I am flying United from Dulles airport, connecting in Frankfurt to Lufthansa flight to Copenhagen. How much connection time will be comfortable? I'm looking at a 3-hour connection, but should I book the flights with 5-hour connection? I think my luggage will be checked through to Copenhagen, but do I have to pick it up in Frankfurt and then recheck? Also, will the passport control be long at 8 a.m. in Frankfurt?
Posted by
Bend, OR
1196 posts
As Laura said, if it’s all on one ticket your bags will arrive in Copenhagen with you. Your baggage receipt should show Copenhagen on it or if it makes you feel better, reaffirm with desk agent when you check your bags in Dulles. And again, 3 hours should be more than enough time to go thru passport control to make your connection. We’ve also done this in 90 minutes with no problem, look for your flight gate number and just follow the signs. When we’ve flown United into Frankfurt the last couple of times, the plane has parked on the tarmac and we’ve taken a bus to the terminal. There was an agent as we disembarked bus to give directions and connecting gates. 5 hours is really a bit long to sit around an airport with jet lag if you don’t have to.
Posted by
Western Canada
3650 posts
You will be fine.
One thing to do when you land in Frankfurt and are moving through the airport to find your next gate…..and even with three hours you should head in that direction right away …….be sure to keep checking the electronic departure boards as you pass them, to ensure that your next-gate number remains the same.
We have had last minute gate changes at airports and had to run back to get to a new one in time.
.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you very much for your replies. Please keep suggestions coming. I have not been to the Frankfurt airport nor to Copenhagen.
Posted by
near San Francisco
5639 posts
I fly United from Denver to Frankfurt, and Lufthansa on from there, several times a year. I like the 3 hour layovers because it gives me a buffer in case there is a delay out of Denver, such as a recent one hour delay for de-icing.
Getting from the airplane to the FRA terminal often chews up a chunk of connection time. In the past few years, none of my flights have arrived at a jetway. None. They've all been met by a bus, which seems to go on some sort of sightseeing journey around the airport, before finally dropping us at a terminal.
My flights often land between 9 and 10am and I typically have a 15-20 minute interlude at immigration.
Posted by
Schwerin
3433 posts
3 hours are comfortable, also 2 would be.
At luggage check-in you can see on the printed label what is the destination airport of your luggage. When luggage is checked through to CPH then you cannot pick it up in FRA.
Display of waiting times at various checkpoints of FRA:
https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/wartezeiten/public?lang=en
More about transferring at FRA:
https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/flights-and-transfer/transferring-at-fra.html