Best connecting airport and layover time? IAD, LAX, ORD, DEN, PHX

We will be checking bags and I'm not sure what is our safest connection and layover time. We are flying out of Pittsburgh to final destination Seattle June 3rd. We have the connection options below:

IAD Washington Dulles Layover: 1hr 10min (united)

ORD Chicago Layover: 1hr 15min (united)

LAX Los Angeles Layover: 1hr 45min (american airlines)

DFW Dallas Layover: 2hr 9min (american airlines)

DEN Denver Layover: 45min (united)

PHX Phoenix Layover: 1hr 26min (us airways)

I like the departure/arrival time of the Denver flight the best but it is also the shortest layover. I think we can make our connection but not sure our bags will in that time frame. Seems like it might be close? Pricing is pretty much the same with the Chicago and Dallas options costing $40 more per ticket. I have been to Denver airport before but dont know anything about these other airports so any advice from those more experienced in flying would be great. What would you choose? Thank you!

Mt preferences in order and why

DFW

long layover. June, so minimum storm delay opportunity, time to find connecting gate, gran a quick bite to eat, lots of time for luggage to make connection.

LAX

3/4 of the journey is over, long enough layover for any air traffic delays, maybe a quick bite.

PHX

layover time limits possible missed connections, smaller airport

IAD

Don't like due to going in wrong direction. Very short first flight followed by gawd awful long flight

DEN

Large airport with too short of connection time in early June Rocky mountain late spring/early summer storm possibilities.

We will be checking bags and I'm not sure what is our safest connection and layover time. We are flying out of Pittsburgh to final destination Seattle June 3rd. We have the connection options below:

 

IAD Washington Dulles Layover: 1hr 10min (united)

ORD Chicago Layover: 1hr 15min (united)

LAX Los Angeles Layover: 1hr 45min (american airlines)

DFW Dallas Layover: 2hr 9min (american airlines)

DEN Denver Layover: 45min (united)

PHX Phoenix Layover: 1hr 26min (us airways)

 

 

I like the departure/arrival time of the Denver flight the best but it is also the shortest layover. I think we can make our connection but not sure our bags will in that time frame. Seems like it might be close? Pricing is pretty much the same with the Chicago and Dallas options costing $40 more per ticket. I have been to Denver airport before but dont know anything about these other airports so any advice from those more experienced in flying would be great. What would you choose? Thank you!

All things being equal, I like the IAD option the best-- easy airside connections for United and plenty of time for you and your bags to get where they need to go. Very short hop from PIT, so you're not going too far afield.

Next choice would be PHX for similar reasons, but you're likely looking at longer flight times due to going south then all the way back north.

I think the LAX and DFW options are both ok and would dismiss the ORD and DEN options out of hand (I think the connections are too tight for my comfort for their respective airports).

Of course, just my two cents, YMMV, caveat emptor and all that jazz. :)

Either Chicago or Denver. The airlines won't sell you a ticket if the connection falls below the published minimum connection time, and MCTs are predicated on the bags making the switch along with the passengers.

Dulles, DFW, Phoenix and LAX only serve to lengthen the trip significantly, and LAX would also involve a terminal change since American doesn't fly LAX-SEA, they use Alaska Airlines as a code-share partner instead. LAX would be my last choice.

I say Chicago or Denver. The others are too far out of the way. Denver is an efficient airport. Chicago isn't but should be fine with that connection time.

Either Chicago or Denver. The airlines won't sell you a ticket if the connection falls below the published minimum connection time, and MCTs are predicated on the bags making the switch along with the passengers.

 

Dulles, DFW, Phoenix and LAX only serve to lengthen the trip significantly, and LAX would also involve a terminal change since American doesn't fly LAX-SEA, they use Alaska Airlines as a code-share partner instead. LAX would be my last choice.

Good to know info in regards to LAX option. Like I said I really like the depart and arrival times for the Denver airport but wasn't sure the 45 min was sufficient. It does seem to be an efficient airport when we were there last month. I suppose even if our bags were delayed we could make do without them for day. We are in Seattle 2 days before we take the train to Vancouver. So much to consider. I've never had to deal with a layover before. Thanks for all your advice!

Are any of the flights on regional jets? I think PIT-ORD is. If there's bad weather, and the FAA institutes flow control, the express jets are the ones the airlines tend to cancel. If two option were about equal otherwise, I'd give nod to an all mainline itinerary. Just something else to consider.

My own preference is toward longer connection rather than shorter. I'm a worrywart and would rather wait reading a book than wonder if I'm going to make it. Other people hate waiting. Only you know yourself.

Are any of the flights on regional jets? I think PIT-ORD is. If there's bad weather, and the FAA institutes flow control, the express jets are the ones the airlines tend to cancel. If two option were about equal otherwise, I'd give nod to an all mainline itinerary. Just something else to consider.

The odds of running in to an issue where your flight is cancelled because of air traffic control issues are pretty small. I wouldn't base a trip off of this concern.

The odds of running in to an issue where your flight is cancelled because of air traffic control issues are pretty small. I wouldn't base a trip off of this concern.

I didn't mean to give the impression that flying RJ should be a major consideration. A lot of other things are more important to me - E.G. non-stop/travel time/departure time/arrival time/connection time. Somewhere after those factors I'll, avoid an RJ for the stated reason.

Either Chicago or Denver. The airlines won't sell you a ticket if the connection falls below the published minimum connection time, and MCTs are predicated on the bags making the switch along with the passengers.

 

Dulles, DFW, Phoenix and LAX only serve to lengthen the trip significantly, and LAX would also involve a terminal change since American doesn't fly LAX-SEA, they use Alaska Airlines as a code-share partner instead. LAX would be my last choice.

AA (from PIT) to AS (to SEA) are both in T6 at LAX, but if it involved a terminal change, I'd be with you completely.

AA (from PIT) to AS (to SEA) are both in T6 at LAX, but if it involved a terminal change, I'd be with you completely.

Are you SURE that AA operates out of T6?? For as long as I can remember, they were in T4. Even the LAWA website has them only listed for T4.

45-min. is a pretty short layover, but United (and a handful of their regional affiliates) have the entire concourse B to themselves at DEN. So any connections that you make are practically guaranteed to be at that concourse, you wouldn't have to change terminals or take the train/shuttle.

What time of day are you flying? In June the afternoon T-storms can pop up and throw you whole plan for a loop.

Is your connecting flight to SEA the last one of the day at any of these places? That 45 min connection in DEN might be nice, but if you miss it for any reason are you could be stuck until the next day if it is the last one for example.

All that said, I would pick the DFW one if it was a morning flight out of DFW (to lessen the chances of summer-storm delays). Any any flight that involves regional jets get bumped down, just because it is a regional jet. :eek:

Are you SURE that AA operates out of T6?? For as long as I can remember, they were in T4. Even the LAWA website has them only listed for T4.

AA picked up 4 leased gates at T6 from United last year, and has designated some US flights to use them; my mistake upthread. PIT-LAX is a seasonal US route, still carrying US727 as its flight number.

I still wouldn't use LAX for the connection; it would add unnecessary hours to the trip.

AA picked up 4 leased gates at T6 from United last year, and has designated some US flights to use them; my mistake upthread. PIT-LAX is a seasonal US route, still carrying US727 as its flight number.

 

I still wouldn't use LAX for the connection; it would add unnecessary hours to the trip.

And I concur that heading PIT-LAX-SEA is unnecessarily out of the way, unless you are doing it for mileage or upgrade rationale.

My choice would be Denver.

Thanks for the update re: T6.

 

And I concur that heading PIT-LAX-SEA is unnecessarily out of the way, unless you are doing it for mileage or upgrade rationale.

Even the T4-T6 shuttle bus isn't too hideous, but as a whole LAX is a 3rd world airport that the residents of California should be embarrassed about.

Why not fly to PHL and then get on the non-stop to SEA? US Airways. Book it so you have a 2-3 hour layover in PHL and have lunch at Legal Seafoods.

Are you SURE that AA operates out of T6?? For as long as I can remember, they were in T4. Even the LAWA website has them only listed for T4.

Do they still use the "Eagle Nest" for RJ's and Alaska Turboprops?

While I love the experience of traveling in a bus thru the taxi and alleyways looking up at A380's it really is a pain when changing flights.

FWIW