Changing planes in Newark question

[ellie1145]

We have booked flights from London Heathrow to Fort Lauderdale via Newark, New York.

 

We have about an hour and a half between fights and we wondered if this is going to be tight?

 

We apparently land in Terminal B and need to get to D (I think) so will we need to rush? Obviously we will have to go through immigration and security. Is this long enough?

 

Thanks for any info on Newark. It is about 17 years since we flew out of there.

Edited February 3, 2015 by ellie1145

[njhorseman]

There's no Terminal D...there are only A, B, and C. Regardless I don't think that's enough time for your connection.

[ellie1145]

There's no Terminal D...there are only A, B, and C. Regardless I don't think that's enough time for your connection.

 

Oops, sorry, my mistake.

 

Guess we will have to run!

[FlyerTalker]

To the OP: You know...actually putting down what your flights are, including airlines, cities, dates and times would make it a LOT easier for folks to answer your questions.

[voyager70]

It is doable, if all goes smoothly and ontime, but quite tight. I've connected through EWR coming back from Europe many times and always allow at least 2.5 hours. Hope it all works out for you.

[6rugrats]

It's going to be very tight. You have to get off the plane, make your way to immigration and wait in line, then wait to pick up your checked bags, clear customs, drop your bags off for your next flight, re-clear security and then get to the gate for your FLL flight.

 

Everything would have to work perfectly for you to make your connection.

Edited February 3, 2015 by 6rugrats

[grandma*knows*best]

I might risk it, only because I have Global Entry, don't check bags and have traveled through Newark a number of times. I would book a longer connection if I were you.

[FlyerTalker]

I might risk it, only because I have Global Entry, don't check bags and have traveled through Newark a number of times. I would book a longer connection if I were you.

Too late. In the initial post, the OP wrote:

We have booked flights from London Heathrow to Fort Lauderdale via Newark, New York.

 

We have about an hour and a half between fights and we wondered if this is going to be tight?

Another post-decision confirmation request. Oh well...

[6rugrats]

OP you are asking this when you previously had this post? Which wasn't even about the time needed to clear immigration, customs, etc?

 

We flew back from Rome late last night, only a European flight, but Rome airport is HUGE! It took simply ages to get to our gate, walked miles then had to get a train.

 

I wouldn't want to have only 2 hours to get through security and get to the gate. I think that is cutting it a bit fine.

Edited February 3, 2015 by 6rugrats

[waterbug123]

We have booked flights from London Heathrow to Fort Lauderdale via Newark, New York.

 

We have about an hour and a half between fights and we wondered if this is going to be tight?

 

 

Since you've already booked the flights, it will be whatever it will be. That said, have you looked to see how many later flights your airline has EWR-FLL after yours in case you miss yours? Any such flight would need to have available seats on it though, so my next question would be do you possibly have any elite level frequent flyer status on your airline that might give you some priority service in getting rebooked if necessary?

[ellie1145]

OP you are asking this when you previously had this post? Which wasn't even about the time needed to clear immigration, customs, etc?

 

I was specifically talking about Rome airport, not Newark. Rome airport is huge and you have to take a train, as well as walk miles, and go up and down numerous escalators. Thus you need a lot of time. Each airport is different, Charlotte, for example, is easy and quick. I was only asking for some information.

 

Congratulations on finding my post though! Quite an achievement!

 

I'm not sure why people have to be so rude.

 

I realise its a fait accomplis, as we have booked, but wish I'd never asked. I understand now that this is possibly going to be tight, but why the ridicule?

Edited February 3, 2015 by ellie1145

[fbgd]

Rome airport is huge

 

I guess it depends which Rome airport you're referring to bit if you think Fiumicino is huge then you might be blown away by Newark. Never used Ciampino, the other Rome airport.

[6rugrats]

I was specifically talking about Rome airport, not Newark. Rome airport is huge and you have to take a train, as well as walk miles, and go up and down numerous escalators.

 

Congratulations on finding my post though! Quite an achievement!

 

I'm not sure why people have to be so rude.

I'm not sure why your response was so rude.

 

I have been through FCO many times, never walked "miles" or taken a train, but I'm not questioning the experience you state you had.

 

I realise its a fait accomplis, as we have booked, but wish I'd never asked. I understand now that this is possibly going to be tight, but why the ridicule?

 

I'm not ridiculing you; just surprised that someone who has past experience of how much time it can take to get through an airport would book such a short connection. EWR is a messy and large airport with about as many passengers a year as FCO, and many international arrivals.

 

If you don't have GE, odds are low you will make this connection. I never understand why people book and then post, wanting affirmation that it will all work out. Then, they are upset when they don't get handed a rainbow lollipop. It's not helpful if people post false reassurances.

Edited February 4, 2015 by 6rugrats

[waterbug123]

have you looked to see how many later flights your airline has EWR-FLL after yours in case you miss yours?

 

do you possibly have any elite level frequent flyer status on your airline that might give you some priority service in getting rebooked if necessary?

 

I understand now that this is possibly going to be tight, but why the ridicule?

 

I hope you were not interpreting my reply as ridicule??? They are legitimate questions for someone booking such a tight connection following an international arrival.

I almost also asked if you have PreCheck or airline status for a priority security line for when you reclear security after customs, but I don't fly through Newark and don't know if either of those lines exist at the post-customs security check so it may be a moot point. Some airports only have such lines at the main security points.

Depending on what your risk tolerance is, you probably have the option to change your flights, albeit it for a hefty change fee. But it's something to consider if you are second guessing yourself. The other possible course of action is simply to wait, and hope that your airline makes a schedule change of more than an hour or so (or whatever your particular airline's threshold is) that would allow you to decline the change and choose a more acceptable itinerary without paying a change fee. Most airlines will allow that if the change that they initiated is longer than a certain time (60 or 90 minutes is typical)

[villauk]

We have booked flights from London Heathrow to Fort Lauderdale via Newark, New York.

 

We have about an hour and a half between fights and we wondered if this is going to be tight?

 

We apparently land in Terminal B and need to get to D (I think) so will we need to rush? Obviously we will have to go through immigration and security. Is this long enough?

 

Thanks for any info on Newark. It is about 17 years since we flew out of there.

 

We are also changing in Newark for our April cruise. However, we do have a longer transit time than you, but I'll post our actual experience after our cruise if that would help (unsure of when exactly you're flying as it's not in your initial post)?

 

Our return flights were changed 4 times and the last time was the last straw - only a 40 minute changeover in EWR. I wouldn't have enjoyed our cruise knowing we'd got such a tight window, so we took the bull by the horn and rang UA to ask for a change of airport. Luckily, they agreed; now we have just under 3 hours ;).

 

Btw, we've also changed in Charlotte and, yes, it was straightforward and quick - I don't expect the same in EWR, more like PHL :(! JFK was even worse :eek:! And I'm sure O'Hare is larger than some of our cities :D!

[6rugrats]

An interesting post from the air travel forum on Tripadvisor today, in response to a similar question about a short connection for an international to domestic flight. This answer is from a very frequent flyer:

 

At least you're not going through Newark, where I'd have rated your chances at less than 20%. At EWR, I've never made it through customs, immigration and security in time for a 1hr15 connection (had I chosen one) and I'm a US citizen.

[greatam]

An interesting post from the air travel forum on Tripadvisor today, in response to a similar question about a short connection for an international to domestic flight. This answer is from a very frequent flyer:

 

At least you're not going through Newark, where I'd have rated your chances at less than 20%. At EWR, I've never made it through customs, immigration and security in time for a 1hr15 connection (had I chosen one) and I'm a US citizen.

 

I wonder who wrote that. It was totally on the money. Just curious because I will do almost anything to avoid a connection, any kind, at EWR or PHL. EWR because it is just too confusing and congested, PHL because the luggage situation is getting WORSE, particularly with the merger. First it was US/AMWest fighting it out on an East Coast/West Coast basis (sounds like the rap wars of years ago) and now it is the same US baggage handlers vs the AA baggage handlers-different rules, different contracts, different wages, different attitudes.

 

Then someone who asked a couple of Choice Air questions on this forum must have read your answer about the EWR connection and gone to Trip Advisor because I have gotten four emails from total strangers asking about Choice Air and answers on the Trip Advisor Forum. One totally berating me that they had a FABULOUS trip, couldn't have been better and I had no idea what I was talking about, two asking the cliche "we already booked, now what do we do?" questions and one actually asking if the sticky at the top of this forum could be transferred to Trip Advisor with a few updates and clarifications that there really ISN'T a difference for the cheapest Choice Air tickets even though it appears there is.

 

I don't participate on Trip Advisor. After I got bombarded by the management of a hotel I wrote a particularly negative review about (the only hotel review I have ever posted on Trip Advisor), I said no more participating there.

 

But there is so much erroneous info in the Choice Air questions on Trip Advisor (it appears a lot of people think it is like Expedia, Travelocity, etc. etc), maybe I should before more people get caught in a trap that could be avoided with a little research and time. What do you guys think???

 

Sorry to drag this thread waaay off topic but didn't have a clue where else to put it.

[6rugrats]

I wonder who wrote that. It was totally on the money.

 

USBusinessTraveller.

[epixx]

 

 

But there is so much erroneous info in the Choice Air questions on Trip Advisor (it appears a lot of people think it is like Expedia, Travelocity, etc. etc), maybe I should before more people get caught in a trap that could be avoided with a little research and time. What do you guys think???

 

 

Greatam: I'm not an expert here, but I say GO FOR IT! I find your information extremely helpful, and I do also read the Air Travel Forum on Tripadvisor. Thanks for your insights.

[FlyerTalker]

Even though it sometimes feels like this:

 

 

 

the teacher in us wants to share the knowledge we have. Post and let it be....those who want to learn and understand will appreciate it, those who want to cling to their comforting, but inaccurate, assumptions will dismiss it. But they can't be convinced in any case, until it happens to them.

 

And then, it will all be someone else's fault.

 

Sorta like much of the American populace in general when it comes to life.