Help. I booked a flight from Sicily to Rome. Lands at 11:40. Next flight to us departs at 1:10. And I have a checked bag. I think I have to get my bag and go through security. An hour and a half is probably not enough time? Thoughts?
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
12904 posts
An hour and a half is probably not enough time? Thoughts?
As separate ticket flights you need much more time.
You need to change one of the flights; suspect the Sicily to Rome would be the one that would be easiest ( least expensive) to change. Best idea is to be in Rome the night before the US bound flight.
PS And there is no "probably" about it.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23894 posts
Joe is 100% correct. You need to come to Rome the day before. Too many variables that you cannot control. And it more than security IF you are returning to the US. You have to go through departure immigration. That can take time depending on how many other flights are departing in the same hour or so. And one time, granted it is out of eight or nine times we flown into Rome, the luggage system jammed and we were a couple of hours getting our luggage. It didn't make any difference because we were not connecting in Rome and did not have a time barrier. But things happen. You downside risk is enormous.
Posted by
141 posts
Both are correct, even worse, you land at lunch break, where(from sad personal experiece) at least half of the handlers break to eat.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1732 posts
Are you feeling lucky? At least you won't have to go through immigration on arrival, but you will have to wait to collect your bag, then check in for your flight to the States, then go through security and exit immigration. Note that it can be a very long walk to the E gates where non-Schengen flights depart. So everything would have to go like clockwork - and remember that boarding will close at 12:55 latest.
Assuming you're on ITA, I would take one of the early-morning flights back to FCO.
If you're going to risk the short connection, FCO does offer a Fast Track option to get through security quicker:
Posted by
3257 posts
I would never risk an unconnected flight before an international flight back to US. We had the same situation coming back from Sicily and took an evening flight back to Rome and stayed in a nearby hotel.
Yes, I would have preferred one more night in Palermo but by taking an evening flight we had most of the day with no worries about our flight the next day.
I do take unconnected flights after arrival in Europe but even then I would allow more time than you are between flights.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
All good advice. I can switch to the earlier flight which gets in at 7:30am and would cost 4 of us $350 or pay for fast track $28, or go the day before also $350 change fee.