MSPeconomist

Good luck. I hope you're preparing by doing some sprinting and running every day, plus racing up and down stairs so that you can pass people on the long escalators to and from the plane train.

makrom

Depends, did you buy it as a single ticket?

pvn

You're not reading my post (as usual). I SDC to give myself LESS time.

ATL is not some convoluted maze, it's probably the easiest airport in the world of it's size to navigate.

I'd like to see statistics of how many people on 40 minute connections at ATL misconnect. I am guessing most people in this thread would massively overestimate the number.

Majuki

Yes, it's a single ticket booked directly with Delta.

scongro

Well, then I wouldn't expect them to hold the plane for you, but they will automatically rebook you on the next flight they can. Assuming there isn't a weather event or other larger cancellation event they can usually get you on the next flight to your destination.

synergistic

I think the OP made the right call by choosing an earlier flight to avoid the issue entirely. I tend to book longer connections when possible for lounge purposes, though similarly don't worry about short connections as long as there are enough later flights to carry me on my way. Without a lounge, though, a few hour delay could easily cost me more than the fare difference, given the price of whiskey gingers in airports =p

PV_Premier

flight times (block) are very padded these days. it isn't uncommon for a flight that departs on time to block in 30 minutes early.

i routinely book 40 minute connections in SLC, MSP, and ATL and haven't missed one lately when the originating flight departs no greater than 15 minutes late.

where you can get into trouble at ATL is if you arrive on the far end of D or E and need to get to the far end of A or T.

unfortunately, where a typical domestic flight operates from on any given day isn't a good indication of where it will operate from the next day, IME.

Majuki

I'm not too worried due to the schedule padding and Delta's good operations. I typically fly a combination of AA and AS, so I wouldn't recommend a 40-minute connection at DFW, which is the minimum connecting time there, for instance.

I just want to make sure that I'm protected or have some options to reroute in case the inbound flight is delayed. A few posts had indicated that the traveler would be on his own if the connection was within the MCT and arrived to the connection after doors had closed on the next flight.

If I go below the minimum connecting time due to a schedule change, I will call in to see about getting on an earlier flight out of Knoxville. It would be even better if the schedule change were in my favor, providing me with a longer layover.

ND76

Another factor is whether the GA at your gate in ATL has a full flight and a standby list, and wants to pull the trigger early so that he or she can close the door as much as 10 minutes before departure.

This happened to me a couple of years ago on a BWI-ATL-SJC trip (the ATL-SJC leg was the only non-stop flight of the day between those two airports). The BWI flight arrived late; I think I set a personal record in getting from the gate in the B concourse to the gate in the A concourse in something like 8 minutes, and arrived before scheduled departure time, only to find that the GA had just shut the door and watched her retract the jetway from the plane. There were at least 15 others who got there at the same time I did who missed out also (the GIDS showed that the flight went out full). She cleared the standbys and NRSAs and closed the door.

3Cforme

It really isn't one's choice to have a single-ticket connection below MCT, even if the short-timing resulted from a schedule change. The ticketing party has a responsibility to rebook you with a schedule change. Check-in systems are smart enough to refuse to let a passenger check bags. You not be able to get boarding passes. Count on being re-booked; do that at your initiative to something that works for you or suffer the risk of waiting for available flights on day of travel.

DFW1972

Sorry for the delay in replying. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Given that the DL flight to DFW is the last one of the day, I think we will play it safe and plan an overnight at the Hyatt Place and then head out the next morning to DAL. This way, we won't have to be stressed out if there are any delays on our BA flight.

Thanks again!

Duke787

I think this is wise based on my experience yesterday. We flew FCO - ATL - RDU. Got an "X" on my GE for the first time ever and they had one person processing the GE "X" folks so that took about 30 minutes.

From there the baggage took another 25 minutes (our stuff must've been in the last cargo bin on the plane) and then as noted above there is no TSA PreCheck so that was another 20-25 minutes. All told we landed at 4:53pm EST yesterday and didn't get all the way out until about 6:15pm despite GE and being among the first off the plane since were were sitting in C+ near 2L.

I've gone ahead and added the lack of TSA pre to the wiki for those visiting this thread in the future.

Pulley

I am flying ABQ-ATL-SAV. I chose a 55 minute connection vs. a 2'35" so I can get home at 7:06 p.m. vs. 8:45 p.m.. Any reason to change to the later flight? I am flying F if that matters. Thanks

beachmouse

Under normal circumstances, it's plenty of time, and there look to be multiple additional flight options for the ATL-SAV night route if the original connection gets weird. So 55 is perfectly fine in my book.

zitsky

I have 3 hours. Just wondering where my flight might land and where I might pick up my domestic flight. Can I check a few days before. Is it really necessary to take the train? Is it too far to walk? This is all on Delta.