Is this connection wise?

[rbslos18]

We have a Delta flight 12/20 from SDF (Louisville) to DTW (Detroit). We arrive at 7:25 PM and connect to our overseas flight to Paris at 9:05 PM on Air France. This is our third new flight itinerary. Is this a safe connection? Is it worth making a change this early?

Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

Yes. The only issue is weather, which could be pretty challenging at that time.

[FlyerTalker]

There is NO connection that is 100% "safe".

 

Now, if you are talking about normal operations without a serious mechanical delay -- I would have no hesitation on having this connection.  DTW is a VERY efficient airport, with 4 parallel runways, and with excellent experience in dealing with winter weather.  Can't speak to SDF.  Connections at DTW are pretty easy - between the moving walkways and the train system, you should be in good shape.

 

The usual rule of thumb -- don't dawdle leaving the aircraft and arriving gate.  Get to your departure gate, THEN worry about food/drink/whatever.  Your flight should leave from around the center of the A concourse, probably boarding about 45 minutes before departure time.

 

There is an earlier DL flight that arrives DTW at 3:30pm.  If you want to up your connection odds even further, you can book that one.  Or for that matter, any earlier flight that day - you can have a legal connection up to 24 hours.  (In fact, there is a flight from SDF that arrives at 9:10pm, so you could arrive the previous night and have a 23:55 connection!)

[riffatsea]

Most international flights start boarding 1 hr before take off

I'd want more time between flights

 

[rbslos18]

13 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

There is an earlier DL flight that arrives DTW at 3:30pm.  If you want to up your connection odds even further, you can book that one.  

The 3:30 flight was changed to arriving at 2:27. So my choice seems to be between a 6.5 hour wait in the airport or 1 hr and 20 minute wait. Neither is good!!

[FlyerTalker]

26 minutes ago, rbslos18 said:

The 3:30 flight was changed to arriving at 2:27. So my choice seems to be between a 6.5 hour wait in the airport or 1 hr and 20 minute wait. Neither is good!!

 

You can always game theory your two options, weighting your outcomes to come up with a strategy.

 

Or the simplistic pair of questions:

 

A) How upset will I be if all flights operate properly and I had over 6 hours to kill at DTW

 

vs

 

B)  How upset will I be if all flights DON'T operate properly and I miss my 1:20 connection

 

 

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

So my choice seems to be between a 6.5 hour wait in the airport or 1 hr and 20 minute wait. Neither is good!!

 

I have flown through DTW several times and it is a comfortable airport for a 6.5 hour wait.  You seem to object even to a 80 minute wait.  You must enjoy running from gate to gate?  Only then to see that the door has closed for boarding?  Your stress level must be significantly different than mine!  

[tompeter]

3 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I have flown through DTW several times and it is a comfortable airport for a 6.5 hour wait.  You seem to object even to a 80 minute wait.  You must enjoy running from gate to gate?  Only then to see that the door has closed for boarding?  Your stress level must be significantly different than mine!  

I think you are misunderstanding...OP is concerned 80 minutes does not allow much room for delay...

[rbslos18]

2 hours ago, tompeter said:

I think you are misunderstanding...OP is concerned 80 minutes does not allow much room for delay...

This has gotten messier. When I expressed concern with the 80 minute they said they would work on it. I got a call an hour later and I now have a 1 hour and 26  minute connection in O'hare! Lord have mercy.  I was moved from Delta to British Airways. I arrive from SDF at 3:34PM and leave to LHR at 5:00 PM. Is this remotely wise?

[CruiserBruce]

7 hours ago, riffatsea said:

Most international flights start boarding 1 hr before take off

I'd want more time between flights

 

Not on United. Boarding starts 40-45 minutes prior to departure on ALL flights...sometimes less if a small plane.

[FlyerTalker]

49 minutes ago, rbslos18 said:

This has gotten messier. When I expressed concern with the 80 minute they said they would work on it. I got a call an hour later and I now have a 1 hour and 26  minute connection in O'hare! Lord have mercy.  I was moved from Delta to British Airways. I arrive from SDF at 3:34PM and leave to LHR at 5:00 PM. Is this remotely wise?

 

Which now tells us....you have cruiseline provided air.  Which means your options are far more restricted than if you had bought a ticket on your own from the airline.

 

As for your new flights:  you now have an extra 6 minutes in ORD.  I'd much rather have the connect at DTW than getting six minutes.

[FlyerTalker]

Plus, somehow you are now going to London, when you were previously going to Paris.

 

The hole is getting deeper.

[zdcatc12]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

Plus, somehow you are now going to London, when you were previously going to Paris.

Could be a double connection.

[FlyerTalker]

23 minutes ago, zdcatc12 said:

Could be a double connection.

 

yes....all of which could have been spelled out in the original post.  Who knows where the OP is trying to get to?

Edited August 23, 2021 by FlyerTalker

[rbslos18]

41 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

yes....all of which could have been spelled out in the original post.  Who knows where the OP is trying to get to?

Goal is to get to Rome for a cruise. Now they have us routed SDF to DFW, DFW-LHR and LHR to FCO. We have a 2 to 2.45 minute layover which seems reasonable. Phew.

[FlyerTalker]

3 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Goal is to get to Rome for a cruise. Now they have us routed SDF to DFW, DFW-LHR and LHR to FCO. We have a 2 to 2.45 minute layover which seems reasonable. Phew.

 

Well, the cruiseline contracts worked against you.

 

There was a one-stop via EWR on United.  Comfortable connection.

[Zach1213]

11 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Goal is to get to Rome for a cruise. Now they have us routed SDF to DFW, DFW-LHR and LHR to FCO. We have a 2 to 2.45 minute layover which seems reasonable. Phew.

I mean, kind of reasonable. You're going a couple hours in the opposite direction (SDF-DFW) to get to London. And then, depending on if your DFW-LHR flight is BA or AA, you have to change terminals in Heathrow during the morning rush. Not the biggest of deals, but not ideal. I will say, the number of times your flights have been switched is shocking...well, not really with cruise air, but I would be going crazy if I had absolutely zero control on my flights. Just me, though. 

[rbslos18]

Thanks all for your advice. I called back the cruise line and am back flying Delta from Louisville to Detroit to Rome via Amsterdam.  I prevailed and am being allowed an earlier arrival into Detroit. The United option did not work with the cruiseline. Thanks for your help. 

[FlyerTalker]

16 minutes ago, rbslos18 said:

Thanks all for your advice. I called back the cruise line and am back flying Delta from Louisville to Detroit to Rome via Amsterdam.  I prevailed and am being allowed an earlier arrival into Detroit. The United option did not work with the cruiseline. Thanks for your help. 

 

One small suggestion, dependent on how long you have for a connection in AMS.

 

The national Rijksmuseum has a branch at the AMS airport.  It has both a permanent collection and rotating exhibits of some great Dutch masters (and not the cigars).  Worth the stop, IMO, and completely free.  Can be found between the E & F concourses on "Holland Boulevard" in the extra-Schengen portion of the airport.

 

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/at-schiphol/discover/facilities/rijksmuseum

 

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/schiphol

[rbslos18]

13 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

One small suggestion, dependent on how long you have for a connection in AMS.

 

The national Rijksmuseum has a branch at the AMS airport.  It has both a permanent collection and rotating exhibits of some great Dutch masters (and not the cigars).  Worth the stop, IMO, and completely free.  Can be found between the E & F concourses on "Holland Boulevard" in the extra-Schengen portion of the airport.

 

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/at-schiphol/discover/facilities/rijksmuseum

 

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/schiphol

Thank you so much for this suggestion!

[riffatsea]

I wonder which cruise line you are using?

I don't let any cruise line pick flights for me

On Princesscyou pick your own flights from their web site

If I don't like the connections I don't pick them!

[rbslos18]

8 hours ago, riffatsea said:

I wonder which cruise line you are using?

I don't let any cruise line pick flights for me

On Princesscyou pick your own flights from their web site

If I don't like the connections I don't pick them!

Viking. It got resolved. I now have a 3.5 hour connection in DTW. All is good.

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Viking. It got resolved. I now have a 3.5 hour connection in DTW. All is good.

 

If your flight Class or you qualify for entrance to the Sky Club, that is a most pleasant way to spend your connection time.  Once, Delta sold day passes to the Sky Club, but I don't think they do that anymore.  

[Zach1213]

1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

If your flight Class or you qualify for entrance to the Sky Club, that is a most pleasant way to spend your connection time.  Once, Delta sold day passes to the Sky Club, but I don't think they do that anymore.  

 

Correct, they got rid of them in 2018

[rbslos18]

43 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

If your flight Class or you qualify for entrance to the Sky Club, that is a most pleasant way to spend your connection time.  Once, Delta sold day passes to the Sky Club, but I don't think they do that anymore.  

Any credit card to suggest that would allow the Sky Club.