rove312

Thanks. I found on the PDF timetable that the legal connecting time is 1 hr. 15, so I'm just making it. Is there any prospect of moving up the AMS departure without a change fee here (award flight, no status)? I'm inclined to take my chances with what I have, and if I take the car service see if I can call to book them only when I'm sure that I'm making the connection. The last time that I flew out of AMS, customs held me for the full drug frisking, as a 40 y.o. single male; I wonder if I'll face the same at 51.

hathawayr

I am looking to fly Northwest on a Friday DEN-MSP-MDW. There is only a :30 minute connection. Is this too short? (especially if I'm traveling with a 2-year-old) Since I'm not familiar with MSP, would like some input if there is any hope of making a short connection.

Thanks,
Becky

tjl

30 minutes leaves no room for error. An airplane can be 14 minutes late but not be "late" in official statistics. And if your departing flight is on time, they will close the door 10 minutes ahead of departure. So that could leave you 6 minutes. And it can take that long to get out of the plane if you are in the back.

You can fly Frontier or Southwest non-stop from DEN to MDW. Or, if you can tolerate flying into ORDelay, you can also fly non-stop on United or American.

Ocn Vw 1K

hathawayr, welcome to FlyerTalk! Since your question involves NW Airlines flights, let me move this to our Northwest Air WorldPerks forum for more insight/discussion. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

jimc_usa

Welcome to FT - MSP is very easy to get around and you can get the golf cart. All concourses are well signed. There is a train that will take you from the far reaches of C concourse to be able to get to F/G. If you know what gates you will arrive/depart from it would help.

GBadger

While I agree that MSP is well signed and easy to get around, it is also quite large! A hike from one end of the terminal will take 20 minutes, even with the tram.

I would book a 30 minute connection, but I know the airport, and I am not traveling with a 2 year old.

I would look for a longer connection, or at least make sure you know what the alternate flights are in case you don't make it.

Good luck!

3Cforme

Northwest cites minimum connect times in the 'Intro to Timetable' available as a .PDF from the web site. (Well hidden, IMO.) MCT is, indeed, 30 minutes at MSP, NW domestic to NW domestic.

See page 2.

http://www.nwa.com/travel/timetable/help.pdf

KenfromDE

As a physically fit adult, I cringe at a 30 minute MSP connection. Luck plays a vital part. You may get the adjacent gate or one that is (or seems) a mile away. Will your arriving flight be on time? Your best chance of this is taking the day's first flight. Sit toward the front so you will be among the first to deplane. Waiting for a stroller would be a killer. If it is late, your departing flight is ALWAYS on time. If you arrive at that gate 5 min. before scheduled departure, you will find a closed door. Scheduled gates are very often changed. When in a tight connection, the tram along C concourse seems to take forever to arrive. I recall thinking several times, I should have walked the moving belts. A cart is a GOOD suggestion if the gate is not nearby. Study the map of MSP for the best route to your gate. There is a moving belt hallway from the middle of C to the end of G that is not all that obvious. If it is obvious you are going to miss the connection, call the 800 number during the taxi rather than waiting for help at the arrival gate or before departure if the first flight has a delayed departure. Have a backup plan! Concourse A at DTW is much better for a close connection. GOOD LUCK!

rove312

I'll ask a variant; it got no answer on another thread and I'll see if it works better here. I have 1 hr. 17 after an international arrival at MSP (all main cabin), two minutes over the MCT. Before I decide if I want to change the connection (AMS-MSP-MCI), would I be able to do it without a change fee, going on an award with no status? This will be in September, and it's the last MSP-MCI flight of the day. I've just found seat assigments open; not wanting window seats with the IFE box, I've booked an aisle in row 30 as the frontmost aisle without a P; will it make much of a difference, and can I argue that I need to be more in front to make the connection? I'm planning to go carry-on only.

3Cforme

They're going to want a change fee. You have a valid connection, if not a generous one. Now, if they have a schedule change that leaves you with an illegal connection, then you have an opportunity for a no-cost change.

tjl

77 minutes... if you subtract the 14 minutes that a plane can be late and still be "on time" and the 10 minutes ahead of your next flight that the door closes, that leaves 53 minutes to:

Leave the plane from your inbound flight.
Go through US immigration.
Collect checked baggage (if you do carryon only, you won't have to wait for your baggage).
Go through US customs.
Recheck checked baggage (if you do carryon only, you won't have to do this)
Go through security.
Go to the departing flight gate.

The length of the immigration and customs line likely depends on how many other international flights are arriving at the same time.

Smailtronic

Carry-on only, I think you'll be fine. I'd recommend checking with the ticket agent in AMS to try and get closer to the front, but more than likely, you'll breeze past most everyone seated in front of you while they're waiting for their luggage to come off the plane.

tvnwz

My daughter, who has a small child, navigated MSP on a tight connection by asking the gate agent on the first leg (DEN in your case) if an electric cart could be waiting at the other gate. when she arrived in MSP it was nearby and they whisked her to her gate in less than five minutes.

I would work that angle. We have all almost been run over by these guys, might as well use them to your advantage.

KenfromDE

Your two stand-and-wait times are deplaning and immigration. If you are really concerned with the time, you could bite the bullet and take a window seat much further forward. Inconvenient if traveling as a couple. The right side of the plane usually empties faster since those in the center seats tend to move toward the left isle. Not much you can do about immigration, but you should breeze through customs. Be prepared to go through security and study the airport map for the fastest route to your gate. With a reasonably on time arrival you should be OK.

raehl311

There MAY be a tram - it's currently under maintenance and often running 1 or 0 trams.