Which connecting airport?

[rbslos18]

Our Delta cruise air to LAX for a cruise to Hawaii gives us a choice of a stop in Detroit or Atlanta during the winter. Which airport is less likely to have a delay due to winter weather?

[slidergirl]

Honestly, check if you could do a DL connection in SLC. Best airport around for winter conditions.

For me, I try to stay South in the winter for connections.

[alcpa1]

If I understand correctly you booked, or are booking, a Delta flight through Cruise Air.

Could you be a little more specific about WINTER. If it's December either might be fine. If it's March then I'd lean toward Detroit. As a southerner who flies through Atlanta all the time I'd point out that some of worse "winter" weather can occur before mid March. We cannot handle snow and ice well down here.

[rbslos18]

The flight options are for mid-December, 2016. Both options take the same time to get to LAX.

 

I am only looking at flights with a minimum of an hour layover. The other offered options involve MSP and ORD which sound more likely to have delays or cancellations in the event of a storm.

Edited January 19, 2016 by rbslos18

[vwrestler171]

Out of the 2 choices, I would say ATL, but I would 2nd the previous poster that said SLC. They really know how to take care of flights during the winter. Also would be easy to make a shorter layover.

[waterbug123]

It is six of one, half a dozen of the other. ATL is much less likely to get hit with a winter storm, BUT if it happens they are ill-prepared to deal with it... Atlanta based crew can't get to the airport, not enough de-icing trucks etc. etc. DTW is far better equipped to deal with winter weather BUT they are also much more likely to have bigger and more frequent storms, and no matter how well prepared they are, a big enough storm will still cause delays and cancellations. Given all that, I'd just go with whichever flight itinerary makes the most sense as far as connections, departure times etc.

 

MSP and ORD were subsequently mentioned, and I just want to point out that if those involve Delta also, I would shy away from ORD. The reason is that DTW, ATL and MSP are all Delta hubs but ORD is not, so you'll have far fewer rebooking options (on Delta) there if your flights get screwed up due to weather.

[rbslos18]

Google to the rescue!

 

"Which hub airports are best in winter?"

 

Looks like MSP and DTW are even better than ATL!! SLC is not an option, unfortunately.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2015/03/18/airports-winter-on-time-flight-delays-cancellations/24906949/

Edited January 20, 2016 by rbslos18

[FlyerTalker]

I've had good experiences with the ops at both MSP and DTW during the winter. Both are geared up for it, have the systems in place, and keep traffic moving.

 

Personally, I'd go through MSP....they have "done winter" for forever. And that's where Joe Patroni was filmed moving that 707 at "Lincoln International".

[sunlover5]

This past Thanksgiving we flew out of Dtw to Miami for our cruise. Left in a freak snowstorm of over 8 inches early in the morning. No Problem....Detroit was prepared and we had no delays. Arrived early in Miami!!!:)

[slidergirl]

Google to the rescue!

 

"Which hub airports are best in winter?"

 

Looks like MSP and DTW are even better than ATL!! SLC is not an option, unfortunately.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2015/03/18/airports-winter-on-time-flight-delays-cancellations/24906949/

 

too bad SLC isn't an option for you. Is it because there are no non-stops between your originating airport and SLC? Otherwise, I do not know why it wouldn't work. there are between 8-10 non stops SLC-LAX, spread throughout the day.

Plus, I wouldn't count on USA Today to supply facts for me ;)

[toberman]

Hard to give suggestions because... we don't know your originating city.

 

Plus - you seem to only want to use Cruise Air ?? Why not look outside the box and check all available flights on other airlines?

 

If you're stuck with Delta, I would choose DTW or MSP any day in the winter over ATL. Both airports are well equipped to deal with snow.

[rbslos18]

too bad SLC isn't an option for you. Is it because there are no non-stops between your originating airport and SLC? Otherwise, I do not know why it wouldn't work. there are between 8-10 non stops SLC-LAX, spread throughout the day.

Plus, I wouldn't count on USA Today to supply facts for me ;)

 

Yes. It would add another stop to the trip! Another possibility is Houston. Since we are fairly close to Chicago, many stops are ORD which I know can be difficult. If I were a package, UPS could get me anywhere in a heartbeat!!

[viper88]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but I have a connecting airport question. We have a 45 minute connection in JFK this summer. We will be coming in on a Delta Connection flight and connecting to a mainline flight. When we first booked this flight we had well over 60 minutes to make the connection. Now, I am concerned about the amount of time between flights. Do you think we will have enough time or will be running between gates?

[TruckerDave]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but I have a connecting airport question. We have a 45 minute connection in JFK this summer. We will be coming in on a Delta Connection flight and connecting to a mainline flight. When we first booked this flight we had well over 60 minutes to make the connection. Now, I am concerned about the amount of time between flights. Do you think we will have enough time or will be running between gates?

 

I just had a similar issue (I just got of the phone with AA) . I had a 4 hr connection at Philly but received an email changing me to a 50 min layover. Quick phone call to AA they just rerouted me via CLT and JFK with longer layovers. (and as bonus add first class instead of the CHS-PHL in coach and more freq flier and elite qual miles. :D )

 

Moral of story call the airline. Mainline to mainline maybe but a RJ to mainline...no way would I risk it. Even though I don't think a flight has left JFK on time in about 32 years. :D

[FlyerTalker]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but I have a connecting airport question. We have a 45 minute connection in JFK this summer. We will be coming in on a Delta Connection flight and connecting to a mainline flight. When we first booked this flight we had well over 60 minutes to make the connection. Now, I am concerned about the amount of time between flights. Do you think we will have enough time or will be running between gates?

The bad news...45 minutes is the MCT for domestic to international and 35 for domestic to domestic. So the connection is "legal".

 

Your big question is whether your DL Connection flight will arrive at T2 or T4 and ditto for the departure. If in the same terminals, then 45 minutes will work, albeit a hike if in T4. But if you have to take the airside "JFK Jitney", you could burn up 10-20 minutes in that process.

 

To echo the above, call DL and see if they can help you out. But before you call, do your own research and look for alternative flights/routings that won't have this time crunch. You don't say what cities are involved, so we cant give you any better advice. (NOTE TO ALL -- Post your cities and flights so you don't just get vague generalized answers.)

[Brighton Line]

If in the same terminals, then 45 minutes will work, albeit a hike if in T4.

 

Kinda hard going B54 to A5 at JFK T4, no Jitney help with that :rolleyes:.

Though there is one from B54 to B18... Other Jitney is B54 to C60 (Terminal 2) and B18 to C60.

 

Domestics usually use the higher number B gates.

T4 Operations do get messy a times and have a lot of gate changes. Best to have the most information, have the Delta App, check terminal displays upon arrival.

 

45 minutes you are not stopping at the Shake Shack.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Brighton Line

[FlyerTalker]

Kinda hard going B54 to A5 at JFK T4, no Jitney help with that :rolleyes:.

Did not know that DL was using the other concourse at T4.

 

That adds just one more uncertainty.

 

The main thrust of my post is that you don't know if it will be enough. Within the B concourse of T4, doable. Within T2, doable. Any kind of crossover - now you have roadblocks that can kill you.

 

And, unfortunately, you never know where you will end up. Unlike some airlines/airports where certain destinations always go from known terminals.

[viper88]

Did not know that DL was using the other concourse at T4.

 

That adds just one more uncertainty.

 

The main thrust of my post is that you don't know if it will be enough. Within the B concourse of T4, doable. Within T2, doable. Any kind of crossover - now you have roadblocks that can kill you.

 

And, unfortunately, you never know where you will end up. Unlike some airlines/airports where certain destinations always go from known terminals.

We are arriving from CLE and heading to SJU. There is an earlier flight from CLE I will be looking at switching to.

Thanks for the insight. If we stay with our current flights, we will just have to wear our track shoes.

[viper88]

We ended up changing out flight to an earlier one out of CLE. Now we should have plenty of time to make the connection. Thanks for the help.