<p>I am purchasing airline tickets from central Virginia to San Francisco. I have only taken non-stop flights so am wondering whether I need to worry about any potential headaches associated with a necessary layover. Which is a better airport to fly into: O’Hare in Chicago or Charlotte Douglas in Charlotte, NC? Or does it even matter? </p>
<p>Also, is an hour layover enough time to catch the connecting flight? The last few times I’ve flown my flights have been delayed so I’m wondering what happens if you miss your connecting flight due to such delays?</p>
<p>My child will be flying alone so would like for this to be as painless as possible. Thanks for any input.</p>
<p>I took the liberty of assuming you’re flying out of CHO (Charlottesville).</p>
<p>There’s a US Air flight CHO-CLT-SFO and an American Airlines flight CHO-ORD-SFO that are roughly the same price and same duration; I’m assuming those are the flights you’re looking at.</p>
<p>The key thing here is that you are booking with the same carrier. They won’t “allow” the itinerary to be booked if it doesn’t meet their minimum connection times (which vary by airport). If your first flight is delayed, they are responsible for getting you on the next flight out, or potentially transferring you to another airline if possible.</p>
<p>If, however, you’re looking at other options that involve one carrier to CLT or ORD and a separate carrier to SFO, that leaves you exposed if the first flight is delayed - it’s not the second carrier’s problem.</p>
<p>CLT is a smaller airport than ORD, of course - but within domestic transfers like that, you’re typically just going a few gates away from your landing gate so it doesn’t much matter. In other words, you might land at gate 20 and have to walk to gate 28 or somesuch.</p>
<p>Connection times can be very short. I am in Cologne,Germany right now and flying to Newark via Munich. My COL- MUC (Munich) - EWR (Newark) flight has a connection time of only 40 min in MUC, but it’s United / Lufthansa and they run a very tight ship in Germany, so chances are quite high I’ll be fine.</p>
<p>Hope that helps. Is your child checking a bag? </p>
<p>When we fly, we try to always have a layover of at least 90 minutes, just so there is less stress in case there is any delay in the first flight. It has served us well, especially if we check bags and want to be sure the luggage gets from one flight to the next (remember whatever she carries on the plane, she’ll have to carry onto connecting flight too, getting it from one gate to the next). Whenever we have a shorter layover, it makes us more nervous about whether we will make the connection. We always book all flights on one itinerary with same (or partner) airlines, so that if there is any problem, they will help us fix it. Also, if you use a travel agent, you have to contact them (even if it is web-based) if you have any problems with your ticket. For this reason, we nearly always book directly on the airline’s website and rarely use a travel agent.</p>
<p>For an inexperienced flyer, I would especially be sure their is at least a 90 minute layover, as sometimes the gate you deplane from MAY be in a different terminal from the gate you are going to catch your next flight on. You could try calling the airline to double-check as to whether there is a terminal change or not for the flights you are considering. They can be helpful.</p>
<p>I have flown through ORD several times, but tend to be a bit nervous flying in and out of it during the winter, as storms may lead to cancelled and delayed flight, so tend to fly through other airports during the winters. Have no experience with Charlotte.</p>
<p>All other factors being the same, a smaller airport is usually less stressful and less confusing, and the people working there tend to be friendlier & more helpful.</p>
<p>Are there no direct flights? I pay extra if I have to in order get the least number of transitions possible. There are no direct flights to my airport but I generally have my daughter fly direct from Philly to LAX or SFO and then make a connection there. At least she’s in my state after one flight.</p>
<p>I also look at time of year and weather in connecting airports. I avoid Denver in winter for instance. The one and only time I booked a flight through Denver, Philly that had such a massive delay that she went back to the dorm and flew the next day - on a direct flight to LAX. Skipped Denver altogether. (I have nothing against Denver, I have never, ever been there, but every Christmas you see the big articles about flight delays in Denver due to weather.) I also avoid Chicago and Cleveland for the same reason. If she has to connect aside from LAX or SFO, I try for Phoenix (US Air), but then Phoenix flies direct to my home airport, so once again she only has one connection.</p>
<p>My daughter doesn’t really care for flying so I admit I try to make it as easy on her as possible. I even booked her direct from LAX to London when she went there.</p>
<p>A travel agent is extreme overkill for booking a flight like this - which can be done on Kayak or on the airline’s website in 5 minutes. </p>
<p>You can find out easily if you have to switch terminals. At ORD, AA only has one terminal (though it’s a “winged” terminal with G,H, K and L gates). Even though I’m based out of ORD, I can’t really give advice about what it’s like to transfer, because by definition I don’t transfer there. </p>
<p>I repeat, though, it is not in the airlines’ best interest to offer connections that they can’t reasonably make. They don’t want to offer something untenable and then have to rebook you.</p>
<p>The only exception is LHR (Heathrow), which takes hours to transfer through, and should be avoided at all costs unless it’s a final destination, but I digress.</p>
<p>The problem with connecting through a smaller airport is that there are likely fewer options if the connection is missed. I don’t mind booking a tight connection if I know there are three more flights available that day if the connecting flight is missed. You might want to look at that. And with respect to checked bags, I’ve been amazed at how efficient the airlines have become in getting bags on connecting flights. </p>
<p>How old is your child? If under 14, you’ll have to pay extra for the unaccompanied minor service, but it is totally worth it because they are very good about making sure your kid gets on the connecting flight. But they don’t allow for tight connections.</p>
<p>Also, you might want to consider flying into Oakland instead of SFO, if possible. SFO is notorious for weather delays. This is more important for the return flight. </p>
<p>Nottelling makes a good point. OP, google “nonstop ORD to SFO” (or whatever your airports are) and you will see all the carriers that fly nonstop; click on the name and you’ll see all the flights. </p>
<p>I agree with the comments about the larger airport offering more options if the connection is missed. However, having been stranded there several times over the years, my first rule of air travel is “avoid ORD if at all possible”. It seems to me that they run the airport too close to capacity, so if anything goes wrong they have major delays and you can end up with no way to get out until the next day. If I have to go through ORD, I try to make it as early in the day as possible. </p>
<p>My biggest concern was making the connecting flights in time. @Pizzagirl, it makes sense that the airlines need to make their connection times doable so, based on your input, I’ve just booked all flights with the same airline and will trust that it will all work out. And yes, I have heard that O’Hare can be a bear so child will connect in Charlotte with just a carry on.</p>
<p>Thanks for chiming in everyone. It’s really helpful to read about all the possible scenarios and I’ve learned a little more about airline travel today. Thanks.</p>
<p>Another tip for the infrequent flyer: make sure you are at your gate for connecting flight at least 30 minutes before the flight leaves (if possible) or when they say boarding begins. If the flight is oversold they start checking in people so they can get everyone on the flight–if you aren’t there and they are doing a pre-check you can lose your seat! DS found this out the hard way last month–he had gone to the gate to check departure time, then went to get something to eat. They gave his seat away because he didn’t show up on time for boarding. </p>
<p>Also, I would choose CLT over ORD for connection any day. Personal preference, but I like CLT better.</p>
<p>Charlotte is not a small airport in the least and will have many options if the connection is missed. The signage is good and there are lots of dining/shopping choices in case of a delay.</p>
<p>I would definitely choose CLT, also. It’s not that small of an airport that there won’t be other flights going to SFO of a connection is missed - unless the flight is a late evening departure. </p>
<p>Bogibogi - I also would coach my kid not to be shy if there is a delay - tell other passengers so she can go ahead, ask the FA for the gate number, etc. </p>
<p>Pet peeve - there’s a delay and those at their final destination don’t sit back and let the people with connections off first. </p>
<p>Pack whatever snacks in advance so she doesn’t have to stop and get food at CLT. </p>
<p>Last time I flew through CLT, I went ORD-CLT-GRU (Sao Paolo, Brazil) - arranged a 6 hour connection and had two friends in Charlotte take me out to lunch! </p>