gary_nj

Just dropping by here to say a quick "thank you" to the folks who responded to my question up-thread. This morning, I did the 4S->4S transit and it went without a hitch. My IB arrival from JFK into MAD was a bus gate, so we were dropped off at a separate security screening area that did not have an obvious IB transfer desk. But I had my AA boarding pass on the app and also had a home-printed version. There were directional signs to the S gates, and an agent making sure that folks were in the right lane. She scanned my bp for JFK with a bit of a puzzled look because the bus that just arrived had come from JFK, but she didn't say much. Beyond that, all went very smoothly. Thanks for the help and advice!

cdl1012

Ok so arriving in T2 and T4 should be a negligible difference right? If I have bags and on a US passport? Just a longer shuttle from T2 to T4s?

chacor

Ok – that was a missing detail. Landing at T2 means you're in on a UX flight rather than IB (IB is exclusively at T4/4S). Claim bags, head outside the terminal, there's a shuttle bus that will take you to T4 (not walkable) – the journey is about 5-10 minutes down the motorway. Then check back in with IB, go through security, and then take the train to T4S.

cdl1012

Oh originally I was planning on T4 but looks like I might have to take T2 bc of a different airline

LupineChemist

Uhh.....not at all negligible.

You will have to get your bags in T2. Get the bus over to T4 and then check in and go through security again. The transfer between terminals should have 25-30 minutes budgeted depending on how long you're waiting for the bus.

csycsycsy

Is the late baggage arrival from T4S an IB/BA using IB's own handling thing? I ask as I've never checked baggage coming back to MAD on IB/BA but on CX it's always been fast, with CX using a different/better handling the theory.

LupineChemist

Couldn't tell you. AA also takes forever, but could be the same IB handling. Almost always 45 minutes minimum

chacor

QR takes forever too.

cdl1012

Ok not negligible but not unrealistic since I'll have 4 hours between flights. Seems like bags, passport, security, terminal transfer, and tram from T4 to T4S should all be doable in about 1.5 hours.

EDIT: This guy says about 2.5 - 3.5 hours if you have baggage. That seems a bit excessive but the guy is preaching worst case scenario

LupineChemist

Didn't watch the video, but I assume it's including immigration. T2 is Schengen only so you can skip that step.

cdl1012

Ok so I booked Iberia J tickets. So I should be good on the expedited screening stuff right?

9:35 AM arrival at T2 on Air Europa to 12:40 departure at T4S on Iberia seems pretty doable with checked bags. Just maybe not a lot of time to enjoy the lounge.

chacor

On paper, yes, I would agree with that assessment.

Let's look at it from a worst-case-scenario point of view:
Your inbound flight is delayed a little. In the past week the latest arrival has been 09:58 https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ux7156

Your bags get to you say 30 mins later, so that's 10:30am.

You still have to get your stuff out the door and onto the airport terminal shuttle, which runs every 5-8 minutes and will take another 10 on the motorway. So that's 10:45am.

Into the terminal and up two floors, then to the opposite end of the terminal, where the business checkin desks are, from where the shuttle bus drops you. 11am, assuming not a massive line in the business queue. In any case, check in closes at 55 mins before departure (they do repeatedly suggest that passengers to the US show up 4 hours ahead of departure, but in my experience that is overkill), so you will be fine here.

As for moving from T4 to T4S (clearing fast-track security in T4, taking the train over to T4S, then clearing immigration), YMMV. If you're stuck in a line at passport control then you could be waiting 20 mins if unlucky. So say half an hour for this, and you're into the T4S terminal itself at 11:30am.

For a 12:40pm departure, I would not be comfortable having any more than 10 minutes in the lounge, given boarding will probably commence early and you still have an extra document check for all US-bound flights to clear. While you will have no issues with this check as a US passport holder, there may be lines.

Any longer for your bags to come out at T2 (or for passports at T4S) and you're probably pushing it a lot closer than necessary, especially self-connecting.

cdl1012

All right. Wife is going to have to learn how to pack for a 9 day trip with just a carry on and a backpack. I can give up all of my backpack space for her stuff as well LOL. Might need to hit up a laundry or have the hotel do my laundry mid vacation which I don't mind. Save ourselves 30 min

saraoutou

Small testimony:
On 9th of may I was coming down the stairs from a business class long haul flight parked away at T1 at 8.50AM
bus, small walk, immigration (EU pasport automatic gates), lugage (3) recovery, small walk, upstairs, small walk, see the bus shuttle T1-T2/T4 leaving just in front of me, wait for the next one, transfer (rather rough), go down from the shuttle at T4 d�parture level, cross all the nearly crowded check in zone to IB J check-in (as said exactly at the other end of the building) queuing for check-in (about 10-12 persons or group before me), check-in (quick because intra Schengen flight) .
It was 10.10 so 1 hour 20 minutes when everything is smooth.
Note that there is more walk when you are in T2/T3

cdl1012

Thank you.

Given my earlier flight into Madrid isn�t delayed, I should be able to make my flight comfortably. I won�t get much time in the lounge since they�d probably start boarding around 12ish but not a huge concern of mine. They�ll start stuffing us full of food right after we get on the plane anyway.