USA - is this enough of a stopover time?

[Darlingbudofmay]

I am just looking at flights for Orlando, found some at a great price but the outbound flight includes a 2.5hr stopover in Atlanta.

I am just a little concerned as to whether this will be enough time to get a connecting flight as I know immigration in the USA can be quite time consuming (long lines etc...). Has anyone done this?

If we did the full immigration check in Atlanta would we need to do it again in Orlando as an internal flight but not US Citizens?

Any info on this process would be appreciated thank you!

They offer it because very often, the short connection works out. It’s obviously incredibly annoying when it doesn’t, but airports wouldn’t set MCTs to eg 90 mins if they failed 80% of the time.

Single business travellers, people with no checked luggage, those who are familiar with the airport, people sat in first / business or first rows of the economy for whom it takes 5 minutes to disembark… they may all be happy “risking” a 2.5 hour layover.

I’ve never gone through Atlanta but have managed international to domestic connections in just over 1 hour at Newark for example (booked as 3h, flight got moved…). Had good experiences at Charlotte, Philadelphia and JFK too - but I know many who didn’t.

It’s a matter of luck and also of how fast you can run and how confident you are at going through a strange airport without stopping every 5 minutes to make sure you’re on the right path. When you land in the US on a tight layover, you don’t have time to think - you engage automatic mode.

Often, inbound Europe - US flights land up to an hour early (thank you, winds!). However, other times the flight will get delayed because of a technical issue, there will be bad weather over the US coasts resulting in air traffic congestion, and you’ll be sitting in the last row of economy while 5 other international flights are also landing during your same spot and filling up the immigration hall - the perfect storm has gathered for you to miss your connection!

I tend to book risky connections because I always try to fly a day earlier than I’d need to be there. For holidays I wouldn’t mind being delayed a full day - but I also don’t have small children.

Good decision.

DH flies via Atlanta 2-3 a year but only with handluggage. He said immegration is one of the best in the US but still quite a queue, often different depending on the day and time you arrive.

He normally has at least 3-4 hours between flights.

I got through Atlanta onto a connecting flight in 50minutes earlier in the year but that doesn’t mean you would…..we were only the flight arriving into the immigration hall and I ran off the inbound plane, and to the shuttle train and literally just made it as they were about to close boarding! Do not recommend.

Atlantic was a nightmare when we arrived late in. They insisted on letting all Americans through before internationals even those whose final destination was Atlanta and did not attempt to prioritise those with connections. The main reason for this I discovered is that as a major hub there are often more flights to most destinations same day so they would rather put you to the inconvenience of sticking you on one of them!

We had 45 minutes in Atlanta en route to San Francisco, it included clearing customs AND getting our luggage. I nearly resorted to crying at the immigration queue because I didn’t think we would make it, but we did!

Can't speak for the immigration piece but as above, Atlanta is airport is absolutely huge - if you do do it, make sure you take the shuttle/train thing across the airport - don't walk! I didn't and it took me forever

We had a 2.5hr layover in Atlanta on Boxing Day. We made our connection comfortably. But the airport is huge and I thought the checking in of luggage to our destination was chaotic. TBH I was surprised when we got to our destination that our luggage had actually made it.

We did Dublin instead of Atlanta, we had 3 hours which was enough for immigration and some lunch (saved a grand too)

Where would you be flying from? When I have done it we stopped over in New York and made a few days out of that so there isn’t any rushing for immigration.

Also there is a new(ish) app where you can do immigration through that then you can go through a different line. I’ve not used this but I think it can save a lot of time from what I’ve heard

We didn't see our luggage either from Manchester to Orlando

I've connected in Atlanta but it was a few years ago. 2.5 hours is doable, we had 4 hours and there was a lot of hanging about. Have you checked how many flights there are later on in that day to your destination?
If you can connect via Dublin instead you can clear US immigration there so no hanging around at destination.

Are Atlanta not on the MPC scheme/app? Surely they must be. If so you could be through immigration quickly. But you'll still have the hassle of luggage and small children.

BTW OP you do have to collect your luggage at ATL however you don't have to check it back in as such, as soon as you've gone through immigration with your bags there's a belt and you drop it off there. Very efficient and no queues.

Thank you for all the later replies, I'm going to go through them tonight.

We are in the UK so could fly from Manchester or London airports (to answer one question I think I saw!)