TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Atlanta Airport

We have typically travelled from San Antonio to SXM via Miami on American Airlines.

However, for our May trip the American flights available do not fit our timing and the price is too high.

There is a Delta flight through Atlanta. Is 45 minutes enough connection time in Atlanta? We are not that familiar with that airport, just know that it is big.

I travel thru ATL frequently & would never book a 45" connection. There are so many variables - if you land & take off from the same terminal you'd be OK but there's no guarantee of that happening. So if you have to change terminals it would be difficult. And since Delta only has a couple of flights a day I wouldn't take that chance of missing a flight.

Great, we have the same issue in Atlanta with 45 minutes to connect our departure flight to SXM. Also had the same issue with American where we couldn't get there in a day and prices were ridiculous so I found this Delta flight and now hoping we can make it to the gate in time.

We have gone through Atlanta the last 3 trips on Delta and all had about 40 some minutes and all were fine, using the train from b to e concourse this year no problem but we did get in a few minutes early. Have fun.

Thank you for posting, you've eased my mind some! 11 more sleeps! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" />

Bear in mind, there is a good 30-40 minutes of extra time built into the schedule. While it would concern me, I just connected through ATL (with a much longer window) and 45 minutes would have worked. There is an underground train system that is very efficient.

I did a :45 change and managed to get a starbuck. B to E terminal.

Now, coming back would be a very different story

I would agree on a return connection.

To the original poster, check a couple of days and see how close to on time your flight is arriving and the connection departing. That will give you some idea of what to possibly expect.

All of our flying is into or out of Atlanta. Be aware that the domestic terminal and the international terminal are in completely separate buildings. It is not a matter of going to a different section of the same facility, but a matter of flying into one facility and then transferring to the other facility. It is possible with 45 minutes but I would be very nervous.

That assumes the flight to SXM would leave from the international terminal

Last Friday the SXM flight departed from E terminal and our inbound flight arrived at B terminal from what I recall.

We have used Delta through Atlanta for the last couple years and I would say your odds are pretty good with 45 minutes.
Since none of us has a fail safe crystal ball I would suggest you check on other scheduled flights if you do miss connection. The old adage that "we have things in life that we control and others that we cannot control", applies.

thanks for the information everyone.

I did go ahead and book through Atlanta on Delta. I did book the Delta preferred seating which gets a seat closer to the front of the plane, right behind first class. That was to get off the plane quicker. It was still cheaper than American through Miami.

I did talk to Delta and they thought 45 minutes would be ok. They did tell me that typically the SAT flight arrives in terminal D and the SXM flight leaves from terminal B, not the international terminal.

Wish us luck!

Yes, thanks everyone, I'm feeling much better about our connection as well!

We're looking at traveling back on Delta from SXM thru ATL to SAT on a Monday afternoon in June. Was wondering if a 2 hr connection in ATL was sufficient for C&I and movement to the domestic terminal to catch our connecting flight? We also have Global Entry. Thanks.

Should not be any problem. Customs and Immigration were very short times to get through, re-check bags was a breeze and security (connecting flight) was not bad. Perhaps 30-40 minutes total this past Friday.

Keep a close eye on your flights. DL's low season schedule has been known to undergo changes. Don't rely on DL to let you know if they make changes.

Not directed to you Bahston, (how do we just make a new post on a thread?)

Do we still have to claim bags, clear Customs and Immigration and then get back in line to go through the scanners and such in Atlanta for a connecting flight?

Actually seems like I remember having to do so when I overnighted in Atlanta. Do I remember correctly?

gary

gtaylor, I don't think that it is possible make a new post in a thread, just reply to an existing post.

In response to your question, yes, that's exactly what you have to do. Immigration wants to check your papers, Customs wants a chance to check your bags, and TSA won't let you board a US-origin flight until you've been cleared by them.

Thanks, and I am replying directly to you.

As it is, so be it. And we have to move back into the general public boarding area before our connecting flight. Bad!

gary

ps. As it is, so be it. that's both for Customs/ICE and TTOL <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

What Bahston said but it was pretty smooth last Fri. Less than 40 min. total time. I had TSA pre-check on the way to SXM (which was really nice) and also on the way back but I guess with a connecting flight, it doesn't apply?

TSA Pre-check will apply if there is a Pre-check lane at the TSA Security Checkpoint that you are using. I used it in SJU a few months back. It should be the same at other US gateway airports.

It does apply, but the airport doesn't always have a precheck line in that area.

Must have been the situation then. Since I only fly about once a year now and it was the first time I had it, wasn't sure what to expect. I saw no signs and when I asked TSA I was told there was not a Pre-Check line.

Just received notification that Delta has changed the schedule for the flight from San Antonio to Atlanta. The flight now leaves SA 30 minutes earlier, which gives us an extra 30 minutes to make the connection to the SXM flight.

Good news for us. Happy the flight changed in the right direction!