complete overkill and wouldn't save any time. If everything is on time you should have a decent 30-45 mins of lounge time (given the terminal change I would go straight to T7 first and use the BA lounge there, as opposed to stopping in the AA FL at T8 first).

AA Guide: JFK / New York J F Kennedy International Airport - MCT, Connection, etc

platbrownguy

FYI -- "blacklane pass" is a service comparable to fivestar, not the same as regular blacklane the car service.

Still, 100% agree that it would be overkill here.

JDiver

Please read the Wikipost at the top of page.

Shl

Does anybody know the MCT at JFK AA domestic (LAX-JFK) connecting to BA international (LHR-JFK)
Currently we are ticketed with AA and the connection time is 1:28 h
Looks like this morning the ticket was automatically changed (could be MCT issue)
However with the help of a lovely AA representative we re-installed the original itinerary.

1. Is 1:28h achievable
2. Do you think the ticket will stick?

Any other recommendations?

Blumie

Global321

Blumie summed it up.

I assume no checked bags. If yes, change it back, you will almost certainly not make it.
I assume you will have all bp's before JFK. If no, change it back, you will almost certainly not make it.
I assume you are in business/first class. If no, change it back, you will almost certainly not make it.

With no checked bags, and no delays on the flight, and no delays getting off the flight, and no delays on the train, and no long delays at security at T7, you have a good shot at making it.
If any of these do not hold true, you will almost certainly not make it.

Do report back. Good luck.

Shl

Update:
Sorry and thanks Blumie - just seeing your post now where you are stating MCT 2h
With a schedule change it seems that tickets can be issued with a MCT < 2h
So the question is: Will this stick or would you suggest to sort things proactively? (don"t want to lose my nice bubble 747 seats)

​​​​​​​(and sorry for the confusion)



Many thanks Global321

I can confirm - meeting all these requirements.
However, at the BA forum our expert people advised, the MCT for T7-T8 would be 2h minimum.
Our ticket had been auto-adjusted this morning (looks lke for not meeting MCT in JFK).
However we brought it back with a very friendly AA Exec Plat representative to the original routing.
BA forum advises, that this will most certainly happen again (auto adjustment/ change due to non-sufficient MCT)

What is the AA forum's combined experience with this?
Shall I better change proactively already or may I slip through?

Thanks for advise

P.S,: To add, yes we have checked bags, but this is a US-Europe and bags are checked through with no need to pick them up in JFK.

JJeffrey

If you are below MCT then the computers will keep catching it and auto rebooking you. There are lots of LAX-JFK and JFK-LHR flights, I would for sure do your homework then call AA back and ask to switch to something else. If you want to stay on the same BA JFK-LHR flight, then just ask for an earlier LAX-JFK flight.

Shl

Thanks JJeffrey this matches the info from our pros in the BA forum. Just wanted to double check. Steps clear.

grandsquirrel

I'm flying SFO -> JFK -> LGW in June.
After I bought the tickets, AA changed the schedule and told me to call them. They then told me that the connection (From American Airlines arriving at 8:19 pm to British Airways departing at 10:00pm, on a Saturday FWIW) is now too tight -- they have a 2 hour minimum connection policy.
I later spoke with another person who told me that my connection is actually fine and that their minimum time for such connections is actually 1 hour and 15 minutes.
But now, I keep getting more emails asking me to call them again about this, so I'm confused.
My questions:

1. Does anybody know what AA's actual connection time policy is in this case?
2. What happens if I don't change my flight? Will I even be able to check in?
3. What are, realistically, my chances of making the AA->BA connection (terminal 8 to 7) in 1 hr 41 minutes?
4. What happens if I don't change my flight and miss the connecting flight?

I'm asking because the only earlier flight to JFK is very inconvenient for me, and I would rather not change anything if at all possible.