Connection Time

[jptl85 25]

Hi All,

I am almost at the stage of booking my ticket to the USA after completing the K-1 process! i was wondering, how long should i leave for a connection time between flights in the USA? Would two hours be enough? Or should i look for ones between 3-4 hours?

thanks in advance!

Jay

[Carla V 43]

It would be wise more hours, you cant tell if yourfirst flight could be delayed or how lobg will take your check at POE... I traveled to my country last month and the flight was delayed three hours... good luck!!!

[kehills 217]

Depends where you're flying in to, really. When my husband was flying over from Australia (in to LAX or SFO), we generally left about a two hour window for transfers; never had an issue. For POE on immigration, we followed various advices read around and scheduled a closer to four-hour layover. ...SFO has its own immigration line at customs, and it was his fastest customs experience ever (in and out inside five minutes). (Ended up being beneficial, since Philly had a full ground stop thanks to a USAir flight taking a nose dive on take-off.)

In the summer, main concern if you're flying in to the East Coast (just a guess based on country of origin) will be thunderstorms and hurricanes; kind of depends if you mind the stress of maybe cutting it close and getting rebooked, or if you don't mind hanging out in the airport waiting for your flight for an hour or two.

[Kiwinyc 62]

It will take longer at POE because you will go through secondary processing meaning you stand in the line once, and will then be directed to a separate room where you will have to wait again. Then you have to get your bag(s) back and recheck them and go through security again for your domestic flight. Although it depends on how busy the airport is and how big it is (in case you have to transfer terminals as well) i would (and did, at Houston airport) leave a minimum of 3-4 hrs.

We did end up with time to spare but it meant we could sit down and get something to eat instead of rushing to the gate for the next flight (my fiance travelled in with me)

[stevensane 10]

My parents flew to NYC for our wedding from Newcastle via Dublin. They had 1.5 hours to transfer but got on the plane at Dublin for NYC 1 minute after the gate closed, so it was a miracle they made it. It would be wise to give yourself plenty of time.

[jptl85 25]

thanks for the tips guys, i will go for the 3-4 connection