Intl into JFK, Tight connect to Domestic, 2 Separate Awards
 

We have award tickets from ZRH to JFK in the Spring. There is a non stop flight to Nashville/BNA 93 minutes after the scheduled landing. They have a good price on award tickets for that flight and about to book it.

If we are backed up in Customs/Immigration or delayed - will DL protect us on later flights, or even next morning?

We expect to be carryon only, so no waiting for bags and have global entry.

They won't protect automatically like they would if it were on the same reservation, however based on other reports of similar occurrences on here, they'd mostly likely be willing to re-accommodate you without too much push back if you were to miss the connecting flight.

As long as both are DL tickets AND you meet the MCT as if on one ticket, DL will then rebook you.

I could not find the MCT, but I assume it is okay, as you can buy the through ticket at delta.com. CURRENT schedule has a 93 minute connect. Could change by April of course.

Did you try to call and just add domestic leg to your international award?

RT from JFK at 32,000. JFK-BNA at 8,000.

If we did one award all the way through, it is at least double what the two separate tickets cost. Just the way it is. LOL!

I have a tkt lis-jfk-atl. Delta changed my flight jfk-atl because the lis-jfk flight time changed. Originally I had a 95 minute connect. With change, connection time changed to 65 minutes. I now have a 4 hour connection wait. Called diamond line and was told MCT is 120 minutes. I asked: "can you just put me back on the original 95 min connect flight? I have GE and carryon"? Was told there would be a fine from some fed agency if they did that. Not sure if true on all this as far as fines, but just telling you my experience as far as MCT time issue.

Has nothing to do with MCT as was discussed above. Of course agent won't rebook to something that is less then MCT. Especially with you flying EX-EU there's risks of compensation, etc.

Is there any other flights (including via AMS instead of JFK) that you like/work better? If so callback and ask for them. AF/KL are in TATL JV so regardless of which you fly there's no added cost to DL to rebook you on them.

Of course DL won't put you on a connection at below MCT. That is because DL sets the MCT. MCT is simply a carrier's willingness to accept the risk of a misconnect and it is a certainty that no front line agent or anyone you can reach has the authority to change that.

The government fine issue is like EC 261/2004 which does not provide fines, but would provide hefty cash compensation to you if you are delayed for significant amounts of time for most reasons.

FWIW with GE and no checked bags I comfortably made a 1h15m I-D connection at JFK, albeit a couple years ago.

With GE you are more than OK, you'll be thru customs 30 min tops.

Just to be clear, you are free to book separate tickets with any amount of time between them. Could be a few minutes or months. MCT represents DL's willingness to accept the misconnect risk, not your view of how fast you can make it.

Additionally, these calculations all assume that the inbound is on time. In the situation described, if DL is late and that caused a misconnect, the compensation due would be EUR 600.

I believe that's the generic MCT but there are reduced MCTs of 85 minutes for specific airline combos.

See the wiki:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...ve-thread.html

I did not see a date when this was happening, but - maybe just skip JFK anyways and take a different connection? By the way, MCT is not 120 minutes based on this date in January.


​​​​​​​https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...82e41f96ec.png

from Delta.com
​​​​​​​I did not see a date when this was happening, but - maybe just skip JFK anyways and take a different connection? By the way, MCT is not 120 minutes based on this date in January.