How far/how much time..ATL Delta gates?

[tcha]

I checked my flight arrival and departure gates in ATL. Arrival: S.Terminal Gate E9 Connecting flight S Terminal GateA9.Is this a pretty easy commute? I have a 1 hr. layover. Thanks !

[paul929207]

If you flight in is on time you will be OKay, but it will be a hike and you should not waste time. You will have to hike aways down Terminal E to the escalator to the train, ride down the escalator, catch the train to Terminal E, ride up the escalator to the concourse and finally hike down to A9.

[SkystheLimit]

Caution!

 

You should be fine. However, do not depend on these gate assignments. Make sure you check the monitors when getting off the aircraft and inside the terminal. Last minute gate changes are possible in ATL particularly.

[FlyerTalker]

I am going to assume that this is a domestic/domestic connection. If so, you are "legal" but will not want to dawdle.

 

As mentioned, you will have to make your way to the center of the E concourse, down the long escalator to the train, train to A concourse, then up the escalator, then down the concourse to your gate. All doable in an hour, but you want to get to your gate area before you do any shopping/noshing etc. (Actually, you can pick up food at the food court in the center of A, as you come up the escalator).

 

MASSIVE REPEAT on the advice to ALWAYS re-check your gate assignments after you arrive at ATL. That goes for all airports....you must keep on top of that info until you are at the departure gate and confirm that you are at the right place. The gate info from the website is a good guide, but just that...a guide.

[alcpa1]

Ditto everything else said...

Until the new international terminal is opened the majority of international flights use E terminal. Domestic flights do use the terminal too especially if they are using the same metal coming or going.

If you are trying to make an international connection you will need far more than 45 minutes. We usually schedule between two and three hours if we have to go through Customs and Immigration. In addition to that hassle, you also have to go through TSA screening because you have had contact with your luggage.

Since you did not indicate the month or time of your flight we can only encourage you to check the monitor, make haste to the train which will take between 12-15 minutes to go from E to A, if those are actually your concourses. The trains run frequently. You can find terminal maps by googling Hartsfield-Jackson or Atlanta airport.

Another note, if you are on a regional jet you will likely be toward the end of a concourse. It can make for an interesting hike through the crowds and since there are so many R J's now flying you can end up at one gate which will service four planes at once.

I hope this has helped.

[paul929207]

You also may want to try to get a seat towards the front of the plane for the flight into Atlanta. It could be 5 or 10 minutes or so from when the first person gets off to the last one.

[boulders]

Be aware that unless you are at your gate 15 minutes prior to departure, they are likely to deny you boarding. This happened to us last summer at ATL. Our inbound flight was delayed and we went from a 2.5 hour connection time to a 40 minute connection time. Ten minutes to get off the plane, even though we were near the front - running through the terminals, got there 8 minutes prior to departure, and they had closed the doors. :mad:

[Fattony]

If your tickets are already purchased, it's a moot point, so are you just asking whether to worry? If it's international inbound, no matter what the next flight, 1 hour is likely too little to get through Immigration, get your bags, go through Customs, check your bags through at the transit desk and go through security and take the train and get to your next gate. If it's domestic inbound, you may well be just fine, assuming your inbound flight is on time. Of course, even getting off the plane can take a while now as people are taking on really big bags as carry-on luggage and it can take a while for them to get them down from the overhead bins, etc. Try to get a seat towards the front of the aircraft and even if you can't do that, alert the flight attendants that you have a tight connection. If you miss your connecting flight, you SHOULD be put on the next available flight, but that means the next flight with available seats, not necessarily the very next flight. Talk with your airline if you're concerned.

[silentbob007]

And there's always that fun circumstance when the "up" escalator from the train is broken ... nice, frantic climb.

[tcha]

Thank you to all for your thorough responses. I do have a game plan now!

[tcha]

Yes, I'm still wringing my hands... I checked the Delta site and every plane is full going down to San Juan tomorrow. If we don't make our connection from Dulles to Atl to Sju.. what happens ? Will we need to pay for first class?(some of those seats are open) Will they try to find another airline?? I promise this is the last day I'll be on here whining.:o

[paul929207]

First, good luck tomorrow. I hope you make your connection.

 

If not, talk to Delta IMMEDIATELY. Tell them you are on a cruise leaving that day. If there are first class seats avail, they should put you in one or upgrade someone else and put you in the emptied economy seat.