Connection time at ATL

[EACarlson]

Delta just changed my flight again, and now my connection time went from 110 minutes down to 80 minutes. Is this going to be a problem since I'm going to have my 7 year old and 3 year old with a car seat? I'm a little worried that I'm going to be the last one off the plane with the car seat and need to be one of the first on the connection because of the car seat as well.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Hartsfield Jackson airport is 6 separate terminals separated by tram (or walkway), 7 if you count international. Your connection time is greatly dependent on whether you change terminals or not. If you do have to change terminals it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes once you’ve deplaned. If youre on the same terminal it can be as quick
as 5 minutes. Make sure to tell the agent after you deplane if you feel it’s tight. They will call ahead to the other gate and let them know your on the way.

 

[maxiesmom]

It could be tight. How close to the front are you on the first plane? If not very, can you move up? Are you going to be the only adult?

I've flown Delta thru Atlanta a few times. Do everything you can to make the change of planes go smoothly. Have the 7 year old use the toilet on the first airplane before landing. Once you get off of the plane your mission is to get to your next plane. No stopping for anything until you are within site of the gate and know you have time for a snack or potty break. If you have to change terminals use the tram the goes between them. Don't try to walk it.

 

[sam_gordon]

Make sure to tell the agent after you deplane if you feel it’s tight. They will call ahead to the other gate and let them know your on the way.

Do NOT count on them holding your connecting flight. Our original flight was late because of a problem of Delta's flight and our 60+ minute connection in Detroit was cut to 10 minutes and we had to change terminals. I sent DW ahead to talk to the gate agent, but they wouldn't hold the flight. Then, when we got to the connecting gate, they were pushing for our passports (international flight), which was in our carry on and were a little rude while I was getting them out.

OP, normally I'd say there's no problem with an 80 minute connection, and there probably isn't for you, but the car seat does have me a little concerned (depending on the size of it). I agree with trying to get toward the front of the first flight if possible. Alternatively, look on Delta's website and see if there's another connecting flight (or earlier original flight) you'd be willing to take. Don't worry about the prices. Call Delta and explain the situation and see if they'll change your flight for free. Tell them you're concerned about making the connection with two young kids and a car seat. The worst they can say is "no".

 

[kaytieeldr]

Another potential time-saver: your three year old doesn't need to use the car seat on the plane, and it doesn't count toward your luggage allowance if you stow it overhead.

 

[EACarlson]

Do NOT count on them holding your connecting flight. Our original flight was late because of a problem of Delta's flight and our 60+ minute connection in Detroit was cut to 10 minutes and we had to change terminals. I sent DW ahead to talk to the gate agent, but they wouldn't hold the flight. Then, when we got to the connecting gate, they were pushing for our passports (international flight), which was in our carry on and were a little rude while I was getting them out.

OP, normally I'd say there's no problem with an 80 minute connection, and there probably isn't for you, but the car seat does have me a little concerned (depending on the size of it). I agree with trying to get toward the front of the first flight if possible. Alternatively, look on Delta's website and see if there's another connecting flight (or earlier original flight) you'd be willing to take. Don't worry about the prices. Call Delta and explain the situation and see if they'll change your flight for free. Tell them you're concerned about making the connection with two young kids and a car seat. The worst they can say is "no".

This is pretty much exactly what I did this afternoon. I called them to see if there was anything they'd be willing to do for me. I would have been totally happy with an earlier flight out of MSP and a longer layover at ATL. However once I explained to the wonderful woman from Delta why I was so concerned, it being the last flight of the day from ATL-MCO, having two small kids and a car seat. She pretty much offered up the entire schedule to pick whatever flight I wanted. So now we are flying nonstop from MSP-MCO leaving at 0900 and landing at 1325. A much better time than our original itinerary, which had us leaving at 1725 and landing at MCO at 0034. So, for 68,000 SkyMiles I got 4 tickets non-stop to Orlando for our trip. I'm ecstatic with how this has worked out, and I may even show some loyalty to Delta now.

 

[cruisin5]

Of all the legacy carriers Delta is my favorite.

 

[georgina]

Of all the legacy carriers Delta is my favorite.

I had a really bad experience with Delta and avoid them completely. Southwest gates in Atlanta are all in the same terminal and we have had a couple of 45 minute connections there which were fine. I have also been on SW flights more than once when they held the plane for late connecting passengers. Everyone is different!

 

[kdonnel]

Delta just changed my flight again, and now my connection time went from 110 minutes down to 80 minutes. Is this going to be a problem since I'm going to have my 7 year old and 3 year old with a car seat? I'm a little worried that I'm going to be the last one off the plane with the car seat and need to be one of the first on the connection because of the car seat as well.

Hartsfield Jackson is the easiest large airport for connections. All the concourses are connected airside with no need to leave and go through security to connect.

Assuming you are connecting domestic to domestic here is Deltas rule for minimum connection time at ATL:
Domestic flight - domestic flight: 35 minutes
Exceptions:
If your inbound flight is on a 330, 747, 777, or an internationally-configured 767, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for a domestic-domestic connection.

At 80 minutes you are still well above 35 and should have no problem.

 

[maxiesmom]

Hartsfield Jackson is the easiest large airport for connections. All the concourses are connected airside with no need to leave and go through security to connect.

Assuming you are connecting domestic to domestic here is Deltas rule for minimum connection time at ATL:
Domestic flight - domestic flight: 35 minutes
Exceptions:
If your inbound flight is on a 330, 747, 777, or an internationally-configured 767, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for a domestic-domestic connection.

At 80 minutes you are still well above 35 and should have no problem.

They may the minimum is 35, but I would no way take a flight with that short of a connection thru Atlanta. My family took a 47 minute connection once, and we booked it to our next gate,and had only a few minutes to spare before they started boarding. I can't imagine doing so hauling a car seat and a 3 year old.

 

[sam_gordon]

Hartsfield Jackson is the easiest large airport for connections. All the concourses are connected airside with no need to leave and go through security to connect.

Assuming you are connecting domestic to domestic here is Deltas rule for minimum connection time at ATL:
Domestic flight - domestic flight: 35 minutes
Exceptions:
If your inbound flight is on a 330, 747, 777, or an internationally-configured 767, then the minimum connection time is 50 minutes for a domestic-domestic connection.

At 80 minutes you are still well above 35 and should have no problem.

For travelers with no mobility issues, 80 minutes is totally doable. I've booked through ATL with less than a 60 minute layover with no concern. However, the OP will have a 7 and 3 yo AND have to deal with getting a car seat off the plane (not a big deal if it's a booster type, but if it's a true "car seat", that will add to the hassle). IMO, you need to take into account how a group can easily get around the airport.

 

[kdonnel]

For travelers with no mobility issues, 80 minutes is totally doable. I've booked through ATL with less than a 60 minute layover with no concern. However, the OP will have a 7 and 3 yo AND have to deal with getting a car seat off the plane (not a big deal if it's a booster type, but if it's a true "car seat", that will add to the hassle). IMO, you need to take into account how a group can easily get around the airport.

80 minutes is a huge amount of time for a connection in ATL, carseat or no carseat, mobility issues or no mobility issues.

The airport is extremely easy to navigate, providing both a way to walk from concourse to concourse (T1 - F1 can be walked in 35 minutes, the absolute worst possible connection, and the plane train will get you there in 20 minutes), and a train from concourse to concourse, all without having to re-clear security.

My family and I traveled extensively when my kids were flying in a carseat so I am well aware of the added hassle.

But none of this matters as Delta allowed the OP to change to a direct flight.

Delta is very generous about changing flights if your flights have had any sort of schedule change. If you book your flight 2-3 months in advance there is a high probability your flight will be altered in someway on a schedule change Saturday(Every Saturday is schedule change Saturday with Delta). Even if the flight just changed by a few minutes, Delta has empowered the reservation agents with the ability to make the customer happy by giving them leeway in changing flights without penalty.