SFO-FCO-CDG-SFO in June
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
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SFO-FCO-CDG-SFO in June
Would love to stick with the 767 and 747 with lie-flat seats for most of the time. The options to connect are through FRA, IAD or ORD. The ORD and IAD connections are as short as 90 min. Is that doable? The threads I've searched on this topic are several years old. I was thinking of going through FRA to FCO and through ORD on the return. Any thoughts?
#2
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 947
Would love to stick with the 767 and 747 with lie-flat seats for most of the time. The options to connect are through FRA, IAD or ORD. The ORD and IAD connections are as short as 90 min. Is that doable? The threads I've searched on this topic are several years old. I was thinking of going through FRA to FCO and through ORD on the return. Any thoughts?
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: UAL Million Miler / 500k Delta now...
Posts: 51
I connected through ORD to SFO yesterday and personally I think 90 minutes is cutting it fine. You've got to get through passport control, wait for bags then take the train to T1, go through security and hoof it to a gate. Despite an early arrival, it took a solid hour+. Bags took a longgg time to come down. Three other flights were in the baggage hall (BA + 2 other UA flights) before us.
#4
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
Although I have had no problems connecting at IAD back into the US (but have only ever done it once), many others complain about problems at IAD. If the schedules work for you, you may want to consider ORD.
#5
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,449
Just got back from FCO
Would love to stick with the 767 and 747 with lie-flat seats for most of the time. The options to connect are through FRA, IAD or ORD. The ORD and IAD connections are as short as 90 min. Is that doable? The threads I've searched on this topic are several years old. I was thinking of going through FRA to FCO and through ORD on the return. Any thoughts?
I think the SFO-ORD in the lie-flats then connect to FCO is also a very nice option.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Thanks. So it sounds like through ORD instead of FRA is preferable both ways? So I would be clearing customs in Rome outbound and ORD inbound. We will not be checking luggage unless it's not allowed to carry on 2 pieces.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cape Cod MA
Programs: GS, 3 MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 752
I an a US citizen and frequently transit through IAD but always with carry-on bags. The worst experience e.g. longest line from the entry way to the hall - took 30 minutes to reach the customs agent. The most rapid from the hall entry way and then all the way down to the end of the D gates as 12 minutes - I was obviously running to make my connection. I tend to avoid clearing customs at ORD because in my experience, the walk from the arrival gate to the customs hall has always been extremely long and sometimes the wait for the train can be frustrating if your connection is tight. Once you clear customs midfield in IAD you can usually clear security into the gate area within a very short time. The downside is IAD is a slum.
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,502
I an a US citizen and frequently transit through IAD but always with carry-on bags. The worst experience e.g. longest line from the entry way to the hall - took 30 minutes to reach the customs agent. The most rapid from the hall entry way and then all the way down to the end of the D gates as 12 minutes - I was obviously running to make my connection. I tend to avoid clearing customs at ORD because in my experience, the walk from the arrival gate to the customs hall has always been extremely long and sometimes the wait for the train can be frustrating if your connection is tight. Once you clear customs midfield in IAD you can usually clear security into the gate area within a very short time. The downside is IAD is a slum.
#9
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I don't care about the slum factor especially since my layover would be short and I'm flying business. What would you consider a decent connection time?
#10
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747 preferred over 767/
So now my husband informs me that he would prefer to fly the updated 747 which connects in FRA vs flying through ORD both ways. Is flying the 747 on the outbound worth going through customs in FRA? I'm inclined to connect both ways in ORD. Any thoughts or other considerations?
#11
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Southern California
Programs: UA 1KMMGS, EK Skywards Silver, SPG Gold,
Posts: 920
So now my husband informs me that he would prefer to fly the updated 747 which connects in FRA vs flying through ORD both ways. Is flying the 747 on the outbound worth going through customs in FRA? I'm inclined to connect both ways in ORD. Any thoughts or other considerations?
#12
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Thanks Carbonchaser. Any idea how long we should allow for the layover in FRA? The connecting aircraft on Lufthansa is an A321. Is that likely to be at a main terminal? Last time I flew through FRA to Florence we were on a small plane that was in a very remote area of the airport and the bus trip added significant time to the layover. The choices are a 1 hr and a 2.5 hr layover. We usually carry-on 2 pieces of luggage but something tells me that won't be allowed leaving FRA so would have to check it.
#13
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,449
I just did this.
Thanks Carbonchaser. Any idea how long we should allow for the layover in FRA? The connecting aircraft on Lufthansa is an A321. Is that likely to be at a main terminal? Last time I flew through FRA to Florence we were on a small plane that was in a very remote area of the airport and the bus trip added significant time to the layover. The choices are a 1 hr and a 2.5 hr layover. We usually carry-on 2 pieces of luggage but something tells me that won't be allowed leaving FRA so would have to check it.
You can see exactly what it is like here (I recommend 2.5 hour lay over to pad in delays):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ip-report.html
#14
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO, LON
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Bonvoy Tit, Hilton Dia etc etc
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The theory is still that you can do this in an hour. It will work OK even for FLR if you have a boarding pass in hand, otherwise you might be scrambling. FRA is pretty big and even a standard airbus might be quite a ways from your initial flight. That said, I've done 55 min connections through a variety of central european airports, FRA, MUC and ZRH, and have yet to miss one except when hosed through extraordinary wx situations. There's so much padding in the flight times now that a half hour to an hour of delay is usually manageable for the connection.
#15
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I'm assuming on the outbound if I connect in FRA that I will only be able to carry on 1 piece of luggage under the current rules. How about on the return if I go through ORD on United metal all the way - CDG/ORD/SFO. Can I carry on 2 pieces, 1 bag and a smaller tote?