I'm pondering scheduling a return flight from LGW to MCO via EWR. Is 1 hour 35 min suffecient time to clear customs and make it to my domestic flight? Last time i was there you came into one terminal for customs and switched to terminal C. I'm scheduling this return for late june and am a USA citizen. Comments / Advice would be apprecitated. thnx

I'd say that's cutting it close given you land on-time.

Although EWR customs/immigration has improved, int'l voume has increased as well. If you have the opportunity to schedule a later connection, you'd probably appreciate the extra window.

Assuming you are flying CO on all legs, you will arrive and transit customs in C.

It's foolhardy to do so, unless it means a very long connection time otherwise.

Definitely not enough time to be secure. I always schedule at least a four hour layover in EWR when traveling on one of the eastbound transatlantic flights, and a minimum of three hours on the return. If you schedule a three hour layover and your westbound transatlantic flight arrives on time, you can always go standby on the earlier connecting flight.

If I were traveling light and my flights into EWR had an on-time arrival history, I would do it.

It really depends on a number of factors. What time does your flight arrive from Europe? -- earlier in the day, less flights are arriving at immigration, midafternoon it can be a zoo, also weekends can be worse than weekdays. Are you checking luggage?-- if only carry on, it shouldn't be a problem, but if you have to wait for luggage, it could be awhile. Yes, just about all international CO flights now come into C, and Florida flights leave from there, but occaisionally they will arrive in B (last month my CGN-EWR came into B).
How quick a walker are you? are you travelling with someone who is slower?? In any event you will have to go through security for your domestic leg again with your luggage. I would think 1 1/2 hrs is fine, but just in case you miss your connection, check to see if there is another flight (not necessairly a non stop) that can get you to your final destination

Good point. Not having checked luggage will buy the OP some valuable time.

Really? I have a 1 hr 48 mn connection CLE-EWR-LGW in May on a Wed around 5:30p. Is this going to be a problem? I wasn't expecting it to be, because it's a domestic connection. But, then again, I've only connected in EWR once (and it was a mess due to weather).

I have not traveled internationally since the goo ban. Is there some "new" reg what requires the extremely long layover? Or are you just being cautious and enjoying the PC?

I'd take the chance - as long as the ewr-mco segment isn't the last flight of the day. There are lots of flights ewr-mco if you miss that one.

When flying CO overseas, I normally fly DCA-EWR-XXX. After having done this for a few years, experience has taught me to take nothing later than the 1:00 pm (currently 12:59 pm) DCA-EWR flight to avoid tight or missed connections in EWR. The 12:59 pm flight is usually delayed about 1-1.5 hours (IME - don't know if that's the actual statistic) - it usually leaves the gate on time, then stays in the penalty box at DCA for awhile. Booking the 3:00 pm DCA-EWR flight leaves one open to even more delay exposure. In the event that the 1:00 pm flight arrives on time, I consider myself fortunate and just spend the long layover in the Presidents Club. If the flight is 1.5 hours late, I still have a 2.5 hour layover - more than enough time to eat and catch my flight.

The mid-afternoon CLE-EWR also is delayed often. I'm not certain what the average delay is, but if you're traveling to LGW, there will be later flights on which you can be accomodated if you miss your scheduled departure.

CO 1E, as always, your post is extremely informative and helpful. I am meeting someone at Gatwick, so hopefully this doesn't happen, but if it does it does. Also, I did a mileage upgrade to BF, so hopefully if I get accommodated on a later flight, there will still be room up front. Plus, I guess I'll be able to spend the time until the next flight in the PC, eh?

Btw, according to data I have, the flight I'm taking CLE-EWR has on-time avg of 20-29.9%. Yikes!

You really don't like to miss a connection, eh?

For a while I was flying a lot of transatlantics through EWR, and I had connections of 45-80 min on the outbound and 75 min on the return. Never missed one.

The problem with missing the 6:50 pm EWR-LGW with a confirmed mileage upgrade is that the 8:25 pm EWR-LGW flight is a operated by a 752 - there's a 99% chance that the BF cabin of that flight will be sold out on the date of departure. If I were you, I would head to CLE in the morning and try to do a confirmed standby for the 11:30 am CLE-EWR flight. Or, you could call CO and ask them to change you (for free) to the 11:30 am flight. I have no idea whether they will accomodate you without a change fee, as 1 hour 48 minutes is a legal connection time in EWR (and I've never attempted this), but it wouldn't hurt to try.

All it took was one severely-delayed 3:00 pm DCA-EWR flight and a sprint from A to C (before the airside shuttle bus was introduced) to induce me to start booking the good ole 1:00 pm DCA-EWR. I've made many 75 minute returns from TATL flights (usually book the 5:00 pm EWR-DCA and standby for the 3:00 if I'm so inclined).

I could do this. I am not starting my trip at CLE, but I am getting into CLE around 8am. I was originally going to go into the Cleveland office until my 3p flight to EWR, but I guess I could just work out of the airport.

I picked the 6:50 to LGW because it was on the 777, so very good point regarding different aircraft. Even if I did make it up front, it wouldn't be what I wanted.

I'll see if they can change me beforehand. If not, I'll consider the standby. Anything that would get me more time in the EWR PC (only get it because of the international trip).

Thanks again for your help.