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IAD connection to another airline -- is 4 hours enough

IAD connection to another airline -- is 4 hours enough

Old Jun 22, 2019, 6:14 pm
  #1  
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IAD connection to another airline -- is 4 hours enough

Hello friends. In late July we are flying from Denver to IAD on WN. Four hours after we are scheduled to land we have a transatlantic flight on another airline (needless to say). We will need to check luggage. For those who are familiar with IAD, is 4 hours long enough to get our luggage from the WN flight, re-check it, go through security, and get to our flight? We do have Premier Access for the 2nd flight, which usually comes with a shorter check-in line and access to the faster security lanes . . . I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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Old Jun 22, 2019, 6:37 pm
  #2  
 
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The only problem I would be worried about is if the SWA flight is delayed. Denver is my home airport so depending on when your flight is supposed to leave, if its the afternoon I would be worried, if its a morning flight I wouldn't worry, make sense?
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Old Jun 22, 2019, 6:47 pm
  #3  
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Yes, thank you, that makes perfect sense. Our flight is scheduled for 8:10am, so I figure it's the 2nd flight of the day for that plane. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Old Jun 22, 2019, 9:01 pm
  #4  
 
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I don't suggest flying Southwest on any connection to any other airline. Overnight might work. But really fly an airline that codeshares with the one you're flying on to be protected.
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Old Jun 22, 2019, 10:29 pm
  #5  
jmw
 
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If your transatlantic carrier is not US-based, it's likely there is no flat tire rule and you forfeit the value of your ticket and all remaining legs including the return the moment the doors close. No credit from your missed flight. New funds only at walk-up full fare.

I've seen this scenario blow up with a one-hour trip from San Jose, CA to LAX in the morning to catch a transpacific flight with no flat tire rule. The desperate attempt to save the transpacific ticket from being forfeit is to fly WN to another LA area airport and fight through the bad LA traffic to make it to LAX before check-in closes and no further bags accepted.

This year has not been good for Southwest regarding cancellations and delays.

Your trip is late July, so you have time to make a decision on whether to go forward with your plan or change it.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 3:41 am
  #6  
 
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“For those who are familiar with IAD, is 4 hours long enough to get our luggage from the WN flight, re-check it, go through security, and get to our flight?”

The short answer to your question is maybe.

In a perfect world where everything runs on time and your suitcases from Denver actually make it to IAD, then yes, four hours is adequate to do what you propose. However, as others have mentioned, weather or maintenance delays, cancellations, or lost/late arriving bags can cause this plan to implode quite spectacularly.

If you do not have the option or desire to fly on a code shared partner from DEN-IAD (thereby offering some protection against misconnecting to your European destination), I would highly recommend flying to IAD the day before your flight to Europe. This ensures adequate recovery time should a flight be delayed, cancelled, or unexpectedly rerouted for weather (which is quite possible during the height of thunderstorm season in July). I fly weekly for work and have already seen all three scenarios play out this year.

Fly in the day before, get a hotel with free airport shuttle service, and sleep well knowing your European vacation will kick off without the worries of making it to IAD on time. Have a great time in Europe!
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 5:11 am
  #7  
 
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Originally Posted by Machta
Hello friends. In late July we are flying from Denver to IAD on WN. Four hours after we are scheduled to land we have a transatlantic flight on another airline (needless to say). We will need to check luggage. For those who are familiar with IAD, is 4 hours long enough to get our luggage from the WN flight, re-check it, go through security, and get to our flight? We do have Premier Access for the 2nd flight, which usually comes with a shorter check-in line and access to the faster security lanes . . . I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I don't mean to purposefully stress you out about this, but what you are proposing is risky and it's not something that I would be willing to attempt. Yes, what you are doing will work out perfectly fine the majority of the time (maybe 95% of the time?). However, when you are talking about something as important as a transatlantic flight, it's not something I'd put into jeopardy. As others have mentioned, if your WN flight is delayed or canceled (which is a definite possibility with WN's current track record) you are completely out of luck. WN is only responsible for getting you to IAD, and the other carrier wouldn't be sympathetic if you missed their flight due to WN.

As I said, it will likely work out fine the majority of the time. If you absolutely have to do this, maybe you have the ability to obtain some sort of flight insurance that would cover this specific situation? I have no idea how that stuff works though.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 5:50 am
  #8  
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Wow, I really appreciate everyone's thoughts on this. We will re-think our plans. For those who mentioned the "flat tire rule," I don't know what that is. Would you explain further? The transatlantic flight is on United, but they are award tickets and so at this point we are waiting to see if award seats from DEN-IAD open up . . .

I suppose we could also figure out how to just go with carry-ons . . .
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 6:35 am
  #9  
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The answer to your question is that if the WN flight arrives anywhere close to on schedule, you are fine. As you are not connecting, but starting a second ticket, consider that so long as you have collected your bags from your WN flight at IAD at 90-120 minutes, you have more time than any international carrier out of IAD requires.

However, the question you have to face is your own risk tolerance if you no show for your international flight. Forget about "flat tires" for international and consider that your tickets will have been cancelled and you must plan on having to purchase new tickets at walk up prices, likely an eye-poppingly expensive proposition. You might find some mercy from somebody, but you cannot count on it and you cannot even count on finding space. In addition, depending on the destination, the next flight might be 1-2 days later and you will be on the hook for hotels and food.

When traveling on separate tickets, you should allow an overnight at IAD. Better yet, check out pricing on pretty much any other carrier as most of them interline with each other and when you connect, your connection is protected, e.g., the late-delivering carrier will rebook you at no charge.

These situations sometimes cannot be avoided. But, you really need to go into them with your eyes open as the cheapest ticket is not necessarily the least expensive journey.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 8:15 am
  #10  
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I would never take the risk of trying to arrive same day for such an important onward connection on a non-Southwest flight.

Especially with things so screwed up with the Max8 situation. Too many moving parts. Flights get cancelled and delayed all the time.

On top of that, during summer thunderstorm months? No. Flying ex-MDW, I have plenty of experience with that.

Go the day before, stay the night, and relax.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 11:27 am
  #11  
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Though some of the post lean towards "not gonna work", in the vast majority of cases it would be fine. People do it daily.

Personally, I would probably plan an overnight in DC in this case. There is an Air and Space Museum near the airport worth a half day. On our intl trips that might involved another carrier, we use it as an excuse to visit that city for a day.

If you do stick with WN - carry on sure would save a bunch. Have not been to IAD in quite some time... somebody should be able to confirm you stay airside between WN and UA - I think you can.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 1:14 pm
  #12  
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We decided to buy a UA positioning flight and use the WN travel credit for a trip in September instead. Thanks to all who helped us make a careful decision!
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 1:48 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Machta
We decided to buy a UA positioning flight and use the WN travel credit for a trip in September instead. Thanks to all who helped us make a careful decision!
Good move. Hope the cost was reasonable. And, enjoy your trip and remember to come back!
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 1:56 pm
  #14  
jmw
 
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Flat tire rule is an unwritten rule exclusive to US carriers that might allow you to show up late and miss your flight for reasons beyond your control such as flat tires/traffic and get a free rebooking to a later flight (no change fee, no difference in fares, no cancellation of future legs). Because this is an unwritten rule, you are at the mercy of the carrier as to whether your situation is worthy of the flat tire rule. The agent at the airport might tell you to pound sand. To apply the flat tire rule, you need to be at the origin airport in-person. You cannot do this by phone. After 2 hours late, carriers won't listen to your excuses and all remaining legs of your ticket are gone.

With non-US carriers, there is no flat tire rule at all. You miss your flight regardless of any good excuses, you forfeit all remaining legs of your ticket.

Because I agree with others than 90% of the time this will work out, I'm not suggesting what to do. Only you can decide what to do. It'll probably work out. But if it doesn't, don't expect an ounce of sympathy. I've flown enough to see people try this and get screwed by a one-hour WN flight on a sunny day from the Bay Area to the Los Angeles area.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 3:18 pm
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by Machta
We decided to buy a UA positioning flight and use the WN travel credit for a trip in September instead. Thanks to all who helped us make a careful decision!
Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are doing and maybe I am wrong. But I think that if you do not link your United 'positioning' flight to your United overseas flight, you will not be protected on the overseas flight in the event of the positioning flight irrops.
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