Amount of time needed to make a connection in Frankfurt?

[cruising3]

In August we'll be flying on United from Washington DC to Budapest with a connection in Frankfurt . The connection is only 1 hr 25 minutes between our 2 United flights. I am not familiar with the Frankfurt airport.

 

Is that sufficient time for a connection? or should we opt for the flight with a 3 hour connection. (I am not a particularly fast walker.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

[YoHoHo]

In August we'll be flying on United from Washington DC to Budapest with a connection in Frankfurt . The connection is only 1 hr 25 minutes between our 2 United flights. I am not familiar with the Frankfurt airport.

 

Is that sufficient time for a connection? or should we opt for the flight with a 3 hour connection. (I am not a particularly fast walker.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

Frankfurt is a big busy airport. The main part is essentially like a large V with two terminals joining at the base. You might arrive in one and depart the other. It is long walk between. There is a passage between the V (so visualize and upside A) but I have always missed it in a rush to get to my gate.

 

If you are a slow walker you want lots of time. btw they have lots of electric carts to assist passengers if you need a hand.

 

Also you will be re-screened. The line can move slow. Last time we arrived late because our flight departed 1 hour late. Knowing there was security check we hustled to get in line as quickly as we could. Just as we were next to be directed to one of the screening stations a buzzer went off and they closed the whole thing. No help. nothing. We left scurrying along with the rest of the crowd all rushing to find another checkpoint.

[cruising cockroach]

Not much time as you have to clear Schengen zone (i.e., German) immigration and security. The flight to BUD will be operated by LH and not UA. As been saidm hustle along and hope for the best, or go for the 3 hour connection.

[Valley Girl of VA]

I'd go for the 3 hour connection. It is a long walk and you do need to go through security again. If you have extra time, you can always stop and get something to eat - some wonderful sausages for instance.

[alexandra cruiser]

go for 3 hr.Our flight was a little late coming in and BARELY made a 2hr.connection.Really big airport and we re FAST walkers,but long lines for security.Why worry and relax,plenty places to sit and eat,relax,etc.;)

[Gunner22aa]

Having lived in Germany for four years when in the army I used the Frankfurt airport almost two dozen times. It is the central hub for the country and always very busy. There are lots of places to sit and grab a bite to eat or a pint of pilsner and relax rather than having to sprint to your next gate.

[cruising3]

Thanks to all who replied to my post for their helpful and prompt responses. Thankfully, I was within my 24 hour window to cancel my non- refundable reservation without any penalties when I received the replies.

 

I was able to re-book with a 3 hr 25 min layover in Munich on the the way to Budapest, and a 3 hr 50 min layover in Frankfurt on the return from Prague. The price difference wasn't much and I am sure this will make for a much less chaotic airport experience for us.

 

I had focused so much on reserving flights that had Eco Plus seats for the long flights that I didn't give the connection times enough thought initially.

 

These cruise boards are wonderful!

:o

[CruisingAlong4Now]

To the OP: Post your flights on FlyerTalk, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles-more-lufthansa-austrian-swiss-other-partners/982019-beginners-guide-connecting-fra-fra-connection-thread.html and get detailed instructions about your connections and the best directions.

 

The post has more than 100 pages, but just go to the end and post your flight info.

 

Looks like you're taking the Tauck Budapest-Prague river cruise. Have a great time.

[penguinscott]

People often forget that when traveling internationally, they have to clear customs and reenter the terminal. The airport often has their suggested time of arrival for flights, such as 90 minutes for domestic flights and 2 hours for international.

 

I can't tell you how many times I've been in line in customs and someone behind me is having a coronary because they have 30 minutes to make a connecting flight. They forgot that rule about needing time to clear and deal with security.

 

So I'd ask anyone in your shoes, would you travel to the airport only slightly more than an hour before your flight? Doubtful. Save yourself the coronary and leave a bit of extra time when transfering internationally. FRA is a large airport which sometimes uses remote gates (where you have to walk down airstairs and be bussed to the terminal) which takes even more time.

[6rugrats]

People often forget that when traveling internationally, they have to clear customs and reenter the terminal. The airport often has their suggested time of arrival for flights, such as 90 minutes for domestic flights and 2 hours for international.

I am confused by this. OP does not have to clear customs in FRA. They will clear customs when they arrive at BUD.

[flhokie]

While you might have made it with he short connection, I think you made the right decision. We connected in Frankfurt (to/from Amsterdam)in November. On the way there we had 1 hour 45 minutes and on he return we had 1 hour 15 minutes.

 

Our outbound connection was fairly easy. We flew into the new international terminal. We had a very long walk to our next gate, but were able to go at a comfortable pace. We had to clear customs/passport control for entering EU, but did not have to go through security again. We got to he gate with enough time to grab a soda.

 

On the return we parked in a perimeter spot, had to take a bus to the terminal, change terminals, clear passport control and get to he end of the international terminal. We made it 5 minutes before the door was closed (hot & sweaty from the race to the gate).

[Valley Girl of VA]

People often forget that when traveling internationally, they have to clear customs and reenter the terminal. The airport often has their suggested time of arrival for flights, such as 90 minutes for domestic flights and 2 hours for international.

 

 

If they are transiting through a foreign country, they do not clear customs. Instead many times you have to clear security. We were transiting through the airport in Seoul and had a 1 hour wait to clear security. We did not have to re-enter the terminal. Separate lines for transiting passengers.

[UKBayern]

I was able to re-book with a 3 hr 25 min layover in Munich on the the way to Budapest, and a 3 hr 50 min layover in Frankfurt on the return from Prague.

 

And now you get to go through Munich which is a much smaller and newer airport than Frankfurt. The Lufthansa/Star Alliance terminal in Munich is great, they have free newspapers and free coffee and tea machines at each gate! Your intra-European flights (MUC-BUD and PRG-FRA) will not be not on United, but on Lufthansa, it is a code-share.

[RickT]

You made a good decision. I've flown through Frankfurt a number of times and anything under 2 hrs can be tricky. Last year we had 90 minutes and missed our connection. Our flight was a little late and landed on the runway furthest from the terminal. There was also construction so we had to be bused to our gate. Add in security and by the time we got to our gate it was closed and the plane was moving away.

[4774Papa]

In August we'll be flying on United from Washington DC to Budapest with a connection in Frankfurt . The connection is only 1 hr 25 minutes between our 2 United flights. I am not familiar with the Frankfurt airport.

 

Is that sufficient time for a connection? or should we opt for the flight with a 3 hour connection. (I am not a particularly fast walker.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

We connected through FFT going to and from our Russia trip. Going East, we had to change terminals and take a train to the other terminal, going through security again. We almost missed our flight, however, the security people let us go to the front of the line when we told them or flight was departing soon.

Going West, same terminal, no extra security check, no problem.

[FlyerTalker]

We connected through FFT going to and from our Russia trip.

That must have been interesting. Since FFT is Frankfort, Kentucky. Frankfurt, Germany is FRA. (And yes, there is no commercial service to FFT. But the principle remains).

 

Codes have specific meanings - better not to use a homemade abbreviation than to end up with a very wrong one. And I'm not even talking about Air Namibia here.

 

Bunches of stories of folks getting the wrong "Birmingham", "Portland", "Sydney" and the like.

[4774Papa]

That must have been interesting. Since FFT is Frankfort, Kentucky. Frankfurt, Germany is FRA. (And yes, there is no commercial service to FFT. But the principle remains).

 

Codes have specific meanings - better not to use a homemade abbreviation than to end up with a very wrong one. And I'm not even talking about Air Namibia here.

 

Bunches of stories of folks getting the wrong "Birmingham", "Portland", "Sydney" and the like.

OK, FlyerTalk, I know you are smart and you caught my error. You just don't have to be so arrogant.