Flight advice please.... About This Page:

[B.M.]

Next year we will be flying out of Atlanta to Vancouver for our Alaska cruise. The flights are just now being released. There are no direct flights, so we will be making a connection in most likely Salt Lake City or Seattle (there are a few other options also). I've only flew a few times and never international.
How long should we allow for connections?? They have flights with as little as just under an hour connections. But the last thing I want to do is miss our connection
Do we have to go back through security to get to our next flight?
At what point will we go through customs?
I will be traveling with 5 young children (the youngest two have never flew), I have heard mention of families being able to request to board early so that they can get situated, would we qualify for this?
Any and all advise is welcome and appreciated for flying international with kids; TIA!

[Starbright]

I don't know alot about your flight in the USA although I have been to Vancouver a few times. Vancouver is a BIG city. It is one of the biggest in Canada next to Montreal and Toronto (yes, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg are also big). When you go back, they will have customs there to go through. When you go back, they have told us to be at the airport atleast 2-3 hrs ahead of time for security and customs.
The one thing I have heard is that Vancouver has nasty turbulents when you fly into it, so be prepared for that-it is normal. They are next to the ocean so you get the side winds. Actually, that is one of the reasons that we flew into Victoria (I am a wimp when it comes to flying)

I hope you enjoy the bit of Canada that you do see. Let us know what the trip is like. Are you stopping at any of the smaller islands on your voyage to Alaska????

Have fun!!!

[revral]

You shouldn't have to go back through security when you arrive in the connecting airport. At least I don't think you will as I haven't flown internationally since all of the security measures went in to effect. You will go through customs when you arrive in Vancouver & when you first land in the U.S. International airports have customs so you'll go through customs at the airport. As for how much time to allow between flights I'd allow at least 2 hours as you'll have to make your way to the international section of the airport & to your gate once you get their. I know for Seattle (Seattle international flights come & go from their own satelite so you have to make your way to that satelite & than to your gate). When you board the flight to Vancouver you'll go through international boarding procedure which I know has changed since I last flew internationally but at the very least you're going to need to have your passport & boarding pass ready to show the agent at the gate.

[chezp]

I'm thinking back to the couple of times when we had connecting flights to reach our international flight (2005 and 2006) and, sadly, both times, we had to go back through security. One of those was at Atlanta, because we were going between terminals. Now I think about it, the other time, at New York, it was also because we were going through terminals.

[Dave Marx]

Let me guess... Delta from Atlanta. I'm flying Delta to Vancouver from Detroit in a couple of months, and have the same issues. You may end up with an itinerary that takes you to Salt Lake, Minneapolis, LA, or Seattle, among other airports, and you may end up flying Alaska Air for one leg of the journey (that's supposed to be a good thing).

For connecting flights, an hour between flights is plenty. Actually, considering the flights I've been looking at, you're lucky to get as little as an hour. Will it be enough? The airline is aware of what passengers have connections and the status of the arriving flight, so they're not going to leave you out in the cold if there's a delay (at least, under typical summertime weather-related delays).

Since your connections will be in domestic airports, you don't have to worry about customs or security - unless you accidentally leave the secure area. You just have to make your way to the connecting flight's gate (unless it happens you'll be on the same plane).

You'll go through Canadian customs when you arrive in Vancouver.

Returning to the US, you'll go through customs at the first airport you reach. There's a baggage claim area in customs - you'll have to claim your bags, go through customs, and then the airline will take your bags again for your connecting flight back to Atlanta. So, for the connecting flight home, you'll need more than an hour stop-over. The airline does take this into account in their schedules when you search for flights (my return flight itineraries are all coming in a couple of hours longer than the flights headed to Vancouver).

On your flights, there will almost undoubtedly be a pre-boarding call for families traveling with small children and other passengers in need of assistance boarding. (Flights to Orlando are an exception on many airlines, because there are so many families traveling with kids - half the passengers would show up for pre-boarding!)

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by chezp

I'm thinking back to the couple of times when we had connecting flights to reach our international flight (2005 and 2006) and, sadly, both times, we had to go back through security. One of those was at Atlanta, because we were going between terminals. Now I think about it, the other time, at New York, it was also because we were going through terminals.

Were you connecting with a different airline? I had a connection on Delta in Atlanta between Terminal 2 and Terminal 5 (International arrival from Sint Maarten) - took the tram, and there was no need to go back through security. I've been through other airports (LAX comes to mind) where they've provided secure shuttle bus connections between terminals so folks didn't have to pass security again (Delta/Northwest connecting with American Eagle). But each airport and airline delivers different challenges.

[B.M.]

Originally Posted by Dave Marx

Let me guess... Delta from Atlanta.

Of course it's Delta, they have the market cornered here.

Thanks for all the info everyone.....

Dave, so that I clearly understand the baggage pick up...... The will transfer it from the first plane to the second going to Vancouver? But I will need to claim it myself coming back? And that brings a new question, will I have to pay the checked baggage fee for both flights (four total) or just once (one going/one returning)?

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by B.M.

Of course it's Delta, they have the market cornered here.

Thanks for all the info everyone.....

Dave, so that I clearly understand the baggage pick up...... The will transfer it from the first plane to the second going to Vancouver? But I will need to claim it myself coming back? And that brings a new question, will I have to pay the checked baggage fee for both flights (four total) or just once (one going/one returning)?

Right, the airline will transfer luggage between flights on your way to Vancouver, and any time you have a domestic connection. The only exception is when you have to pass through customs.

You'll pay only one checked baggage fee, regardless of how many times you may have to change planes, provided all the flights are on a single reservation.