JFK airport connection question - only 1 hour to transfer - heading to Venice

Hi Laurie, I don't believe 1 hr is enough to transfer at JFK. That airport can be crazy! Honestly, I don't think I'd do 1 hr at any airport though.
I would call Delta and ask for other options. Hopefully they can get you out of another airport on the same day but with a more reasonable flight. Good luck!

Are they all Delta flights or Delta codeshare operated by another airline?

Delta is at T4 at JFK. It is huge and long. If you arrive at the end of one concourse and have to get to the other, it could take 20 minutes. There is a shuttle bus from the far end of the terminal to the main section (airside) but they must try to hire the most inept, uncustomer service oriented people to operate it.

If you are on a codeshare flight at another terminal, it's not going to happen.

RE: Should you accept Delta's changes.

Have you found other options that your prefer? If so, if you haven't already, acknowledge the schedule change on Delta's app or website. It specifically says "acknowledge" on a button towards the top of your reservation. This does NOT mean you accept it.

After acknowledging, click on the "change flights" button for your reservation. The app is usually more generous at allowing no-charge changes than the stated requirements. So long as your desired flights aren't too crazy (super long layovers, for example) you should be able to put in your desired flights and have the change done without ever having to call in. Depending on what your asking for, this is often a straight swap. You won't know until you get into to the change flight section on the app.

For example, I recently changed a Delta reservation, where after a schedule change the layover had gone from 3h to 4h45m. I had no trouble changing the layover to a different airport. If I had been buying the ticket new, it would have cost much more, but because of the schedule change it was a straight swap.

Eric is right, you can change your flights, probably for no extra charge or a minimal charge.

Also, if you don't change, use flight aware or other flight websites to determine the gates where your flights will likely arrive and depart from. Look at the map of the terminal. Delta is usually at terminal 4, but double check for both. If you have to take the train from one terminal to another, you will not make it to your connection in one hour.

As AmandaR said, "That airport can be crazy!" I would not bet lunch money on making the connection.

I would change flights. Google JFK airport map to see airport layout.

Here is my connection story on Delta at JFK. I had a little less than one hour and was stressing. I finally decided to accept whatever happened and be prepared to spend the night at JFK if I missed the flight. I walked out of my gate for the arriving plane and walked about 20 feet to the departure gate. They were right next door to each other! I had time to use the washroom and buy some food before boarding.

Does it always work out like this? Of course not, but it also means that not all transfers are horrible either. Some are efficient and work well.

You need to determine for yourself if you could accept the “worst case scenario “. (Might mean arriving a day later than planned). If you can’t, think about making a change.

Close for comfort, but doable.

If you do call delta to change I’d suggest looking up your alternate options and politely making a specific request.

If you do decide to change flights, try to do it yourself first before calling in. The app/website is often more generous than their call center folks in making even-money exchanges when a schedule change does not fall into one of their conditions for a free change. I suggest thoroughly reading the Wiki at the top of the Flyertalk forum post linked below for further info.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1727624-consolidated-delta-schedule-change-discussion-thread.html

So much good information! Thank you for sharing your experiences with me!

I will try to change the flight online…now the next question:

Amsterdam or Paris for the connection? The layover times range from 55 min. to 2 hours or more.

I’ve had connections at both airports before, but to southern France, not Venice. Is one airport generally easier than the other in this scenario?

Thank you!
Laurie😊

We won’t be checking bags, so that’s easier…
I’m leaning towards AMS, but that’s the one with the 55 min. layover.

I’m hoping that would be easy and smooth, but maybe I’m being too optimistic?

My first thought is that I would definitely take a one hour in JFK over 55 minutes in AMS. I’ve gone through AMS is as few as 20 minutes and as many as two hours. That said, if you can get to the continent of Europe and you miss a flight, it’s easier/shorter to find a way to your final location than it is to find the next trans Atlantic flight. Either way, it’s your airline’s responsibility to get you to your final destination if they cut your connection too close.

...if you can get to the continent of Europe and you miss a flight, it’s easier/shorter to find a way to your final location than it is to find the next trans Atlantic flight.

That has always been the way we look at it.

1 hour is enough time even in Terminal 4 JFK —
***IF YOUR INBOUND FLIGHT IS ON TIME.

That’s the key and it is one you cannot control.

Since Delta changed your itinerary, you do NOT have to accept this. I would go on the Delta app & search for another routing with a longer layover time. Maybe fly on an earlier flight to JFK. Maybe fly to Venice via ATL.