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Connecting from VS international to UA domestic at IAD (separate tickets) ...

Connecting from VS international to UA domestic at IAD (separate tickets) ...

Old Sep 25, 2018, 8:39 am
  #1  
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Connecting from VS international to UA domestic at IAD (separate tickets) ...

I am flying Virgin Atlantic LHR-IAD and then connecting to a (separately ticketed) UA flight from IAD-MCO. All going well, I have a 2h10 connection gap.

I realise that, as my trip is separately ticketed, I am in trouble if I miss my connecting flight due to Virgin Atlantic delay.

I've read a lot about the "midfield" facility at IAD. Can I use this or will I have to go to the "main terminal" to collect my bag and then re-check it?

Grateful for any advice / tips / hints for me to make this as smooth as possible. I do have Global Entry which I hope will help.
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 8:47 am
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It's the main terminal for you; any checked bag will be routed there and I don't think you will even have an option to go from A/B where VS gates are located to C/D where your UA flight will depart.

If you're checking a bag, you probably won't make it because you'll have to go through immigration, wait for your bag and then go through customs. After that, I don't know if you can check in your bag at the recheck desk or if you have to go upstairs to the UA desks. Then you go through security and take the Aerotrain to C or the people mover to D.

Last edited by EricH; Sep 25, 2018 at 8:53 am
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 8:56 am
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Aghh, sounds like it will be tight!!!

I guess all I can do is hope my VS flight arrives early and that GE and Pre-Check speed me through the airport. Fingers crossed ....
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 9:04 am
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At Dulles Immigration/Customs is consolidated, so it's a bit faster.

Can you just go with carry-on? That would save you some time.
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 9:13 am
  #5  
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UA's bag check-in deadline is T-45 for domestic. So, the real transfer time is 1:15 to get yourself from brakes locked on the inbound to the UA bag counter.

I would definitely not check luggage if you can avoid it.

Midfield is for UA arrivals.
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 9:26 am
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If it looks like you will misconnect, I'd try a same-day change before it happens.
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 1:56 pm
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Originally Posted by Miles Ahead
If it looks like you will misconnect, I'd try a same-day change before it happens.
There is no later flight from IAD. I could race over to DCA for a flight that is 2 hours later but that's it.
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 2:13 pm
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Originally Posted by oceanscape
There is no later flight from IAD. I could race over to DCA for a flight that is 2 hours later but that's it.
I hate to be a wet blanket, but I really doubt 2 hours is enough time to get from IAD-DCA, check in with enough time before cut off, and then go through security. Good luck!
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 3:53 pm
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Originally Posted by oceanscape
Aghh, sounds like it will be tight!!!

I guess all I can do is hope my VS flight arrives early and that GE and Pre-Check speed me through the airport. Fingers crossed ....
Next time fly LGW-MCO!
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 6:53 pm
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I think youll be fine

ive landed at iad many times and cleared immigration (with global entry), claimed luggage, and been out of customs and immigration within 40 minutes of pulling into concourse b/a. If you arrive on time or early you should be fine. Just get your bag and head straight to United to check in. Usually baggage delivery is pretty fast so I think youll be fine. Good luck!
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 7:03 pm
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You will most likely not make what I suspect is an AA flight 2 hours later at DCA. This will leave you stuck at DCA overnight and having to purchase a walk-up fare for the next day.

If you no show for your UA flight, there is a decent chance that UA will rebook you onto the next morning's flight without making too much of a fuss. At worst, you are stuck buying a new ticket just as you would had you made the mad dash to DCA.
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Old Sep 26, 2018, 1:23 am
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Originally Posted by jasondc
ive landed at iad many times and cleared immigration (with global entry), claimed luggage, and been out of customs and immigration within 40 minutes of pulling into concourse b/a. If you arrive on time or early you should be fine. Just get your bag and head straight to United to check in. Usually baggage delivery is pretty fast so I think youll be fine. Good luck!
Thank you! I will be arriving in business class so should be first off the plane, can run through to immigration global entry line and then be at the baggage carousel pretty quickly. It's just waiting for the bag that I am a little worried about - hopefully baggage delivery won't be delayed.
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Old Sep 26, 2018, 1:27 am
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Originally Posted by oceanscape
Thank you! I will be arriving in business class so should be first off the plane, can run through to immigration global entry line and then be at the baggage carousel pretty quickly. It's just waiting for the bag that I am a little worried about - hopefully baggage delivery won't be delayed.
First off the plane is, sadly, not often all that helpful at IAD. Everyone has to get onto the "Moving Lounges" and, unless you are lucky and just catch one still loading from a previous flight, you are generally waiting for the lounge to fill (i.e. waiting for the passengers getting off the plane behind you).

Unless things have changed recently (lived in DC until a year ago and have been back a few times since but last trip was March).
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Old Sep 26, 2018, 3:41 am
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Originally Posted by frontenac551
First off the plane is, sadly, not often all that helpful at IAD. Everyone has to get onto the "Moving Lounges" and, unless you are lucky and just catch one still loading from a previous flight, you are generally waiting for the lounge to fill (i.e. waiting for the passengers getting off the plane behind you).

Unless things have changed recently (lived in DC until a year ago and have been back a few times since but last trip was March).
Oh. I can't stand those things. Surprised an airport like IAD is still using those in 2018! That does sound like it could add some more time.

I do have an option of changing my reward flight to IAD to a flight to BOS with a 4 hour connecting time for a MCO flight. But I guess I'd lose out on getting a refund on my UA IAD-MCO flight as the schedule change which reduced my connecting time was only 30 mins earlier.

Question: when I clear customs/immigration and collect my baggage from my Virgin Atlantic flight will I need to change terminal to get to the United Airlines check-in desks for my flight to MCO? Is it a train ride or walk?

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 26, 2018 at 6:47 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
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Old Sep 26, 2018, 4:22 am
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Originally Posted by oceanscape
There is no later flight from IAD. I could race over to DCA for a flight that is 2 hours later but that's it.
It would help if you gave us the exact dates and times. There is a flight at 10:30PM from IAD to MCO, although maybe it doesn't run on your day.

The best I have done wheels-down to curb has been about 40-45 minutes - without a bag. The best I have done curb to C/D gate is about 20 minutes. So you have maybe 40 minutes of margin to collect your bag, stand in lines, and deal with any delays. This is not impossible, but is less margin than I would like.
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