Aug 19, 2016, 8:19 pm
Last edit by: LoganFlyer
Navigating the ATL: Despite its size, ATL has a very functional layout that makes transfers quite straightforward. The airside complex is shaped like a rib cage, with the ribs (the concourses) branching off from the spine (the underground plane train)
Minimum Connect Time in ATL if connecting from a Delta flight to a Delta flight, per ExpertFlyer:
Domestic flight - domestic flight: 35 minutes
Exceptions:
If your inbound flight is on a 330 or 767, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for a domestic-domestic connection.
Domestic flight - international flight: 40 minutes
Exceptions:
International flight - domestic flight: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Exceptions:
International flight - international flight: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Exceptions:
- There is one common airside area for all carriers and all departures both domestic and international
- You do NOT need to re-clear security when making a domestic to domestic or domestic to international connection (international-domestic and international-international are the usual border fuss)
- The concourses are names T (for terminal) A B C D E F. TABCD are usually short and medium haul gates; E and F are usually long haul/international. The plane train connects all concourses.
- If your flight documents say 'North Terminal' or South Terminal', ignore that while connecting. That refers to land side check-in desks, and you won't see any references to those while on the air side of the airport.
- If you wish to stretch your legs, a pedestrian tunnel runs parallel to the plane train from the T to E terminals. There is an additional pedestrian tunnel between E and F unconnected to the other tunnel that requires going aboveground at E and poking around to find it.
- If you do not have club access, the E and F concourse areas tend to be quieter and less crowded places to wait
Minimum Connect Time in ATL if connecting from a Delta flight to a Delta flight, per ExpertFlyer:
Domestic flight - domestic flight: 35 minutes
Exceptions:
If your inbound flight is on a 330 or 767, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for a domestic-domestic connection.
Domestic flight - international flight: 40 minutes
Exceptions:
- If your inbound flight is on a 330 or 767, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for a domestic-international connection.
- The minimum domestic-YYC connection time is 45 minutes.
- The minimum domestic-HAV connection time is 55 minutes.
International flight - domestic flight: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Exceptions:
- If you are coming from a Canadian airport with preclearance other than YYC, then the minimum connection time is 35 minutes for an international-domestic connection.
- If you are coming from AUA, BDA, FPO, NAS, or YYC, then the minimum connection time is 45 minutes for an international-domestic connection.
- If you are coming from Ireland, then the minimum connection time is 1 hour for an international-domestic connection.
- If you are coming from LOS, then the minimum connection time is 1 hour, 30 minutes for an international-domestic connection.
- If you are coming from HAV, then the minimum connection time is 1 hour, 55 minutes for an international-domestic connection.
International flight - international flight: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Exceptions:
- If you are coming from a Canadian airport with preclearance other than YYC, then the minimum connection time is 40 minutes for an international-international connection.
- If you are coming from YYC, then the minimum connection time is 45 minutes for an international-international connection.
- If you are coming from AUA, BDA, FPO, or NAS, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for an international-international connection.
- If you are coming from Ireland, then the minimum connection time is 1 hour for an international-international connection.
- If you are coming from LOS, then the minimum connection time is 1 hour, 30 minutes for an international-international connection.
Minimum Connection Transfer Time at Atlanta (ATL): The Definitive Thread
Feb 15, 2018, 1:06 pm
#2432
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 23
Good evening. Just booked a strange award ticket for a holiday with my wife: Amsterdam-Guadeloupe through Paris, but on my way back I'm flying Guadeloupe-Atlanta-Amsterdam (KLM, the infamous late flight). So this is an international - international connection in ATL. Since when I'm in the USA I'm mostly arriving/connecting in Detroit or Minneapolis (really nice airports), is 1 hour 45 minutes (just 20 minutes above MCT) really fine? I have no major experiences in Atlanta... (I do have multiple bad experiences in Miami though). Inbound Atlanta is 20:50, departure to Amsterdam is 22:35. We have checked bags.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Feb 15, 2018, 3:02 pm
#2433
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Good evening. Just booked a strange award ticket for a holiday with my wife: Amsterdam-Guadeloupe through Paris, but on my way back I'm flying Guadeloupe-Atlanta-Amsterdam (KLM, the infamous late flight). So this is an international - international connection in ATL. Since when I'm in the USA I'm mostly arriving/connecting in Detroit or Minneapolis (really nice airports), is 1 hour 45 minutes (just 20 minutes above MCT) really fine? I have no major experiences in Atlanta... (I do have multiple bad experiences in Miami though). Inbound Atlanta is 20:50, departure to Amsterdam is 22:35. We have checked bags.
Thanks!
Thanks!
I'm assuming you're on the AF flight from PTP-ATL and this is all on the same ticket. If so, you might inquire in PTP about getting your bags checked all the way through as an I-I connection, thus saving you the hassle of having to claim and re-check them in ATL. Others here will be able to comment on how likely it is that you'll be able to have them do that.
Feb 17, 2018, 4:04 pm
#2436
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Now in SLC
Programs: DL GM 1MM, MR LT Titanium
Posts: 4,119
Depends on the airport. Some airports support the ITI concept. The ITI (international to international) concept is where you're flying an itinerary that starts outside the US, connects in the US, and ends outside the US. In that case, your bag will be transferred to your second flight without you having to take it through customs. The passenger, of course, still has to go through customs and immigration. For that to work, you need two things:
1. You have to be going through a US airport that supports ITI--only a limited number do.
2. Your airline has to tag your bag correctly at the origination--they put a special tag on your bag so the baggage handlers in the US know it's an ITI transfer.
That's how it works. I have no idea whether ATL is an airport that supports ITI, and if it is, whether the AF agents at PTP will know how to do it.
1. You have to be going through a US airport that supports ITI--only a limited number do.
2. Your airline has to tag your bag correctly at the origination--they put a special tag on your bag so the baggage handlers in the US know it's an ITI transfer.
That's how it works. I have no idea whether ATL is an airport that supports ITI, and if it is, whether the AF agents at PTP will know how to do it.
Feb 17, 2018, 6:29 pm
#2437
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,689
Depends on the airport. Some airports support the ITI concept. The ITI (international to international) concept is where you're flying an itinerary that starts outside the US, connects in the US, and ends outside the US. In that case, your bag will be transferred to your second flight without you having to take it through customs. The passenger, of course, still has to go through customs and immigration. For that to work, you need two things:
1. You have to be going through a US airport that supports ITI--only a limited number do.
2. Your airline has to tag your bag correctly at the origination--they put a special tag on your bag so the baggage handlers in the US know it's an ITI transfer.
That's how it works. I have no idea whether ATL is an airport that supports ITI, and if it is, whether the AF agents at PTP will know how to do it.
1. You have to be going through a US airport that supports ITI--only a limited number do.
2. Your airline has to tag your bag correctly at the origination--they put a special tag on your bag so the baggage handlers in the US know it's an ITI transfer.
That's how it works. I have no idea whether ATL is an airport that supports ITI, and if it is, whether the AF agents at PTP will know how to do it.
Another point about ITI is that you must be flying directly out of the US from you international arrival airport. NRT ATL YYZ is OK where as HKG SEA DTW YYZ would not work.
Mar 6, 2018, 7:13 pm
#2439
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 4
Hi all, I have the following connection in Atlanta next month - SAT to ATL arriving at 2.23pm, ATL to JFK departing at 3.05pm, both flights with Delta. I am worried that my checked bag will not make my connecting flight with the connection only being 42 minutes. I kind of need a checked bag as I am in San Antonio for a week before this flight and then in NYC for a few days. Any thoughts on whether my luggage stands any chance of making it? Thanks
Mar 6, 2018, 9:40 pm
#2440
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,689
Hi all, I have the following connection in Atlanta next month - SAT to ATL arriving at 2.23pm, ATL to JFK departing at 3.05pm, both flights with Delta. I am worried that my checked bag will not make my connecting flight with the connection only being 42 minutes. I kind of need a checked bag as I am in San Antonio for a week before this flight and then in NYC for a few days. Any thoughts on whether my luggage stands any chance of making it? Thanks
I had short connections into ATL when the outbound is intl and the plane that use cargo containers made it with 45 minutes layover.
Your bag will get a special tag identifying the short connection. I have seen these bags go right to a handler when offloaded from the plane and then taken to the connecting gate.
Mar 8, 2018, 12:48 pm
#2442
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
I've found in ATL bags have a better chance of making tight connections than people, though. I once had a ~10 min connection due to IRROPs that I simply didn't make. My checked bag did make it to the next flight and was waiting for me when I got to my destination a couple hours later than planned.
Mar 22, 2018, 3:48 pm
#2443
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 610
Any opinions on 1h 45min domestic-international? I know it beats the MCT by quite some time, but the inbound is on a CRJ200 which IIRC end up at some far end at ATL? More specifically it's GNV-ATL-MUC, arriving around 3:30pm and leaving at 5:10pm. It's a single ticket so I know I'm taken care of in case something goes downhill, but would you say it's a comfortable connection?
Mar 22, 2018, 9:07 pm
#2445
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,324
Any opinions on 1h 45min domestic-international? I know it beats the MCT by quite some time, but the inbound is on a CRJ200 which IIRC end up at some far end at ATL? More specifically it's GNV-ATL-MUC, arriving around 3:30pm and leaving at 5:10pm. It's a single ticket so I know I'm taken care of in case something goes downhill, but would you say it's a comfortable connection?