JFK Connection Times

[Anonymous]

This sounds as if it should be plenty of time, but is 3 hours enough time at JFK for a connection between the domestic and international terminals. I have a flight from DCA to JFK that lands at 2:30pm, and my flight to CDG is at 5:30pm. This is for late February.

I've made lots of much, much shorter connections at various airports but when I googled connection times for JFK, the website said to leave at least 2-3 hours.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I could move to an earlier flight but that would have me at JFK around 11:30am, which seems crazy.

[Anonymous]

I would do it.

But only if arriving in Europe one day later is not the end of the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds as if it should be plenty of time, but is 3 hours enough time at JFK for a connection between the domestic and international terminals. I have a flight from DCA to JFK that lands at 2:30pm, and my flight to CDG is at 5:30pm. This is for late February.

I've made lots of much, much shorter connections at various airports but when I googled connection times for JFK, the website said to leave at least 2-3 hours.

From Spain last summer I had a 5hr connection from JFK to LGA. It was returning so we had to go through customs after arriving at JFK, but still made it to LGA by taxi with 1.5 hour to share.

[Anonymous]

It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds as if it should be plenty of time, but is 3 hours enough time at JFK for a connection between the domestic and international terminals. I have a flight from DCA to JFK that lands at 2:30pm, and my flight to CDG is at 5:30pm. This is for late February.

I've made lots of much, much shorter connections at various airports but when I googled connection times for JFK, the website said to leave at least 2-3 hours.

From Spain last summer I had a 5hr connection from JFK to LGA. It was returning so we had to go through customs after arriving at JFK, but still made it to LGA by taxi with 1.5 hour to share.

Should say “to spare”

My point, is that we did all of this in 3 1/2 hours including customs, ground transportation and getting through security at LGA. I think you could def fo this st the same airport .

Also, if this is a common flight pattern fine daily by this airline, the timing is likely already a consideration.

[Anonymous]

Do you have Precheck? Are you traveling the same airline? Both of those should make some of it go faster. However, if you’re really worried, fly up a day ahead, go into the city for an evening. The biggest concern is if there’s a delay leaving DC and then your schedule is off. Also, are you sure you don’t want to fly direct from Dulles? Why connect if you don’t have to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have Precheck? Are you traveling the same airline? Both of those should make some of it go faster. However, if you’re really worried, fly up a day ahead, go into the city for an evening. The biggest concern is if there’s a delay leaving DC and then your schedule is off. Also, are you sure you don’t want to fly direct from Dulles? Why connect if you don’t have to?

I have Clear and Pre-Check. Both flights are on American. I found a good deal using miles for the flight on AA. I plan on just bringing a carry-on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

Yes, based on what I read there is no connection behind security between the terminals so you have to go through security again.

https://www.jfkairport.com/at-airport/connecting-flights

I guess that's why they say you need 2-3 hours for connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

Yes, that was my experience flying some years back. I got my bags from the domestic flight ant the carousel and then schlepped to the international terminal to the check-in counters (this was on a one ticket with JFK connecting). Never transferred through JFK again after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

Yes, that was my experience flying some years back. I got my bags from the domestic flight ant the carousel and then schlepped to the international terminal to the check-in counters (this was on a one ticket with JFK connecting). Never transferred through JFK again after that.

If it’s the same itinerary they should move your checked bags for you, right?

JFK sucks in this respect though. There is not just a domestic terminal and an international terminal.

There are NINE terminals. And most (or all) have domestic and international flights.

Yay America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

Yes, that was my experience flying some years back. I got my bags from the domestic flight ant the carousel and then schlepped to the international terminal to the check-in counters (this was on a one ticket with JFK connecting). Never transferred through JFK again after that.

If it’s the same itinerary they should move your checked bags for you, right?

JFK sucks in this respect though. There is not just a domestic terminal and an international terminal.

There are NINE terminals. And most (or all) have domestic and international flights.

Yay America.

It was one ticket: dca to final destination. I still had to get my bags from the domestic flight and then move to terminal, stand in line and get my international flight boarding. The domestic flight was basically an Uber to the JFK from DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

Yes, that was my experience flying some years back. I got my bags from the domestic flight ant the carousel and then schlepped to the international terminal to the check-in counters (this was on a one ticket with JFK connecting). Never transferred through JFK again after that.

If it’s the same itinerary they should move your checked bags for you, right?

JFK sucks in this respect though. There is not just a domestic terminal and an international terminal.

There are NINE terminals. And most (or all) have domestic and international flights.

Yay America.

It was one ticket: dca to final destination. I still had to get my bags from the domestic flight and then move to terminal, stand in line and get my international flight boarding. The domestic flight was basically an Uber to the JFK from DC.

That will not be the case with OPs itinerary. American operates within a single terminal at JFK. They will not have to exit the secure area, and their bags will be checked to their final destination, because it's all on the same ticket and same airline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be enough if your dca -jfk flight doesn’t get delayed. You basically go through security and recheck bags at JFK, so this is why you need your flight to arrive 2-3 hours before (it’s like you would arrive at any airport 2-3 hours before an international flight). In a way, JFK treats it as two separate flights rather than just a connection.

NP here. Even after domestic flights? I thought you only had to do that after arriving on an international flight.

Yes, that was my experience flying some years back. I got my bags from the domestic flight ant the carousel and then schlepped to the international terminal to the check-in counters (this was on a one ticket with JFK connecting). Never transferred through JFK again after that.

If it’s the same itinerary they should move your checked bags for you, right?

JFK sucks in this respect though. There is not just a domestic terminal and an international terminal.

There are NINE terminals. And most (or all) have domestic and international flights.

Yay America.

There were 9 terminals. There are 5 now.