tomzphone

I ordered 4 round trip ticket with Delta from Baltimore to Munich Germany via Detroit. On the return flight the flight from Munich lands in Detroit at 2:06pm, the next flight from Detroit to Baltimore was scheduled at 5:45pm. Now Delta has put me on a flight at 3:40pm, over two hours earlier. I booked with the longer time in between flights on purpose so there was little chance of missing the flight in case of delays.

The question is, when I arrive in Detroit from Munich, do I have to collect my luggage and clear customs and immigration before I get to on the next flight to Baltimore or will my luggage be automatically transferred? If that is the case than I may not make my next flight at 3:40pm.

Anyone have any ideas what I can do?

thanks,
Tom

kpbadger

xliioper

You will claim and re-check luggage, but it's an easy transfer at DTW as everything is in the same terminal. It's a legal connection and not really all that tight. There's a 5:40PM flight (weekdays/Sunday, 8:55PM Saturday). Worst case if you miss your flight (which is unlikely), they will just put you on a later flight. There's also a 10:45PM flight on weekdays/Sunday, plus DCA/IAD options. With all the backup options, your existing connection is perfectly reasonable.

MSPeconomist

tomzphone

the 5:40pm flight is the one I had and it was cancelled.

tomzphone

So you think this is doable? land 2:06pm if no delay deplane - wait for baggage - clear immigration - clear customs - check baggage again and be boarding the next plane at 3:10 ? all of that in approx 1 hour?

ATOBTTR

xliioper

If this is the first week of September, there is an 8:50PM flight instead of the 5:40. If you miss your flight, they will put you on that one at no charge. If you have them rebook you on that flight now, you will likely be stuck waiting an extra 5 hours in DTW when there is really no need to.

xliioper

If you are not there right at boarding start, they will not offload you. DTW is pretty straightforward to connect at and there are likely hundreds of people who make such connections everyday. Having checked baggage will likely introduce some additional delay. But on the plus side, DTW-BWI is all mainline so you don't need to worry about going through the tunnel to concourse B/C and your connection will be entirely in concourse A. I guess the only other issue that might be a factor is if you have health/mobility issues. If not, I'd probably stick with your current flights and familiarize yourself with DTW layout and check your departure gate on your mobile when you land (if it's from the end gates, you should probably consider using the tram).

ijgordon

If it wasn’t doable by the vast majority of travelers, DL would not allow anyone to book it. But that length connection, specifically from international to domestic, is “legal” at DTW.
Also keep in mind that (1) “check baggage again” means drop it off at a special counter. It will already be tagged through to Baltimore. It will take one minute. And (2) you clear immigration before waiting for your bags, so if there is a line at passport control, chances are the bags will already be waiting for you on the carousel. And (3) Clearing customs takes practically zero time, unless you get stopped or have goods to declare.

NotHamSarnie

As others have said, it's a quick transfer. If you have Clear or even just Pre-check and there is a long line at the 2-lane non-Clear, non-pre-check security in the sterile area after you're re-checked your bag, exit the sterile area to go landside as if you were a DTW-bound pax and go up the stairs to the next floor to clear security as if you're not a transit pax. I'd stick with your itinerary, you should be fine and if you're not they'll rebook you.

bizeesheri

I recently landed in SEA from FRA along with a couple of other international flights so the lines were long, I had Mobile Passport on my phone and they were telling people with Global Entry or MP to go to the front of the line. It was great, my bag happened to be near the last to arrive on the carousel, so still waited a bit. I noted that the carousal was 3-4 bags deep,so even though my bag was near last, there were a LOT of bags meaning those people were still in lines to clear customs.

fpmurphy

If you have global entry, Clear, carry-on luggage only and know your way around DTW, it is very doable.

If you do not, you are right to be uncomfortable with this connection.

Often1

Turning this around, if OP misconnects, DL will rebook onto the next flight. This could also include DCA as a backup (although unclear that this is realistic for OP).

Whether this connection will work comes down to variables having to do with delays to the inbound on the day of flight. If OP is uncomfortable with the current connection, he should call DL now and ask to be moved to the later flight.

Billy Mumphrey

This all comes down to risk/reward. As others have said, Delta will gladly rebook you if you're not comfortable. You have 1:19 minutes until the DTW-BWI door closes (15 minutes before departure), that's plenty of time for most travelers under most conditions. And if there's a weather event, with a delayed arrival, odds are the connecting flight would be delayed as well. I'm just making up numbers, but:

95% chance you make the connection
3% chance you miss the connection and are rebooked on the same later flight to BWI you are considering changing to now
2% chance you miss the connection and the later flight to BWI is full so you are further delayed

If you change to the later flight you'll guarantee a very long layover, and there is only a very small chance this will actually save you time.