JFK - MAD - AGP Enough Time??
Jun 1, 2007, 9:29 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 14
JFK - MAD - AGP Enough Time??
I am currently scheduled to arrive in Madrid at 9:35 with Delta from JFK. From Madrid, I have a connecting flight with Iberia at 10:40 to Malaga, leaving only one hour between the two flights. This is due to Delta pushing back their flight (original arrival time was 8:55 in MAD). In Madrid, from what I can see online, Delta arrives at terminal 1 while Iberia uses terminal 4. There is complimentary bus service between terminals provided by the airport. Delta does have a luggage agreement with Iberia, so I will be able to check through any luggage I will be checking in at JFK.
Do I have enough time to make it between these two terminals? I contacted Iberia regarding this and they quoted me $300 per person to change tickets to a flight departing 16:00. I did find airfare with AirEuropa for $125 per person for a 13:40 flight, leaving me with plenty of time. However, I do not want to waste the money if I don't have to.
I am flying Business Elite on Delta (using miles), so I was going to see what can be done for me while at the lounge in JFK(can they contact Iberia and let them know a connecting passenger is on board?)
Any insight on this matter is greatly appreciated (is Delta at all responsible for this, since they did change my intinerary?)...
Dennis Russo
Do I have enough time to make it between these two terminals? I contacted Iberia regarding this and they quoted me $300 per person to change tickets to a flight departing 16:00. I did find airfare with AirEuropa for $125 per person for a 13:40 flight, leaving me with plenty of time. However, I do not want to waste the money if I don't have to.
I am flying Business Elite on Delta (using miles), so I was going to see what can be done for me while at the lounge in JFK(can they contact Iberia and let them know a connecting passenger is on board?)
Any insight on this matter is greatly appreciated (is Delta at all responsible for this, since they did change my intinerary?)...
Dennis Russo
Jun 1, 2007, 10:32 am
#2
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,543
Welcome to FT, denrusso. I am going to move this over to the Delta Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator
Jun 1, 2007, 10:38 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,739
I wouldn't try that if I were you, denrusso. Terminal 4 is a long, long way from terminal one. Yes there is a bus, but to catch it you must go to the upper level of Terminal 2.
This bus seems to run haphazardly, and the trip time is longer than you would expect. Also, there is sometimes such a waiting line that not everyone is able to board, so you may have a fair wait at the bus stop.
Terminal 4 itself is vast. The distance from the front door to the actual gate can be quite great. Plus you will have to re-clear security at terminal 4.
Would I count on doing all that in 1 hour? No way!
This bus seems to run haphazardly, and the trip time is longer than you would expect. Also, there is sometimes such a waiting line that not everyone is able to board, so you may have a fair wait at the bus stop.
Terminal 4 itself is vast. The distance from the front door to the actual gate can be quite great. Plus you will have to re-clear security at terminal 4.
Would I count on doing all that in 1 hour? No way!
Jun 1, 2007, 10:41 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Good Luck
Welcome to flyertalk...Word of WARNING...I had this exact connection in Dec, 2005 and lo and behold a few weeks before I try to get seat assignments for Iberia (DL earlier told me 10 months before when I booked these tickets that I could not get seat assignments on Iberia until closer in) and DL tells me that the Iberia flights canceled. No reason given to me BUT I did find out (eventually) that ticket numbers were never called in or sent over from DL to Iberia. No one would take responsibilty until I moved it up the food chain to HQ. They re routed me through CDG on DL and AF to AGP but what a night mare.....SO, MAKE SURE you not only have tickets but I would call Iberia and make sure they have your tkt numbers and you have seats.
Now, lets say all is OK IMHO you do not have enough time for the connection. JFK/EWR flights to Europe always tend to be late. I just went to LGW this weekend and we were over an hour late on arrival. If you happen to be traveling in the summer be aware of the summer thunderstorms in the late afternoon. They tend to mess up everything, too. I would do a back up on Air Europa just to be safe. Think of it as insurance.
Good luck.
Now, lets say all is OK IMHO you do not have enough time for the connection. JFK/EWR flights to Europe always tend to be late. I just went to LGW this weekend and we were over an hour late on arrival. If you happen to be traveling in the summer be aware of the summer thunderstorms in the late afternoon. They tend to mess up everything, too. I would do a back up on Air Europa just to be safe. Think of it as insurance.
Good luck.
Jun 1, 2007, 11:04 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,739
One thing I forgot to mention: the gates used by DL in MAD are near the very end of the Terminal 1 concourse. The walk from the jetway to the busstop is not short.
Again I strongly advise against trying this connection in 1 hour. You might make it if the DL plane is on time, you run practically all the way, the bus is not too full and runs on time, the lines at T4 security are not too long, and/or the IB flight is delayed enough, but who needs that much stress?
One crictical piece of information was missing from your post. Is this trip booked on one ticket, or are there 2 independent tickets involved?
Again I strongly advise against trying this connection in 1 hour. You might make it if the DL plane is on time, you run practically all the way, the bus is not too full and runs on time, the lines at T4 security are not too long, and/or the IB flight is delayed enough, but who needs that much stress?
One crictical piece of information was missing from your post. Is this trip booked on one ticket, or are there 2 independent tickets involved?
Jun 1, 2007, 11:21 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 813
Welcome to flyertalk...Word of WARNING...I had this exact connection in Dec, 2005 and lo and behold a few weeks before I try to get seat assignments for Iberia (DL earlier told me 10 months before when I booked these tickets that I could not get seat assignments on Iberia until closer in) and DL tells me that the Iberia flights canceled. No reason given to me BUT I did find out (eventually) that ticket numbers were never called in or sent over from DL to Iberia. No one would take responsibilty until I moved it up the food chain to HQ. They re routed me through CDG on DL and AF to AGP but what a night mare.....SO, MAKE SURE you not only have tickets but I would call Iberia and make sure they have your tkt numbers and you have seats.
Now, lets say all is OK IMHO you do not have enough time for the connection. JFK/EWR flights to Europe always tend to be late. I just went to LGW this weekend and we were over an hour late on arrival. If you happen to be traveling in the summer be aware of the summer thunderstorms in the late afternoon. They tend to mess up everything, too. I would do a back up on Air Europa just to be safe. Think of it as insurance.
Good luck.
Now, lets say all is OK IMHO you do not have enough time for the connection. JFK/EWR flights to Europe always tend to be late. I just went to LGW this weekend and we were over an hour late on arrival. If you happen to be traveling in the summer be aware of the summer thunderstorms in the late afternoon. They tend to mess up everything, too. I would do a back up on Air Europa just to be safe. Think of it as insurance.
Good luck.
Sorry to hear about your trip, glad we made it work for you. For some of us at Res it's a known problem with IB, I try never to book on them, even if we send them the tickets numbers they cancel the space and claim we never send them. Other times when I have to book on them I call IB directly just to give them the tkt numbers only to be told that I must purchase the tkt, "but the tkt is already paid, I just want to give you the tkt number" 'Sorry Sir I can not do that". IB agents in MIAMI are by far the most incompetent I have ever spoken to.
Enough about my little rant about IB. OP you definitely don't have enough time.
Jun 1, 2007, 11:42 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 14
From everyone's input here it seems that I should consider purchasing the AirEuropa option as insurance. The point regarding the Delta flight being on time is well taken - as these are two seperate tickets I believe both airlines would have zero responsibility with putting me on another flight.
Thank you for the input regarding the terminal layouts as well, as that information is difficult to come by online - it seems personal experience is the best way to come about it.
As this is for holiday and not business, having the AirEuropa ticket will give, at minimum, peace of mind during the flight over.
Thank you again everyone for your input...
Dennis Russo
Jun 1, 2007, 12:46 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Glad you are going to get "insurance"
They are booked as two independent tickets.
From everyone's input here it seems that I should consider purchasing the AirEuropa option as insurance. The point regarding the Delta flight being on time is well taken - as these are two seperate tickets I believe both airlines would have zero responsibility with putting me on another flight.
Thank you for the input regarding the terminal layouts as well, as that information is difficult to come by online - it seems personal experience is the best way to come about it.
As this is for holiday and not business, having the AirEuropa ticket will give, at minimum, peace of mind during the flight over.
Thank you again everyone for your input...
Dennis Russo
From everyone's input here it seems that I should consider purchasing the AirEuropa option as insurance. The point regarding the Delta flight being on time is well taken - as these are two seperate tickets I believe both airlines would have zero responsibility with putting me on another flight.
Thank you for the input regarding the terminal layouts as well, as that information is difficult to come by online - it seems personal experience is the best way to come about it.
As this is for holiday and not business, having the AirEuropa ticket will give, at minimum, peace of mind during the flight over.
Thank you again everyone for your input...
Dennis Russo
You will find FT a really great resource for all info having to do with travel (whether business or pleasure). Stop by often and feel free to ask any question. I also recommend checking the Mileage Buzz and Mileage Run forums. Lots of great info there
One last thing, I do not know if DL has an interline agreement with AirEuropa for transfering luggage to AGP. Are you doing only carry on or checking luggage?
Jun 1, 2007, 12:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: New York, western US
Programs: DM/3MM
Posts: 4,246
I have flown this route many times, usually padding the connection at 2 1/2 hours. I assume that you have two separate tickets as one is award and one is revenue.
I don't know your fare class and Iberia's current standby policies (and your date of travel), but you should ask on the Iberia board (may be other European airline board) what the policies are regarding standby on Iberia if you miss your Spanish domestic flight. There are frequent flights between MAD and AGP on Iberia, and if you are travelling on a day/time when the plan isn't full, free standby might be allowed. I would recommend that you do this prior to purchasing the Air Europa tickets.
If you are flying the same route back, you might want to check how long you have to connect back in MAD. If you miss the DL flight, the only realistic routing to get back to JFK same day would be AF to CDG, and, well, you'll be in CDG. And your award ticket might not be honered by AF (since the CDG-JFK flights will have departed by the time you get there), and you could be stuck in the back.
I don't know your fare class and Iberia's current standby policies (and your date of travel), but you should ask on the Iberia board (may be other European airline board) what the policies are regarding standby on Iberia if you miss your Spanish domestic flight. There are frequent flights between MAD and AGP on Iberia, and if you are travelling on a day/time when the plan isn't full, free standby might be allowed. I would recommend that you do this prior to purchasing the Air Europa tickets.
If you are flying the same route back, you might want to check how long you have to connect back in MAD. If you miss the DL flight, the only realistic routing to get back to JFK same day would be AF to CDG, and, well, you'll be in CDG. And your award ticket might not be honered by AF (since the CDG-JFK flights will have departed by the time you get there), and you could be stuck in the back.
Jun 1, 2007, 10:06 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: BNA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Diamond, *wood plat, UA 1kc
Posts: 921
I have flown this route many times, usually padding the connection at 2 1/2 hours. I assume that you have two separate tickets as one is award and one is revenue.
I don't know your fare class and Iberia's current standby policies (and your date of travel), but you should ask on the Iberia board (may be other European airline board) what the policies are regarding standby on Iberia if you miss your Spanish domestic flight. There are frequent flights between MAD and AGP on Iberia, and if you are travelling on a day/time when the plan isn't full, free standby might be allowed. I would recommend that you do this prior to purchasing the Air Europa tickets.
If you are flying the same route back, you might want to check how long you have to connect back in MAD. If you miss the DL flight, the only realistic routing to get back to JFK same day would be AF to CDG, and, well, you'll be in CDG. And your award ticket might not be honered by AF (since the CDG-JFK flights will have departed by the time you get there), and you could be stuck in the back.
I don't know your fare class and Iberia's current standby policies (and your date of travel), but you should ask on the Iberia board (may be other European airline board) what the policies are regarding standby on Iberia if you miss your Spanish domestic flight. There are frequent flights between MAD and AGP on Iberia, and if you are travelling on a day/time when the plan isn't full, free standby might be allowed. I would recommend that you do this prior to purchasing the Air Europa tickets.
If you are flying the same route back, you might want to check how long you have to connect back in MAD. If you miss the DL flight, the only realistic routing to get back to JFK same day would be AF to CDG, and, well, you'll be in CDG. And your award ticket might not be honered by AF (since the CDG-JFK flights will have departed by the time you get there), and you could be stuck in the back.
Jun 1, 2007, 11:20 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: 10 months VLC, 2 months everywhere else
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Posts: 3,770
I'll pig pile with everyone here:
Don't do it, young person. Not enough time.
Don't do it, young person. Not enough time.
Jun 2, 2007, 11:20 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: New York, Paris
Programs: AA ExPlat 4MM, AA Life Plat, Lufthansa FT, Delta Basic
Posts: 1,593
The advantage of Air Europa is that you will not have to take a bus or anything else to T4. In Madrid, T1,2,3 really are one very long building and it is all walkable. When you exit customs, in T1, make sure you have a cart for your luggage, they are free unlike in JFK, and walk/elevator UP as soon as possible. The departure level is far less gloomy than the arrivals one. Even if AE is furthest away from T1, it should not take you more than 15 minutes to go where you have to in order to recheck. Past security, it is rather pleasant with many affordable eateries and high quality shops. As a DL Elite member, you may find your way into one of the Skyteam lounges. I am not sure whether Air Europa is associated with any alliance, or which (Definitely not OW). Good Luck
Jun 4, 2007, 1:59 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 14
Thanks again for everyone's comments/input/suggestions....
dr
Jun 4, 2007, 5:37 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
Back in the 80's I did this flt/connection a lot (with Pan Am of course) perhaps two dozen times in a 2-3 year period. While T4 did not exist, and I almost always made the connection, my baggage never did, furthermore Iberia could never seem to get my bags to me within 24 hours, they would always show up about 28 hours later, and I'd always collect $200 off of them.
In my similar more recent experiences, if you can get the first airline to tag your bags all the way through, then you will get put on the next connecting flight if you miss the original one.
In my similar more recent experiences, if you can get the first airline to tag your bags all the way through, then you will get put on the next connecting flight if you miss the original one.