Minimum layover times in Chicago?

[fusionx]

Hiyas all!

 

I've found a super flight from Little Rock, Arkansas to BKK. $1,198 RT, Outbound 24:51 hours, Inbound 23:17 hours. Those are really good times for this route. Outbound is LIT to ORD to NRT to BKK.

 

The problem is that the layover in ORD is only 45 minutes! Theoretically I can just move down the same terminal and walk right on. But, with security as it is today, they may have a gate check set up.

 

Do you think it's likely I'd make it on time? 45 minutes cuts it so close!

 

Also, what happens if I can't make the flight - say the flight to ORD is a little late? Will they get me on the next flight for the same price? Maybe even an upgrade?

 

I don't have to worry about specific times and dates - I'm flexible, so if this could turn into a win, I'd be happy either way.

[Marc-ster]

travelled thru Chicago many times.

personally I would never book a flight especially wintertime without a minimum of 2 hours between flights.

[bgtp]

If it were me, I wouldn't schedule a connection from my international gateway that close on the way over. On the way back, I wouldn't care. If there was an earlier flight that got me to Chicago for the same same price, I'd rather have a 3 or even 4 hour layover than 45 minutes. But then again, I'm anal about these things. I fly out of a small market which means I'd be going to Chicago on something like United Express or American Eagle which are even worse than the real United/American. Then you have to worry if your bags make it over (if you check bags) or if you only do carry-on and you're on one of those dinky regional jets, they probably have small overhead bins and you have to gate check your carry-on and wait for it when the plane lands. My last trip, I flew via Chicago with a 1:20 connection. For the five days before my trip I was monitoring my flight number to see if it was on time or not. Every day it was at least a couple of hours late or cancelled (United Express). Fortunately, on the day I traveled it was miraculously on time.

 

Sometimes, you have no choice. Living in a small market means limited choices. One time I had a 50 minute connection in Detroit. Again, I was lucky and it was on time. On the positive side, if you're on a small plane, at least it boards and deplanes faster than larger jets. Also, you say you are flexible. If you miss your connection they will put you on their next flight (which is probably the next day) or they'd try to move you to another airline's flight and being in Chicago, there'd be a few options depending on the time of day. Good luck!

[jbeeb]

bgtp is correct. The smaller regional jet from LIT to ORD will force you to gate check any carry on bags (other than a small computer bag). 45min is plenty of time to theoretically connect if your first flight is on time (and you grab your carry on bag within 10 minutes). I would actually suggest checking your bag from LIT with this connection. 45min is a ton of time for a bag to connect (as long as you're on the same airline). BTW, is this itinerary on United of AA? I'm guessing United with the last leg to BKK on ANA (since United gave that slot up to ANA). 

 

Anyway, if you do book this, you should be able to make your connection in ORD, but you'll be hustling over to your next gate. The gate agents working the flight to NRT will know you're on your way. They won't hold that flight, though, unless there are a very significant number of connecting passengers who are late. You'll have until 10min before actual departure time to get on board. 

 

Good luck! I work for an airline so if you have other questions, let me know.

[Luv2Phuket]

Have you checked with the airline?  Many require a minimum connection time, and I thought Chicago was at least 55 minutes, but I could be wrong.

 

If it is on your way home, I would say no way you're going to be able to make it.

 

ORD will be your first point of entry back into the USA, so you will have to claim your bags, clear immigration and and re-check them.  They have an expedited process set up for it, but it'd be cutting it pretty close.

 

One thing that would help is if you have Global Entry.  That makes immigration a breeze.

 

Also, when would you be flying?  Weather can play a rile, as Chicago winters are legendary for how bad they can be (although the flights into/out of ORD were ALL f*cked up when I had a convention there in July!)

 

Personally, I agree with Marc-ster, but I'd rather sit in an airport for a little while longer than have to bust ass to get to my gate on time.

[fusionx]

This is the outbound flight, so I'm going to pass. It's just too risky on the way over.

 

I'll keep looking for better flights

 

Thanks all!

[Patriotallday]

45 minutes is too close! Why chance ruining the start of your trip with a very tight connection time thru ORD in the winter? Take a look at going thru IAH or even LAS or SFO? A buddy just flew out of IAH on China Air or Air China and got a rock bottom price to BKK. Good luck!

[momo5]

Traveling on one itinerary? Checked in through destination at your initial point of departure? I ask because an airline won't sell an itinerary that doesn't meet minimum connection times and if you miss the connecting flight due to their issues then they will find a way to get you to your destination - perhaps a later flight, the same flight the next day, perhaps am upgrade, etc.

 

Personally I think ORD is a shithole and never connect through there, but I have had tight connections as part of a single PNR and missed connections have been rare, rare enough that I'd rather risk that than spend unnecessary time at a crappy airport. 40 minutes last time through SEA to NRT with time to spare; sometimes as little as 50 minutes connecting through ICN.

[fusionx]

That's what I was thinking, rcbryce. Yes, one itinerary, checked through.

 

About ORD - I'm flying out of Little Rock, Arkansas. ORD, DFW or ATL, and the cheaper flights all seem to go through ORD :(

 

One flight will let me fly to Atlanta, then all the way back over to LAX, then Taipei, then BKK. No thank you! lol.

 

Living in Arkansas sucks if you like traveling to Asia. Really.

[tps]

I had a 'fun' experience with a winter flight delay from a small market airport into ORD.

 

I had two hours between that flight and my international departure (flying American Eagle to Chicago, American to Beijing). The delay in my originating flight meant that I would probably have to do the run through the airport bit (I only had carry-on) luggage, but I figured I would just make it.

 

However, my inbound flight managed to land on the furthest-away Runway, and taxi-ing from there to the gate takes 35 minutes! To add to the perfect storm, we pulled into a gate that was about as far away as possible from my next gate of departure. 

 

I managed to hustle to that gate, my plane was still sitting there, but the cheery gate person said 'sorry...we just couldn't wait any longer' ......annoying, since the plane then sat at the gate for over a half hour more before pushing off. I was offered an overnight hotel but had to get back to Beijing sooner, so ended up taking a British Air flight to London then onto Beijing. Good times.