We have our Honeymoon in July and we are going to Costa Rica. The airline just changed our first flight from Boston to Charlotte and it only leaves us 1 hour layover between flights. Will that be a problem getting to our international flight? Never been to this airport and I know in some places it's near impossible to make it in that little time. First problem is 1 hour would include flight landing, getting to the gate, and disembarking.

CLT can be a bit crazy. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that timeline, but it could be done. Are your seats on the first leg close to the front of the plane? That would help, obviously.

quote:

Originally posted by Seamus:
CLT can be a bit crazy. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that timeline, but it could be done. Are your seats on the first leg close to the front of the plane? That would help, obviously.

Yeah I forgot to mention we are in first class so we should get off quickly.

I would try and get more time since it is an International flight. My experience is that you make the flight, but your bags do not. Airport is not that big.

Depends on the gate locations, whenever I have a tight connections the gates are the farthest away possible. Atlanta- Inbound I'll get A1 and invariably my outbound international will be F1.

You'd have to let us know what gate you arrive and leave from. If you went from A to E, it would be long haul.

I’ll know gates closer to travel time. Looking into other options to maybe get there earlier.

We’ve been through this at CLT several times and so far things have worked out. CLT is fairly big but well laid out you should be fine.

If the arrival in to CLT is on time, you'll be fine. What type of equipment are you booked on for the BOS to CLT leg? As long as its not a CRJ or the like, you'll even have time for a beer. Im speaking purely on airport logistics here. Smaller planes go through the E terminal, if you're at the ass end of that terminal going to just about any other part of the airport, it can be a poke, but we're talking 10 minutes or so. I've made plenty of transfers at CLT via the E terminal with an hour or less.

The goods news is it's all pedestrian, not like DFW where you need to get on a train.

TO be honest I recently had to haul ass on both outbound and inbound; first through CLT (weather delay) and then second through DFW (equipment).

CLT I arrived at the very end of C, wade through 600 people milling around waiting for boarding, and had to hustle to the end of C. It took ~15 mins (hauling carry on and computer bag) give or take and I was the last person on the plane.

In DFW, my arrival gate was right next to the escalator to the train platform, I already knew I had to go 3 stops on the counterclockwise train route, and it took less than 10 mins and I had plenty of time to spare.

I was shocked how long it took in CLT and amazed in DFW.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
If the arrival in to CLT is on time, you'll be fine. What type of equipment are you booked on for the BOS to CLT leg? As long as its not a CRJ or the like, you'll even have time for a beer. Im speaking purely on airport logistics here. Smaller planes go through the E terminal, if you're at the ass end of that terminal going to just about any other part of the airport, it can be a poke, but we're talking 10 minutes or so. I've made plenty of transfers at CLT via the E terminal with an hour or less.

The goods news is it's all pedestrian, not like DFW where you need to get on a train.

About half the time I make it on a CLT flight - which day of the week? I was told they have more issues on Monday.

1 hour should be plenty. As posted check the expected gate parings the eve prior.

If you arrive on the same airline ‘feeder’ then leave international, no biggie. You’ll likely leave from a ‘domestic’ gate anyway.

Get your bearings ahead of time, have fun in Costa Rica.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

quote:

Originally posted by Seamus:
CLT can be a bit crazy. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that timeline, but it could be done. Are your seats on the first leg close to the front of the plane? That would help, obviously.

Yeah I forgot to mention we are in first class so we should get off quickly.

You should be fine. My rule is I don't like layovers less than an hour. If you're unfamiliar with the airport make sure you have a map on your phone and prior to landing figure out where you have to go.

You need more time.
Two days ago I spent 4 hrs on the tarmac in Charleston SC because Charlotte CLOSED due to thunderstorms rolling through.

When they got us back to Charlotte it was bedlam. Packed solid with people, trash cans overflowing - every seat was taken. Luckily enough people missed connections that I got a later flight to Hartford and got in "only" 7hrs late. I consider myself lucky. American's automatic rebooking worked well for me. My baggage however went to Miami, then DC, and I got it 7pm next day.

If your first flight arrives on time you should be okay... and that is the big gamble.
In the past I've printed out a map of the airport so I could figure out how to get from one concourse to another by foot if need be and sometimes that is quicker than the tram systems