? Best route MSP to FCO

[nancy anne]

Which is the better route from MSP to FCO---transferring at ATL, JFK, Detroit or Amsterdam? Will be flying Delta/NWA after the total consolidation

[FlyerTalker]

Which is the better route from MSP to FCO---transferring at ATL, JFK, Detroit or Amsterdam? Will be flying Delta/NWA after the total consolidation

I would be looking at equipment. The A330 is a far more desirable aircraft, IMO, than the old DL 767s. I think the plan is to continue 330s on the MSP-AMS route.

 

My first choice would likely be MSP-AMS-FCO. If you have a problem at MSP, there are plenty of reroute options for you. Same out of AMS to FCO. Plus, you can get in some nice shopping at AMS as well as take in the museum at the airport. AMS is big, but very manageable, with excellent signage and flow. Finally, on the return, you clear customs in MSP and just head home. No security rescreening as you would through DTW, ATL or JFK.

 

Routing via DTW would be my second choice. DTW is a great airport with easy connections.

 

ATL is third, if only because of the many, many flights leaving there. If you have a problem at ATL, there are many ways to get you across the pond. You might have additional routings, but you'll get there.

 

Finally, JFK is a pit. Long runway delays in the evening mean that you will sit for a good while without any inflight service. The DL JFK layout is crowded and tired.

[nancy anne]

Thanks Flyer Talker!

[MSMcDuffy]

Earlier this summer we flew MSP-AMS-VCE and returned FCO-DTW-MSP.

 

We found AMS to be rather confusing, even though it was my 3rd time there. A new terminal area must have been built since I was last there (because nothing looked familiar) and we were wandering around for quite a while trying to find out which gate to go to for our connecting flight. The screens/monitors were not out in an open, obvious place, like they were the other times I was there. Once we found them, it was a very, very long walk to get to the connecting gate. There were also no food/snack places anywhere near the gates. So if you choose AMS routing, allow enough time for the connection.

 

But, on the other hand, the nice thing about AMS, as the above poster mentioned, there are a lot of rerouting options and I personally like to get the longer leg of the flight over first.

 

DTW has a brand new NWA/Delta terminal and it was very easy to navigate and there were many eateries nearby.

 

Happy travels!

[Globaliser]

My first choice would likely be MSP-AMS-FCO. If you have a problem at MSP, there are plenty of reroute options for you. Same out of AMS to FCO. Plus, you can get in some nice shopping at AMS as well as take in the museum at the airport. AMS is big, but very manageable, with excellent signage and flow. Finally, on the return, you clear customs in MSP and just head home. No security rescreening as you would through DTW, ATL or JFK.

It's not actually security re-screening that's the problem at DTW, ATL or JFK. If you connect there on the flight back to the US, you have to get off the trans-Atlantic flight, clear immigration, collect your bags, clear Customs and then hand the bags back to the airline before clearing security again. This process is hassle, but it also extends the overall journey time because you have to allow for things going wrong or getting delayed at this point.

 

If you connect at AMS, the most you have to do is clear security. Otherwise, it should be a question of going straight to your next gate.