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Minimum Connection Transfer Time at Atlanta (ATL): The Definitive Thread

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Old Aug 19, 2016, 8:19 pm
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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)
  • 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
Effective JAN 2, 2020: ATL will be smoke free indoors with all smoking rooms closed and banned in the bars and restaurants that previously allowed it.

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.
Note: as of Labor Day 2018 (possibly earlier) there is a Precheck lane at the I-D reclearing security checkpoint.

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.
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Minimum Connection Transfer Time at Atlanta (ATL): The Definitive Thread

Old Aug 11, 2022, 10:52 am
  #2941  
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Originally Posted by atlocal
So it sounds like it is possible to go to domestic terminal ONLY if you arrive at E?
If wish to go via airside, yes. All passengers clearing at E must clear security, even if ATL is final destination.

F has a landslide exit, so if you clear at F, you won't be allowed airside to get to domestic terminal. You'll have to take the landslide bus that runs between terminals.
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Old Aug 12, 2022, 1:20 pm
  #2942  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
F has a landslide exit, so if you clear at F, you won't be allowed airside to get to domestic terminal. You'll have to take the landslide bus that runs between terminals.
F has both a landside exit and a separate TSA checkpoint. Basically, you eventually turn right to exit landside, and you turn left to see a "protected" check in area and TSA checkpoint that is only accessible from post-inspection international arrivals
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Old Aug 12, 2022, 1:24 pm
  #2943  
 
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Originally Posted by beachmouse
Im kind of puzzled by I had to walk from E to F to go through immigration because while it can be a long walk in the lower reaches of E to get from gate to immigration within that concourse, AFAIK, the only public connection between E and F is the plane train/pedestrian tunnel which is on the other/youre officially back in the USA side of immigration.
Someone got it above, but I have landed at E, gone up to the escalator to be above E departure level, walked all the way across (more or less at gate E17, but still above it), gone down escalators that actually descend two levels, walked the tunnel from E to F (but on the "protected" side of the glass wall), then been spat out at the F immigration point. This was all in mid-2021, so they may have changed the configuration. But following signs which more or less say "final stop is Atlanta", I have always walked out at F and not gone through E, through security again, and been back airside.
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Old Aug 12, 2022, 6:25 pm
  #2944  
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Originally Posted by UnevenGray
Someone got it above, but I have landed at E, gone up to the escalator to be above E departure level, walked all the way across (more or less at gate E17, but still above it), gone down escalators that actually descend two levels, walked the tunnel from E to F (but on the "protected" side of the glass wall), then been spat out at the F immigration point. This was all in mid-2021, so they may have changed the configuration. But following signs which more or less say "final stop is Atlanta", I have always walked out at F and not gone through E, through security again, and been back airside.
If no check bags, this is OK. However with bags you'll have to goto terminal assigned for your flight.
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Old Aug 17, 2022, 7:39 am
  #2945  
 
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Tram transit correction

Originally Posted by Nupey10
If your flight is on time then I wouldn't worry about 59 minutes. The tram ( I made sure to clock 2 weeks ago) takes 35 seconds between each gate T-A-B-C-D and a little longer ( less than a minute) to get from D-E and a little less that a minute from E-F.
If you had to reclaim baggage and ckeck-in then no not enough time. But you're not.
Enjoy your trip.
I owe you all an apology. On a recent trip I timed the tram from F-gate to A-gate ( note T gate then domestic baggage/transportation after A-gate)( sometimes i park at international when I know I have a lot of time to spare)
I entered through the international F gate and to get to A-gates it was around 6 minutes. From door open to door open it takes about 70-80 seconds and I dont have it precisely. The longest part is from F-E gate because the tram has to navigate the curves slowly.
My apologies for the misinformation early
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Old Aug 17, 2022, 12:56 pm
  #2946  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
I think confusion is because E has no direct exit to landside. If you clear immigration at E you must clear TSA into airport, even if not connecting. Your bags will be dropped on recheck belt, and goto belt claim in F. (Unless this has changed since CV19 hit) (sorta like at old SEA IAF, in satellite, you couldn't just take bags with you, even if SEA was final destination )
Almost.,,


Pax with ATL as their final destination are directed to go to F via the loooonnnnngggggg walk. It’s possible to clear at E, but then you have to re-enter customs at F to claim your bags… it’s mildly painful. All ATL-bound bags come out in F. If you’re connecting, they come out in the terminal your plane lands in.

Your description is how it was before F opened. You cleared at E and then out your bag on the belt to be spit out in the regular baggage claim after you cleared TSA and took the tram all the way back.
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Old Aug 17, 2022, 12:59 pm
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
If no check bags, this is OK. However with bags you'll have to goto terminal assigned for your flight.
No. All ATL-bound pax are supposed to clear in F, which is where all their bags will also go.
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Old Aug 17, 2022, 3:15 pm
  #2948  
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Originally Posted by emma dog
No. All ATL-bound pax are supposed to clear in F, which is where all their bags will also go.
This was how it was last time I landed at E inbound from international. Only ATL final passengers without bags were allowed to go clearcat F. This was before CV19. There were even employees making surre went to correct one. All my flights since CV19 have been F gates
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Old Aug 17, 2022, 3:19 pm
  #2949  
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Originally Posted by UnevenGray
F has both a landside exit and a separate TSA checkpoint. Basically, you eventually turn right to exit landside, and you turn left to see a "protected" check in area and TSA checkpoint that is only accessible from post-inspection international arrivals
Right.. the point is if you clear at E, you must go airside regardless of if ATL is final or not. Only F has an exit to landside.
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Old Aug 18, 2022, 4:03 am
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
This was how it was last time I landed at E inbound from international. Only ATL final passengers without bags were allowed to go clearcat F. This was before CV19. There were even employees making surre went to correct one. All my flights since CV19 have been F gates
That would be pretty unusual. I fly international ~6x/year ATL based and havent ever experienced this since F opened. Most of my flights are Latin America and almost always land at E.

I didnt fly international in 2020-mid 2021. Its back to the typical arrangement of ATL pax going to F.
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Old Aug 18, 2022, 8:19 am
  #2951  
 
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Any chance of making my connection in ATL - 35 min layover (supposedly)

For the 7th time Delta has changed my flights/times for an upcoming trip.

I am flying from Richmond, VA to Anchorage, Alaska going through ATL and MSP.

The flight from RIC to ATL was originally 1 hour 5 min layover but is now 35 mins due to a plane and time change.

With current state of airline travel I realize that we may make the flight ok but I am fairly confident our luggage won't. This assumes we have no delays or issues in RIC.

Am I right in thinking I need to pick new flights?

Last edited by GCS2000; Aug 18, 2022 at 9:19 am
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Old Aug 18, 2022, 9:29 am
  #2952  
 
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Originally Posted by xliioper
MCT is 35 minutes for DL-DL domestic connections at ATL. 41 minutes is legal and routinely scheduled at ATL and no reason to necessarily assume your luggage won't make it. Looks like you are on DL2151 connecting to DL838 at ATL connecting to DL1210 at MSP. It's certainly tight with not much margin for error, but I wouldn't necessarily change it as long as there are backup routing options available. There's a non-stop on ATL-ANC 5x weekly through Oct 1st and there are 2x daily MSP-ANC flights through early October. If you provided date, it would be easier to see what is available.
flying out of RIC on 9/14/2022
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Old Aug 18, 2022, 9:34 am
  #2953  
 
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The layover was so short he didnt have time to make a post to go along with the thread title. 🤣
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Old Aug 18, 2022, 6:56 pm
  #2954  
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Oh boy a free-for-all thread so why is it called a layover ?

Would you call a 100 yd dash a layover in track n Field
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Old Aug 18, 2022, 7:06 pm
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Originally Posted by GCS2000
For the 7th time Delta has changed my flights/times for an upcoming trip.

I am flying from Richmond, VA to Anchorage, Alaska going through ATL and MSP.

The flight from RIC to ATL was originally 1 hour 5 min layover but is now 35 mins due to a plane and time change.

With current state of airline travel I realize that we may make the flight ok but I am fairly confident our luggage won't. This assumes we have no delays or issues in RIC.

Am I right in thinking I need to pick new flights?
​​​​​​No one can predict the future, so it's up to your risk tolerance. I've had myself and my luggage make shorter connections at ATL. If you or your luggage miss the flight, there are later flights ATL-MSP and MSP-ANC. (as well as ATL-SEA-ANC) If for some reason you really need to be there earlier in the evening and are risk averse I'd switch to either the early am RIC-ATL-SEA-ANC​​​​​ or the RIC-JFK- MSP-ANC
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