4 hr max for connection - why?
 

Why does Delta have a 4 hour maximum for a layer on a domestic flight? There are times when I'd enjoy (don't laugh) a 5 hour layover in say ATL. American seems to allow longer layovers.

Answer, this is how it's always been. AA is mor them keeping change post CV19. After CV19 a long connection (or overnight) could be required between even big cities. AA (and to lesser extent UA) Just never went back. DL OTOH has been trying real hard to reimpose the 4/6/24hr rules. (6 for Central America/Caribbean) The 6hr rule seems to be biting them. The routes it is on a lot have no same day connection.

Regardless 4 hour has just been the long established norm for DTD connection.

Also note that DL flights to/from Alaska fit into the 6 hr rule, not the 4, for domestic. Even then during the slowest part of the winter it’s not uncommon for some DL flights to have greater than 6 hour connections to/from AK. So, while DL tries its hardest to impose the 4/6 rule, it’s not 100%.

Also note that even on international connections greater than 6 hours, DL systems will default to short checking a bag, but a good agent can override.

You can do that, it’ll just cost extra. How much is the AYCE buffet worth?

I had a feeling it would be just cause it is.
One workaround I've somewhat accidentally done before, is went to the gate for the flight for the first leg, and they've let me get on, which is basically standby for the first flight.

The 4 hour rule is a much bigger problem in DTW/MSP/SLC compared to ATL, because ATL has so much frequency to many destinations.

For example, it’s not uncommon to see XXX-DTW-LGA-YYY as the only “legal” routing because XXX-DTW arrives >4 hours before the next DTW-YYY flight. So even though DTW may have multiple daily frequencies to both XXX and YYY, if they don’t arrive/depart within 4 hours, ticketing rules make you book another connection just cause.

For Midwest flyers to small markets, this annoyance is very real (and idiotic).

DL does not have any prohibition on connections over 4 hours. AA, DL, and UA all have the same 4 hour limit on US48 domestic fares (before layover becomes a stopover). Anything showing longer than that on their websites will simply be broken fare constructions (separate fares on each segment). The fact that AA/UA may price out broken fares more readily on one-way/roundtrip searches doesn't mean that DL prohibits such constructions. You can readily price out US48 connections longer than 4 hours on delta.com using multi-city search if that is your desire. While pricing out on separate fares is often more expensive than on a single O&D fare component, this isn't always the case.
WN is an exception compared to UA/AA/DL and allows layovers up to 8 hours on a single fare component currently.

AA US48 fare rule example --
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cb53ae44a2.png

UA fares rule example --
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2609c0d061.png


WN fare rule example --

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9e67abf12d.png

DL fares to Alaska allow for up 24 hour layovers before stopover occurs. Hawaii fares are 6 hours before a stopover occurs (however, they allow for stopovers on a single fare component for an additional fee).

simple answer: it’s the way they have chosen to write their fare rules (and, as noted, these rules vary across different markets)

I wouldn’t be surprised if the 4-hour limit for connections *on a thru fare* is an artifact of the pre-deregulation (~1975?) environment, if not even farther back to the days of the Civil Aeronautics Board in the 1940s/50s

It is annoying because sometimes it is not possible to book a domestic wide body route. I much prefer these aircraft and wouldn’t mind a longer connection.

If you get bored of ATL, LAX, etc. you could simply leave and go into town. Sadly it’s only really practical to do this on international itineraries.

I book through fares on AA all the time with iver 4 hrs connection. (Overnight usually, so it may be instead they are going by the rule of 1st flight next day when no onward left same day). Booking as a broken fare at an AA hub would be much more expensive.

If I remember AA tried to go back to the 4hr rule, started and gave up. (Leaving some routes with numerous options with 4hr, but most other routes not changed) If they truly went back on all/most, it's not obvious on routes I fly them on.

If it's over 4 hours on US48 it's a broken fare. There is no "1st flight next day" rule. AA and UA just show them more readily on fare searches than DL does and you will generally need to use multi-city to book them on DL. All the airlines relaxed domestic fare connection allowances during Covid due to the limited schedules, but now the big 3 are all back to 4 hours. Most of Canada is 4 hours as well. But there are exceptions to smaller destinations with limited flights.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9583addc03.png
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f794836f96.png

Yes, I have done this on AA also, though it appears that it only applies if redeeming miles, not paying for the ticket. I am not sure if the fare rules are different. Actually, on AA, the cheapest miles redemption are usually extended layover connections.

My experience when booking with SkyPesos is that there is no rule. I deliberately booked an 11-hour+ layover in JFK for my trip to FRA, originating in IND. Sometimes, these are the cheapest flights in terms of miles, but that may also have to do with the departure time at the originating airport. Overall, I guess there are differences between booking rules with cash & miles.?

Long-haul international revenue fares and awards allow up to 24 hour layovers. Not really the same thing being talked about here with 4 hours on US48 domestic fares. Also, DL just recently reduced layover allowance on Mexico/Caribbean/Central America for both revenue fares and awards to 6 hours (previously, it had been 16 hours for Mexico and 24 hours for Caribbean/Central America except for SJU/STT/STX). See this thread -- https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...ispreloading=1

DL does seem to more readily quote broken fare awards vs. broken fare revenue fares. The layover allowances are still there for awards. But it's not always obvious you are getting a broken fare award unless you click through to the fare rules to see the actual award fare contruction. Although when the award classes are different on flights, it's fairly obvious.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a060cb6b61.png
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a4c2f04989.png