Charlotte airport question

Not particularly small, but it is well oiled. I’ve had domestic connections as short as 40 minutes there.

My experience has been that connections require more time in Charlotte than in Atlanta.

Thank you both.
My layover is 36 mins! Thinking to go carry on only for this reason but would prefer not to.

I'd be anxious, too.

36 minutes sounds insane at any airport. It can take that long just to get off your plane. Sure, it may be possible under the best of circumstances, but I'd never book a 36 minute connection at a major airport (unless I knew there was another flight they could put me on the same day that would get me where I need to go).

FWIW Charlotte is one of American Airlines' biggest, busiest hubs (they inherited it from US Airways when they merged). It is not a small, quiet airport by any stretch (Savannah, yes, that's fairly small). For a 36 minute connection there, I'd want a solid Plan B in my back pocket (and some luck, too). You don't mention where you're coming from but I assume it's a domestic flight. Hopefully you'll be on a smaller plane and sitting very close to the exit, so you can be up and outta there in a flash. If you're on a big jet and seated towards the back, look out.

Thank you, David. That’s not reassuring but it is very helpful. Fortunately, I’m flying in a day in advance for a conference so if I miss the connecting flight I would hope to be able to catch another soon after. I typically only fly direct so this is all a bit new to me.

I’m coming from Toronto with American Airlines. A direct flight wasn’t an option for reasons I don’t understand.

Think I’ll stick with carry on to be safe.

My layover is 36 mins!

Such a short time brings up the question 'Is this a single ticket journey,' or have you cobbled together two ( or more) flights on your own?

A direct flight wasn’t an option for reasons I don’t understand.

The answer is pretty simple: Savannah is not a large city, and while it does have commercial air service, those flights are limited to roughly 30-40 cities, most of which are "hubs," larger regional cities, or a handful of small/medium sized cities around the US east/southeast. No direct service to anywhere in Canada. An example of the airlines "hub and spoke" system.

Such a short time brings up the question 'Is this a single ticket journey,' or have you cobbled together two ( or more) flights on your own?

Single ticket. I called Expedia and they assured me that if I don’t make the second flight it’s on AA. I checked their site and they have 4 more going to Savannah that day so worst case I’ll get there a bit later.

Thanks to you all for your valued input.

So you bought the ticket through expedia?

Have you called AA to confirm the connection time is feasible?

Can you find your flights as a single ticket on the AA site?

I wouldn't book a 36 minute layover in any airport in the US, no matter how efficient.

Flights to non-hub airports in the southeastern US go out of Terminal E. Terminal E is quite long, and most often the flights leave from the gates farthest from the center concourse. If you only have a 36 minute layover, boarding will start on your outbound plane before you've gotten off your inbound one. Your inbound international flight will be on a much larger plane than your outbound one to Savannah, so it will take longer to deplane than the Savannah one will need to load everyone.

In the worst case, Savannah is about a five hour drive from Charlotte.

I live here & fly monthly. No way I'd be comfortable with a 36 minute layover. And that's with Charlotte having an 80% on time rate & one of the best in the country. (Shockingly to me)