CDG & EWR layover questions

[cheapeau in ohio]

Am booked on a Black Sea cruise in October and the cheapest airfare I have found from my hometown Cincinnati is on United with only a 1:25 layover in Newark on the return flight from Istanbul. This seems awfully tight a connection on reentry to the US. If I miss the connection it looks like the next flight to Cincinnati is the next day. Is the connection at EWR too tight?

 

Another option I have would be to fly from Columbus OH on Air France for $864 but I would have to change places on both directions at CDG in Paris which I have read is a difficult airport to connect through. I could book flights with a 4:35 layover going and 4:40 returning or 1:05 and 1:40 or 1:25 and 1:40. Would it be best to take the 4 hour plus layovers to minimize the chance of misconnecting at CDG?

 

There are other options of course, but they cost more.

[ducklite]

In my opinion, yes, that is too tight in Newark. You might make it, but the stress will take 20 years off your life.

[FlyerTalker]

Your flight from Columbus would not be on Air France. It would also involve a connection somewhere in the USA prior to your TATL flight.

 

And yes, supply and demand means that the most desirable options tend to sell our first in the lowest buckets.

[cheapeau in ohio]

Thanks for the information. I am now inclined not to risk the tight connection in Newark. I have only flown through Newark once and that was on the way to London last year so was not going through customs and immagration at Newark on that flight.

 

You are correct about the Air France ticket. The itinerary is partly Delta and partly Air France. Outbound is CMH to JFK on Delta with 1:46 layover at JFK. Next is JFK-CDG with 4:35 layover at CDG and then Air France from CDG to IST.

 

On the flight home it is Air France IST to CDG leaving at 6:15 AM (yawn) with 4:40 layover at CDG then Air France to DTW (Detroit) with a 3:20 layover to clear customs/immigration in Detroit before the flight on Delta to Columbus.

 

Considering now whether to go ahead and buy the Air France ticket or wait a little longer hoping for a better itinerary from CVG (Cincinnati) at not too high a price as I am about 120 miles from the Columbus airport and 25 miles from CVG.