JFK connection times?

[SunnyNy]

I just received an email from Delta stating that my return flight times have changed.  I now only have 2:40 minutes to clear customs, etc and transfer to my domestic flight which is really out of my comfort zone.  If anyone is familiar with JKF, is this doable?  I have global entry and there is one later domestic flight, but who knows if there'll be seats available by that time.  To add to the fun, I think the Delta terminal is undergoing expansion. 

[roberts2005]

If you are staying Delta to Delta you should be fine.  But if Delta will move you to the later flight and you would otherwise be nervous make the change

[luv2travel90266]

2 hours + should be plenty of time as long as the flight is on time.

[andrcan]

I used to fly to Toronto from Europe via JFK before COVID. Immigration is quite efficient there, and getting the luggage depends but normally it's already on the belt by the time you pass the immigration. I'd say 30 mins for all of it. The luggage drop is just past the customs, fast too. Then walking to your domestic gate and through the security check may take some time but no more than another 30 min so you should be safe. 

[SunnyNy]

Thanks everyone - I feel much better with this info.  Someone on Tripadvisor mentioned possibly having to take a shuttle to another terminal which would add time, but it still sounds like I'd be ok.  I'll try to sort it out on an airport map to be familiar with the layout.

[laurieb]

On 4/25/2022 at 5:20 PM, SunnyNy said:

I just received an email from Delta stating that my return flight times have changed.  I now only have 2:40 minutes to clear customs, etc and transfer to my domestic flight which is really out of my comfort zone.  If anyone is familiar with JKF, is this doable?  I have global entry and there is one later domestic flight, but who knows if there'll be seats available by that time.  To add to the fun, I think the Delta terminal is undergoing expansion. 

If it was a fairly major time change, you should be able to call them now and get changed to the later flight at no additional charge.  I’ve done it many times 

[SunnyNy]

9 minutes ago, laurieb said:

If it was a fairly major time change, you should be able to call them now and get changed to the later flight at no additional charge.  I’ve done it many times 

Thanks, Laurie.  The difference in time is about 30 min.  I did consider rebooking on the later flight, but it's an 8 hr layover at JFK after an already long day, so I thought I'd just take the chance and if I miss it, hope to get a seat on the later flight.  That's my "brilliant" plan!

[KirkNC]

My target is 2 hours or more.  If returning to the US and you have a connecting flight you have to collect your luggage and redeposit it.  We just did this returning from Lisbon to JFK and connecting to RDU.  We also have global entry (one of the greatest things ever).    Our time to clear customs, retrieve our luggage and redeposit it was well less then an hour.  Customs with GE took about two minutes.

[SunnyNy]

1 minute ago, KirkNC said:

My target is 2 hours or more.  If returning to the US and you have a connecting flight you have to collect your luggage and redeposit it.  We just did this returning from Lisbon to JFK and connecting to RDU.  We also have global entry (one of the greatest things ever).    Our time to clear customs, retrieve our luggage and redeposit it was well less then an hour.  Customs with GE took about two minutes.

Kirk, was your connecting flight in the same terminal?  I'm on Delta, apparently flying into Terminal 4, but my connection flight might be from either T4 or T2.  That's where things may go wrong.  Of course, there's always the change flight times might change again - there's been a lot of that lately!

Can I ask what day and time your Lisbon flight arrived in JFK?

[KirkNC]

58 minutes ago, SunnyNy said:

Kirk, was your connecting flight in the same terminal?  I'm on Delta, apparently flying into Terminal 4, but my connection flight might be from either T4 or T2.  That's where things may go wrong.  Of course, there's always the change flight times might change again - there's been a lot of that lately!

Can I ask what day and time your Lisbon flight arrived in JFK?

Yes, we were in the same terminal for both flights.  We arrived on a Wednesday just after 1:00 pm.  We were on Delta as well.  

Edited April 27, 2022 by KirkNC

[81Zoomie]

We have connected through JFK on Delta twice.  First time, over an hour wait in immigration/customs.  Then had to grab bags, change terminals, and go through the entire checkin and TSA routine as if we just arrived by taxi.  Just made our flight and it was stressful.  Last time I arrived at JFK from Brussels, global entry and TSA precheck in hand.  Arrived at the international terminal and had to go to terminal A, if I remember.  No signs,  Finally found someone else searching as well.  We ended up taking the sky train that dumped us at a parking garage.  We had to walk through the garage with our luggage, cross the arrival traffic lanes, and finally got to the terminal.  Then it was the same check in, TSA drill as before.  When I finally made it through I felt like I had been transported to the 1960s.  Old dingy terminal, limited dining options, and one small bathroom at the end of the concourse.
 

My recommendation would be to try and connect anywhere but JFK!  If Delta changed your flights that gives you some flexibility.

[mchell810]

Not sure when you had this terrible experience, but just to clarify a couple of things for anyone reading this.  The AirTrain does go to all the terminals but you may have gone in the wrong direction, or that train was taken out of service for some reason.  Changing terminals does require going through security again & at JFK that certainly can be a nightmare. The terminals at JFK are all numbered, not named by letters.  I agree JFK is definitely not the most modern of airports (with the exception of terminal 5 used almost exclusively by JetBlue.)

Edited April 28, 2022 by mchell810

[SunnyNy]

I see there's a Delta Jitney Shuttle going only between T2 and T4 that looks like it might be faster than AirTran.  Has anyone used this?

[mchell810]

Sorry, I have no experience with that.  I did a little google search and it seems if you use that service you won't have to go through security again.  The link I found is below, but you may want to confirm for yourself.

 

https://www.jfkairport.com/at-airport/connecting-flights

 

[SunnyNy]

5 hours ago, mchell810 said:

Sorry, I have no experience with that.  I did a little google search and it seems if you use that service you won't have to go through security again.  The link I found is below, but you may want to confirm for yourself.

 

https://www.jfkairport.com/at-airport/connecting-flights

 

Thank you.  Seems like a great option.