International Travel Question
Oct 2, 2022, 9:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 4
International Travel Question
Hi there!
I’ve never posted on a forum before so I have no idea if I’m on the right thread or group or what, so please be kind, I’m new lol.
I booked a flight through Delta for international travel (also never traveled internationally before, so I don’t know what to expect, hence why I’m trying to get
some help), from JFK > CHQ (Chania, Greece). The flight has one layover in Athens. I land in Athens at 12:00pm and take off for Chania at 1:30 on Sky Express.
Chania has customs clearing and my flight was purchased with one ticket (JFK to CHQ with the layover) but I was just hoping a kind person(s) out there could provide me with some guidance on what to expect once I get off in Athens and what I’ll need to do to get to my connecting flight.
Like will I have to recheck my bag or no because I purchased one ticket with CHQ as my final destination? Will I have to do passport control (may be a stupid question for the well known traveler but like I said, I’ve never traveled internationally lol)?
but yes so any information someone has for me, I’d greatly appreciate! I hope this works haha!
Thank you
I’ve never posted on a forum before so I have no idea if I’m on the right thread or group or what, so please be kind, I’m new lol.
I booked a flight through Delta for international travel (also never traveled internationally before, so I don’t know what to expect, hence why I’m trying to get
some help), from JFK > CHQ (Chania, Greece). The flight has one layover in Athens. I land in Athens at 12:00pm and take off for Chania at 1:30 on Sky Express.
Chania has customs clearing and my flight was purchased with one ticket (JFK to CHQ with the layover) but I was just hoping a kind person(s) out there could provide me with some guidance on what to expect once I get off in Athens and what I’ll need to do to get to my connecting flight.
Like will I have to recheck my bag or no because I purchased one ticket with CHQ as my final destination? Will I have to do passport control (may be a stupid question for the well known traveler but like I said, I’ve never traveled internationally lol)?
but yes so any information someone has for me, I’d greatly appreciate! I hope this works haha!
Thank you
Oct 2, 2022, 10:27 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
You'll clear immigration and customs at ATH since connection to a domestic flight. Bags should automatically transfer, most countries don't make you clear bags when connecting.
You will need to clear security again at ATH.
You will need to clear security again at ATH.
Oct 3, 2022, 8:11 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,049
Hi there!
I’ve never posted on a forum before so I have no idea if I’m on the right thread or group or what, so please be kind, I’m new lol.
I booked a flight through Delta for international travel (also never traveled internationally before, so I don’t know what to expect, hence why I’m trying to get
some help), from JFK > CHQ (Chania, Greece). The flight has one layover in Athens. I land in Athens at 12:00pm and take off for Chania at 1:30 on Sky Express.
Chania has customs clearing and my flight was purchased with one ticket (JFK to CHQ with the layover) but I was just hoping a kind person(s) out there could provide me with some guidance on what to expect once I get off in Athens and what I’ll need to do to get to my connecting flight.
Like will I have to recheck my bag or no because I purchased one ticket with CHQ as my final destination? Will I have to do passport control (may be a stupid question for the well known traveler but like I said, I’ve never traveled internationally lol)?
but yes so any information someone has for me, I’d greatly appreciate! I hope this works haha!
Thank you
I’ve never posted on a forum before so I have no idea if I’m on the right thread or group or what, so please be kind, I’m new lol.
I booked a flight through Delta for international travel (also never traveled internationally before, so I don’t know what to expect, hence why I’m trying to get
some help), from JFK > CHQ (Chania, Greece). The flight has one layover in Athens. I land in Athens at 12:00pm and take off for Chania at 1:30 on Sky Express.
Chania has customs clearing and my flight was purchased with one ticket (JFK to CHQ with the layover) but I was just hoping a kind person(s) out there could provide me with some guidance on what to expect once I get off in Athens and what I’ll need to do to get to my connecting flight.
Like will I have to recheck my bag or no because I purchased one ticket with CHQ as my final destination? Will I have to do passport control (may be a stupid question for the well known traveler but like I said, I’ve never traveled internationally lol)?
but yes so any information someone has for me, I’d greatly appreciate! I hope this works haha!
Thank you
Oct 3, 2022, 11:28 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 4
Great, thank you! And this may be another silly question but will the way to navigate through immigration/passport control be relatively obvious? Like when I land and have to get to my connecting gate, will the only way to get there be through security anyway since I’m arriving from an international flight? Or does that depend on the airport?
Oct 3, 2022, 11:30 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 4
Follow up
Thank you so much, good to know! And this may be another silly question but will the way to navigate through immigration/passport control be relatively obvious? Like when I land and have to get to my connecting gate, will the only way to get there be through security anyway since I’m arriving from an international flight? Or does that depend on the airport?
Oct 3, 2022, 11:31 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 832
Great, thank you! And this may be another silly question but will the way to navigate through immigration/passport control be relatively obvious? Like when I land and have to get to my connecting gate, will the only way to get there be through security anyway since I’m arriving from an international flight? Or does that depend on the airport?
Oct 3, 2022, 1:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: NJ
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 867
Great, thank you! And this may be another silly question but will the way to navigate through immigration/passport control be relatively obvious? Like when I land and have to get to my connecting gate, will the only way to get there be through security anyway since I’m arriving from an international flight? Or does that depend on the airport?
When you arrive in ATH, you'll either be bussed to immigration or walk from the gate to immigration (you won't know until the day of when you arrive). Either way, you will literally only have one option when you arrive and that will be to head to immigration (in other words, you can't accidentally go the wrong way). After you clear immigration, you'll then exit into the bag claim area. Since your bag should be tagged straight through to CHQ, you'll just walk out the customs exit with whatever carry-ons you have with you.
You'll come out into the arrivals area at ATH - the same as anyone getting a taxi, rental car, etc. From there, you'll take the elevator or escalator upstairs to departures (just follow any of the signs), look at the screen to see which gate area your CHQ flight will be leaving from, and head back into security (along with any other passenger that just came in off the street). The entrances into security will be grouped by gates for Schengen vs. non-Schengen departures (you won't need to worry about that in particular - just look at which gate letter area you're going to from the departure info screens). You'll go through security and then head to your gate to CHQ like any other flight you've been on.
I know it sounds complicated from what I've described, but it's really not. In short, when you get up to departures, look for the gate where your CHQ flight is leaving from, and follow the signs from there.
Oct 3, 2022, 3:45 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Delta Gold, Marriot Gold
Posts: 371
Adding to what others have said. ATH is not a very big airport so navigating through it is not particularly hard, and you can always ask for help if needed, most people that I met while there spoke English.
On another note, enjoy Chania! I absolutely loved it. 😁
On another note, enjoy Chania! I absolutely loved it. 😁
Oct 3, 2022, 9:40 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
From the Athens Airport Website: https://www.aia.gr/traveler/landing-...er-information
When you're checking in inquire with the agent that the bag is checked through to your final airport. Check to make sure the 3 letter code pops up on the tag and the receipt tab the agent gives you with your boarding pass.
Enjoy the trip.
When you're checking in inquire with the agent that the bag is checked through to your final airport. Check to make sure the 3 letter code pops up on the tag and the receipt tab the agent gives you with your boarding pass.
Enjoy the trip.
Oct 10, 2022, 10:41 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 4
Returning flight question
I flew DL and Sky Express this summer JFK-ATH-CFU, so I can report first-hand on this one. I've done a ton of international travel, and I still wasn't 100% sure how it'd work in ATH since I hadn't been before, so I can't blame you for asking.
When you arrive in ATH, you'll either be bussed to immigration or walk from the gate to immigration (you won't know until the day of when you arrive). Either way, you will literally only have one option when you arrive and that will be to head to immigration (in other words, you can't accidentally go the wrong way). After you clear immigration, you'll then exit into the bag claim area. Since your bag should be tagged straight through to CHQ, you'll just walk out the customs exit with whatever carry-ons you have with you.
You'll come out into the arrivals area at ATH - the same as anyone getting a taxi, rental car, etc. From there, you'll take the elevator or escalator upstairs to departures (just follow any of the signs), look at the screen to see which gate area your CHQ flight will be leaving from, and head back into security (along with any other passenger that just came in off the street). The entrances into security will be grouped by gates for Schengen vs. non-Schengen departures (you won't need to worry about that in particular - just look at which gate letter area you're going to from the departure info screens). You'll go through security and then head to your gate to CHQ like any other flight you've been on.
I know it sounds complicated from what I've described, but it's really not. In short, when you get up to departures, look for the gate where your CHQ flight is leaving from, and follow the signs from there.
When you arrive in ATH, you'll either be bussed to immigration or walk from the gate to immigration (you won't know until the day of when you arrive). Either way, you will literally only have one option when you arrive and that will be to head to immigration (in other words, you can't accidentally go the wrong way). After you clear immigration, you'll then exit into the bag claim area. Since your bag should be tagged straight through to CHQ, you'll just walk out the customs exit with whatever carry-ons you have with you.
You'll come out into the arrivals area at ATH - the same as anyone getting a taxi, rental car, etc. From there, you'll take the elevator or escalator upstairs to departures (just follow any of the signs), look at the screen to see which gate area your CHQ flight will be leaving from, and head back into security (along with any other passenger that just came in off the street). The entrances into security will be grouped by gates for Schengen vs. non-Schengen departures (you won't need to worry about that in particular - just look at which gate letter area you're going to from the departure info screens). You'll go through security and then head to your gate to CHQ like any other flight you've been on.
I know it sounds complicated from what I've described, but it's really not. In short, when you get up to departures, look for the gate where your CHQ flight is leaving from, and follow the signs from there.
this was unbelievably helpful!!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to write it out and explain it all for me! I followed it step by step on my travel, thank you again!
I have a question now that I’m coming home tomorrow. My flight is from CHQ to JFK, booked through Delta, but my first leg is CHQ to ATH on Aegean Airlines. When I went to check in for my flight this morning on Delta, it prompted me to check in with the first leg airline, being Aegean.
so I was able to check in and get a boarding pass for CHQ to ATH, however, I haven’t been able to get a boarding pass or check in for my ATH to JFK flight. Is this normal? Does this mean I’ll get that boarding pass at the CHQ airport in the meaning?
My flight, like I said was booked departing from CHQ with final destination of JFK, but now since I’m having this boarding pass trouble, I’m nervous if this means my bag will have to be rechecked in ATH for JFK.
thank you again everyone for all the help and assistance!
I’m so happy to have found this forum for my first international travel!
Oct 10, 2022, 11:04 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: NJ
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 867
this was unbelievably helpful!!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to write it out and explain it all for me! I followed it step by step on my travel, thank you again!
I have a question now that I’m coming home tomorrow. My flight is from CHQ to JFK, booked through Delta, but my first leg is CHQ to ATH on Aegean Airlines. When I went to check in for my flight this morning on Delta, it prompted me to check in with the first leg airline, being Aegean.
so I was able to check in and get a boarding pass for CHQ to ATH, however, I haven’t been able to get a boarding pass or check in for my ATH to JFK flight. Is this normal? Does this mean I’ll get that boarding pass at the CHQ airport in the meaning?
My flight, like I said was booked departing from CHQ with final destination of JFK, but now since I’m having this boarding pass trouble, I’m nervous if this means my bag will have to be rechecked in ATH for JFK.
thank you again everyone for all the help and assistance!
I’m so happy to have found this forum for my first international travel!
I have a question now that I’m coming home tomorrow. My flight is from CHQ to JFK, booked through Delta, but my first leg is CHQ to ATH on Aegean Airlines. When I went to check in for my flight this morning on Delta, it prompted me to check in with the first leg airline, being Aegean.
so I was able to check in and get a boarding pass for CHQ to ATH, however, I haven’t been able to get a boarding pass or check in for my ATH to JFK flight. Is this normal? Does this mean I’ll get that boarding pass at the CHQ airport in the meaning?
My flight, like I said was booked departing from CHQ with final destination of JFK, but now since I’m having this boarding pass trouble, I’m nervous if this means my bag will have to be rechecked in ATH for JFK.
thank you again everyone for all the help and assistance!
I’m so happy to have found this forum for my first international travel!
You could try checking in on Delta's website by putting in ATH as your departure airport (the app doesn't have this functionality) - that might work so you can get your BP for ATH-JFK. If not, the A3 agent at CHQ might be able to print out ATH-JFK for you - that one's been a total wild card for me in past experience in terms of other airlines being able to print out DL BPs.
However, your bag can definitely be checked all the way through on ATH-JFK, even if you don't have a BP - that should happen by default given that CHQ-ATH-JFK is all on one reservation (just check to make sure the tag prints out to JFK and not ATH when you drop the bag at CHQ). If you can't get your BP, it's not a big deal - same process will apply as your inbound, but this time you'll have to stop at the DL counter. Leave bag claim, go upstairs to departures, find the DL desk, get your BP, and head through security/passport control.