Dilemma
 

I live in greater boston and snagged a good fare for JFK-CDG-JFK on Air France. Separately booked a ticket on Delta for BOS-JFK and return. Delta has since issued a schedule change that reduces my connection at JFK to 1:25 which seems tight. I will probably check a bag. There are no later flights.

Should I chance it? Cancel it? Book a later flight on JetBlue for $185 as insurance -- which I consider better than going to some awful JFK motel? Something else?

If you miss the Delta flight to BOS because your incoming AF is late, or you just can't get through customs and do the transfer in time, you've lost the value of the DL ticket and have no recourse. I'd do one of two things: chance it and resign myself to going into town and grabbing Amtrak to Boston if I don't make it, or cancel and buy the later JetBlue ticket (which you will also lose, however, if your AF is really late).

Dilemma
 

I think the concern is (correctly) on the outbound. 85 minutes connection to an international flight at JFK seems risky to me. Can you rebook to an earlier inbound to JFK from BOS given the schedule change?

Oh. In that case, absolutely change or discard the short hop to JFK. A 1:25 transfer to international longhaul with a terminal change, with separate PNRs, is asking for disaster. Official advice is to be at DL two hours before departure.

Dilemma
 

To Yahtzee: is the short connection on the outbound or inbound flight?

MCT at JFK - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html

Domestic-Int'l is 1h15m
Int'l-Domestic is 1h45m (DL to DL)

It may depend on if your 1h25m connection is on the oubound or return flight. If on the return, you could make it, you're just not protected if you miss the connection. Also, I am pretty certain AF uses T1 at JFK so you'd have to make a landside transfer, which could be a real challenge if you have checked baggage.

I would call DL and at least link the PNRs. If you have Medallion status, they may be more likely to accomodate you if you miss the flight.

Have you tried calling DL to see if they can change your BOS-JFK-BOS flight?

Since OP was looking for later flights, I assume the change is on the return. And since there are no later flights. and he doesn't want to spend the night at JFK, the options are somewhat limited.
- Request a refund and book elsewhere.
- Book the JetBlue flight as insurance / replacement.
- Check the Amtrak schedules for the night.

Dilemma
 

If it's the return, I would consider 85 minutes at JFK to be a nearly impossible connection to make. I assume your CDG flight gets in late afternoon/evening, so your first problem is immigration and customs. Then there's the bag. I would try to get a refund and rely on Amtrak if there are no later flights. Actually I would probably stay in a hotel, but that's me.

Theres always the 2AM NE regional Amtrak. $50 advance purchase rate. There is no earlier train. Greyhound to Boston from NYC Port Authority is 10pm express, 10:30PM via Hartford and and 12:15AM via Worcester $35 - $40

Sorry, I fell off the grid there. I think swag captures it.

I'm concerned about the return. 85 minutes to get through Global Entry, potentially collect a bag and get from T1 to T2 or T4. Delta offered to put me on the first flight the next day (hence the awful hotel reference). There's a JetBlue flight at 10:55 which would seem safe but is a long time to wait around after a trans-Atlantic flight.

If I knew I wasn't going to have a checked bag, I think it would be fine. I just won't know until close to departure.

So, I want a free option (earlier Delta flight with JetBlue as backup), but there aren't any free options in this scenario.

Final wrinkle: I think I need the hated MQDs on the outbound to renew Gold for next year so it really comes down to whether I want to buy an insurance policy from JetBlue that, as BearX220 points out, isn't bullet proof.

If you need the MQD, is a night in the hotel so bad? And probably cheaper than the JetBlue insurance.

Okay. Off I go to find a JFK hotel thread!

It's slim pickings. I don't want to spend your money for you, but a night in Manhattan is a lot more appealing, especially after a transatlantic flight I think you'd like the vibe of a nice environment, not some dodgy Jamaica Holiday Inn!

Quality inn across from the airtrain station is a decent hotel. I stayed there on my way to catch my last award flight. Its about $118 after taxes ($10 less if you have AAA) but requires 2 day cancellation period. Last time i stayed there they were sold out no not sure how well it would work out if purchased last minute.

http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-jamaica-new_york-NY326

To close this out: I ended up buying a back up flight on JetBlue.

JFK was a bit of a disaster last night due to weather and air traffic controls issues. My flight from Paris landed two hours late. The "good" thing is, my Delta flight scheduled for an 8:30 departure left four (!) hours late so easily made that. And, they kept the Sky Club open so just hung out at the bar and watched football. I think I was the only one who wasn't upset about the delay.

The JetBlue flight scheduled for a 10:55 pm departure left an hour late and landed at 2 a.m. I canceled it just before boarding my Delta flight and got a bit of a balance left. It did make for a much more relaxed flight knowing I had it as back up so no regrets.