Tight Connection In Houston

[keesmon]

Thanks guys. I booked the flight.
Since my dates are not flexible and I'm meeting my buddy who flies in from Amsterdam, we have a pretty tight window where it all lines up. It's one day later the Delta and AA flights for those dates are already over $700. Having done this last year and checking that route weekly, my conclusion is that any flight under $500 is a winner if you can't wait until last minute and your dates are not flexible. Even with the schedule tweaks, which are bound to happen, I can usually convince the airline to give me a better alternative.
Now Texas springtime storms? They could derail this for sure, but the CUN second option is not so bad. My buddy will be landing there around 2PM. Appreciate the feedback

 

[DandyDon]

You could check on AA.com with a multi-city option.

They're making some costly changes in that area. Be careful. It always pays to check combination of one-way fares. Sometimes 2 one-ways is cheaper than round-trip, and multi-city fares can be booby trapped. Three top airlines changed the pricing of multi-city tickets. Here’s how to avoid paying more.

 

[Manneca]

I had a 45 minute connection in IAH coming back from Bonaire which meant going through immigration and customs and the damned beagle sent me to Ag. I made the flight even though I had to take the train to B. I was the last one to board a flight to Grand Cayman when my flight that had a 90 minute layover was delayed and then it sat at the gate waiting for a jet bridge for 25 minutes and I had to take the train from B to E. There are just no guarantees. Your advantages: you're flying a big plane down (albeit from EWR which can have awful delays) and you won't have to run to terminal A or B. You may have a very long walk for your connection.

Since you've bought your ticket, grab seats as close to the front as possible. If you have to pay for economy plus, do it. Being close to the front instead of in the back can make 5 or 10 minutes difference.

If you miss the connection, UA will cover your added costs only if it's a mechanical issue or other issue within their control. And even if something starts out as a mechanical and then is further delayed by weather, it will be a weather delay. And if it's a weather delay, they are not obligated to book you on anything other than UA flights. You might be able to talk an agent into something else.

If you are delayed and Houston is a mess, buy a lounge pass. The lines in the lounge will be shorter and the agents are better than the average agent at one of the help centers. While you're waiting in line, call UA on the phone. You may get quicker service on the phone. (In fact, if you are stuck on the tarmac for some reason and see that you won't make the connection, call while you're still on the plane.) Get the United app for your smart phone if you don't already have it. It will tell you which gate your next flight is at and the status.

I am a veteran of delayed UA flights and misconnects. Knowing the faster way to get on another flight can make a difference. Alternative flights may be close to full, so knowing all your options and how to get to an agent fast may make a huge difference in getting on the next flight or waiting.

Bags can travel more quickly than people do and can make flights that you can't. You might want to carry on what ever you consider to be essential just in case.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Don't be afraid to get one of the carts to take you instead of trying to run the gauntlet yourself. I've done that a time or two and to me, it's been worth the tip to the driver (not just at IAH).

 

[mmmbelows]

The 45 minute connect is always great until it's not when you don't make it do to weather. All it takes is a delay in take off from your first flight, or a thunderstorm over Houston making you hold for 15 minutes before landing and you're done. It's a roll of the dice.

 

[ReefHound]

Bags can travel more quickly than people do and can make flights that you can't. You might want to carry on what ever you consider to be essential just in case.

Good point. Just because you miss the short connection doesn't mean your bags will. There's a chance you could take a later flight to CUN but your bags will be waiting in CZM.

 

[DandyDon]

Bags can travel more quickly than people do and can make flights that you can't. You might want to carry on what ever you consider to be essential just in case.

They're not supposed to, especially on international flight - not since that bomb exploded over Scotland years ago. The rule as I understand it is that are supposed to be on the same plane as you, or they have to spend several hours in a holding area. After 9-11-01, they made that rule apply to domestic flights, at least for a while. Those were the rules, anyway - but they may not enforce them much. Back around 1990 or so, I had plane problems on the way to The Netherlands, got switched to a new plane, my bags didn't make that one - so they had to spend the night in a holding area plus a decompression chamber before forwarding.

Good point. Just because you miss the short connection doesn't mean your bags will. There's a chance you could take a later flight to CUN but your bags will be waiting in CZM.

Aside from what I said above, in actual practice on my last trip - I arrived several hours late and they delivered my bag to the hotel the next day.

 

[cvchief]

They're not supposed to,

We changed 3 gates once while they were looking for a working plane. Then we had a guy light a bowl in the back of the plane. We then had to wait for all the guy's luggage to be fount and removed. I NEVER connect in Detroit now. That is a tough town.

 

[Divegoose]

Coming back through Houston I never book a flight with less than a couple of hours layover. Customs and immigration when several planes come in at once can really hold you up.

Nearly got burned by that a couple of years ago. My layover in Houston, prior to my flight to Seattle, was 1:41 - no problem I thought - lots of time.

As I was finally getting through security, they were boarding my flight. I mentioned to the lady in front of me - "they are boarding my flight - I hope I make it". Her response was "that's okay - my flight just took off". Once I got through security, I ran to my gate, a couple of terminals over. I could hear the airline paging me. Got to the gate just as they were going to close the door to the aircraft. I did manage to make the flight, but felt bad for the lady who missed hers. I now book any flight through Houston with at least a two hour layover.

Divegoose

 

[Charles2]

Returning through Houston can always be a crap shoot, even during the week. My wife and I enrolled in the Global Entry | U.S. Customs and Border Protection several years ago and it has made a significant difference is getting through customs. I would recommend it for anyone who travels through any of the major airports frequently.