Question about connecting flights in Detroit, MI airport

[Wren3]

We received our flight itinerary from Oceania and they have scheduled a connecting flight in Detroit, MI airport. We will have 60 mins between arrival and departing flights and we are concerned with how big the airport is and how difficult connecting between flights will be. Any input on the airport layout or connections would be appreciated. Thanks.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Wren3

[buggins0402]

We received our flight itinerary from Oceania and they have scheduled a connecting flight in Detroit, MI airport. We will have 60 mins between arrival and departing flights and we are concerned with how big the airport is and how difficult connecting between flights will be. Any input on the airport layout or connections would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

What airlines are you flying? 60 minutes should be enough between flights as long as you are not switching between terminals. DTW is set up with Delta and it's SkyTeam friends in the bigger McNamara terminal and everyone else in the North terminal. If you provide more flight info I can give you better information.

Edited February 4, 2016 by buggins0402

[Flybear]

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/airports-and-aircraft/airports/detroit.html

 

The McNamara terminal is so very easy to connect thru...... I'm based there (Delta crew) and I can assure you that 60 minutes is adequate time!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Wren3]

Thank you for your responses. I really appreciate it.

My flight itinerary is as follows:

DL 1579 arriving Detroit, MI 7:13 pm

DL 4112 departing Detroit, MI 8:37 pm Endeavor Air Dba Delta Connection

[rallydave]

Never mind

Edited February 4, 2016 by rallydave

[Tansy Mews]

Are you leaving from Toronto? I ask because I know at YYZ you go through US passport controls at the airport here before going to the US.

Sorry, I don't want to be an alarmist, but that could make a difference. However, I am sure it is a legal transit time.

 

Frances

[bitob]

We received our flight itinerary from Oceania and they have scheduled a connecting flight in Detroit, MI airport. We will have 60 mins between arrival and departing flights and we are concerned with how big the airport is and how difficult connecting between flights will be. Any input on the airport layout or connections would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

I would try to change it. A short delay in flight 1 could cause a problem for you or your luggage. My rule of thumb for connections is two hours minimum.

 

There is a difference between a legs connection and a safe connection

[buggins0402]

From what you posted it looks like your arrival flight is a US domestic into DTW.

 

You have an hour and 20 minutes. The one wrinkle is the departing flight is probably in the McNamara extension. If you've ever been through O'Hare the route there is similar to the underground connecting tunnel there. There are moving walkways with the sound and light show. Do you have any mobility issues?

 

In the main terminal there is a sky tram that will get you to the tunnel if your gate is far from the entrance (there are also moving walkways in the main part of McNamara). McNamara is pretty well designed. Is there a flight after to your end destination? I'm also assuming that this is a return from a cruise - so if plan b (in a worst case scenario) is a night at an airport hotel on DL's dime and that doesn't bother you I'd say fine. Actually, I've made shorter in AMS and CDG, with passport control in between. Those airports are much more difficult by an exponential factor of at least 10 than DTW.

 

If it were me I'd say it was fine. You can also check on the cruise air board and hopefully Flybear will come back and reassure you again.

Edited February 4, 2016 by buggins0402

[LHT28]

Thank you for your responses. I really appreciate it.

My flight itinerary is as follows:

DL 1579 arriving Detroit, MI 7:13 pm

DL 4112 departing Detroit, MI 8:37 pm Endeavor Air Dba Delta Connection

so you will not arrive until midnight :eek:

 

This is why I choose to pay the deviation & pick Non stop flight

or do my own air

 

Also a question comes up

the flight numbers do not match with your 1579 flies from DTW to MIA around noon

Edited February 4, 2016 by LHT28

[LHT28]

this is for your return flights ..makes more sense now

 

DL 1579 dep MIA 4:02 arr DTW 7:13

 

DL4112 DEP DTW 8:37 Arr YOW 10:09

[bitob]

I would try to change it. A short delay in flight 1 could cause a problem for you or your luggage. My rule of thumb for connections is two hours minimum.

 

There is a difference between a legs connection and a safe connection

 

 

I meant legal connection. Lol

[Wren3]

this is for your return flights ..makes more sense now

 

DL 1579 dep MIA 4:02 arr DTW 7:13

 

DL4112 DEP DTW 8:37 Arr YOW 10:09

 

Thank you LHT28, yes that is exactly the flight itinerary. One saving grace is the flight is post cruise so if anything happens we can deal with it. I am getting quite nervous based on the comments posted.

[Wren3]

From what you posted it looks like your arrival flight is a US domestic into DTW.

 

You have an hour and 20 minutes. The one wrinkle is the departing flight is probably in the McNamara extension. If you've ever been through O'Hare the route there is similar to the underground connecting tunnel there. There are moving walkways with the sound and light show. Do you have any mobility issues?

 

In the main terminal there is a sky tram that will get you to the tunnel if your gate is far from the entrance (there are also moving walkways in the main part of McNamara). McNamara is pretty well designed. Is there a flight after to your end destination? I'm also assuming that this is a return from a cruise - so if plan b (in a worst case scenario) is a night at an airport hotel on DL's dime and that doesn't bother you I'd say fine. Actually, I've made shorter in AMS and CDG, with passport control in between. Those airports are much more difficult by an exponential factor of at least 10 than DTW.

 

If it were me I'd say it was fine. You can also check on the cruise air board and hopefully Flybear will come back and reassure you again.

 

Thank you buggins0402, yes it is our return connecting flights from Miami to Ottawa via Detroit. Never gone this route before, will I have to go through customs between the connecting flights in Detroit? I really am a novice when it comes to airline travel. I usually have a direct flight but by the time Oceania issued the flight itinerary, they told me it was too late to change without huge fees and penalties so I will take this as a learning lesson and perhaps do our own flights in the future with Oceania or pay the deviation fee. Will there be staff readily available at the airport to assist with directions once we land in Detroit and look for our connecting flight?

Edited February 4, 2016 by Wren3

[Wren3]

I meant legal connection. Lol

 

Thanks bitob, when I inquired with Oceania about the time allotted between flights in Detroit they said it was the "legal" amount of time given for connecting between flights.

[Wren3]

Are you leaving from Toronto? I ask because I know at YYZ you go through US passport controls at the airport here before going to the US.

Sorry, I don't want to be an alarmist, but that could make a difference. However, I am sure it is a legal transit time.

 

Frances

 

Thanks Tansy Mews, it is post cruise so we are leaving from Miami going through Detroit ending in Ottawa.

[LHT28]

I think you just clear immigration/customs at YOW on your arrival

 

I have not flown out of DTW but have used other US airports & no pre immigration check required like we do going southbound

 

My luggage has always been through checked to YYZ when I have done connections on the same ticket

Edited February 4, 2016 by LHT28

[Wren3]

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/airports-and-aircraft/airports/detroit.html

 

The McNamara terminal is so very easy to connect thru...... I'm based there (Delta crew) and I can assure you that 60 minutes is adequate time!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thank you Flybear, perhaps you can answer a couple of questions kindly. I looked at the helpful link you provided and read the page information on connecting flights. The way I read the information, we are arriving in Detroit on a Delta domestic flight from Miami followed by departing on a Delta international flight to Ottawa, Canada. Based on the link, it states that the arrival flight and departing flight will be in the same terminal. Is this correct? Secondly, will we have to obtain our luggage between the connecting flights or will that we handled by the airline to end destination? Thank you everyone for your assistance, it is really appreciated.

[Wren3]

I think you just clear immigration/customs at YOW on your arrival

 

I have not flown out of DTW but have used other US airports & no pre immigration check required like we do going southbound

 

My luggage has always been through checked to YYZ when I have done connections on the same ticket

 

Thank you LHT28 ~ really helps.

[buggins0402]

Thank you Flybear, perhaps you can answer a couple of questions kindly. I looked at the helpful link you provided and read the page information on connecting flights. The way I read the information, we are arriving in Detroit on a Delta domestic flight from Miami followed by departing on a Delta international flight to Ottawa, Canada. Based on the link, it states that the arrival flight and departing flight will be in the same terminal. Is this correct? Secondly, will we have to obtain our luggage between the connecting flights or will that we handled by the airline to end destination? Thank you everyone for your assistance, it is really appreciated.

 

Wren, if Flybear doesn't show up to answer questions you might want to ask on the Cruise Air board. They can best answer the luggage question, DTW is my home airport so I've never connected through there. I seem to remember having a passport control in Detroit for entry in Canada..but I'm not 100% sure. You will definitely be in the same terminal for both flights...all walkable..your end flight to Ottawa may (my guess is probably) be in the extension...but still walkable (with all moving walks). The best way to think of McNamara's extended area is to think of getting to the connected regional flight area in the Toronto Airport...but, in DTW it is much easier to connect.

[Wren3]

Wren, if Flybear doesn't show up to answer questions you might want to ask on the Cruise Air board. They can best answer the luggage question, DTW is my home airport so I've never connected through there. I seem to remember having a passport control in Detroit for entry in Canada..but I'm not 100% sure. You will definitely be in the same terminal for both flights...all walkable..your end flight to Ottawa may (my guess is probably) be in the extension...but still walkable (with all moving walks). The best way to think of McNamara's extended area is to think of getting to the connected regional flight area in the Toronto Airport...but, in DTW it is much easier to connect.

 

Thank you buggins, very much appreciated.

Maybe you can answer this for me buggins. I looked at the DTW airport map and it looks to me that Domestic Arrivals are located on Level 1 and Departures are located on Level 3. Would I take the express tram through Concourse A to the escalators located at the Terminal Station in the middle of the airport and proceed to Level 3 Departures? Sorry if I am being over concerned is that I use a cane and need to be sure to have our bearings as best as possible prior to arriving.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Wren3

[Flybear]

Thank you Flybear, perhaps you can answer a couple of questions kindly. I looked at the helpful link you provided and read the page information on connecting flights. The way I read the information, we are arriving in Detroit on a Delta domestic flight from Miami followed by departing on a Delta international flight to Ottawa, Canada. Based on the link, it states that the arrival flight and departing flight will be in the same terminal. Is this correct? Secondly, will we have to obtain our luggage between the connecting flights or will that we handled by the airline to end destination? Thank you everyone for your assistance, it is really appreciated.

 

 

Wren3,

 

You will arrive and depart in the same terminal. You may have to make your way from one concourse to another (they are A, B & C) but all contained within one terminal.

 

Your bags will be checked in at your origination, and tagged to your final destination. No need to claim anything in Detroit.

 

I hope this helps put your mind at ease...... and enjoy your cruise!

 

Greg

[Wren3]

Wren3,

 

You will arrive and depart in the same terminal. You may have to make your way from one concourse to another (they are A, B & C) but all contained within one terminal.

 

Your bags will be checked in at your origination, and tagged to your final destination. No need to claim anything in Detroit.

 

I hope this helps put your mind at ease...... and enjoy your cruise!

 

Greg

 

Thank you Greg, it does put our mind at ease. Hope we see you in flight!

[buggins0402]

Thank you buggins, very much appreciated.

Maybe you can answer this for me buggins. I looked at the DTW airport map and it looks to me that Domestic Arrivals are located on Level 1 and Departures are located on Level 3. Would I take the express tram through Concourse A to the escalators located at the Terminal Station in the middle of the airport and proceed to Level 3 Departures? Sorry if I am being over concerned is that I use a cane and need to be sure to have our bearings as best as possible prior to arriving.

 

No...you would just take the sky tram or moving walks to the tunnel entrance shown in Flybears link. Then go through the tunnel (moving walks with entertainment) to the extension concourses which are b or c. I'm about 99% sure your flight to Ottawa will be out of b or c ( but check a website like flight stats). The sky tram is just another way of moving within the main terminal..a short hop to save longer moving walks. McNamara is relatively new compared to many terminals in U.S. Airports, so is pretty user friendly and isn't huge. My guess using all moving walks from the farthest gates in A to the farthest gates in b or c would be 20 minutes tops...less if you used the tram through A. If both gates are near the tunnel...less than 10 minutes.

Edited February 5, 2016 by buggins0402

[Wren3]

No...you would just take the sky tram or moving walks to the tunnel entrance shown in Flybears link. Then go through the tunnel (moving walks with entertainment) to the extension concourses which are b or c. I'm about 99% sure your flight to Ottawa will be out of b or c ( but check a website like flight stats). The sky tram is just another way of moving within the main terminal..a short hop to save longer moving walks. McNamara is relatively new compared to many terminals in U.S. Airports, so is pretty user friendly and isn't huge. My guess using all moving walks from the farthest gates in A to the farthest gates in b or c would be 20 minutes tops...less if you used the tram through A. If both gates are near the tunnel...less than 10 minutes.

 

That's fantastic buggins. I see what you are saying now when I reference the map Flybear provided. Thank you again.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Wren3