Question about Lisbon to Austin with Layover in Boston

2.25 hours isn’t a lot of wiggle room. Email and call both airlines to ask what happens if you miss your connection.

We had a similar situation with flight changes more than once after booking. We had no checked baggage. The flight from Madrid to Miami was delayed leaving Madrid, Miami customs is ridiculously cumbersome and we missed our connection to Seattle. American Airlines only had to get us on the next flight which happened to be the next morning. They were not responsible for hotels or meals, because it was not “their fault”. The Madrid delay was a problem pushing the plane off, not the airlines fault, headwind not their fault, and customs delay is not their problem either. First time I bought travel insurance and they reimbursed for the delay. We ended up sleeping in the airport for the 14 hours-not worth going to a hotel for an early morning flight.

So your saga continues...

I had to research a similar connection as I'll be returning to Los Angeles from Rome via Boston in November, on ITA to Delta [and it's a long story why I'm not on the ITA non-stop to LAX].

Originally the connection was approx. 2.5 hours, which was considered a bit tight, but doable. But I was checking a bag, and no global entry. Since then the flight has been changed, and I now have more than 3 hours, so less concern, plus I now have TSA PreCheck.

You will arrive at Terminal E - the international terminal, and go through immigration and customs there. But then you will have to get to Terminal A, which is Delta's main terminal. It's either a walk straight across the airport on a sky bridge that goes through a central parking structure, or else going out to the street and catching a shuttle bus. I was at Logan two summers ago, and I found the ground transportation rather confusing, so I would suggest walking - you will need to go up to level 4.

Here is a link to flight connections at Logan:

https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/flights/connecting-flights/

You will have to go through TSA screening again at Terminal A, but your Global Entry also works for TSA PreCheck, yes? So with no baggage, you should be OK. Hopefully they can issue your boarding pass for your domestic flight in Lisbon - but at any rate you should have it on your phone after you check in.

Although, are you on a Virgin Atlantic codeshare flight [4049], which is actually a Delta flight [125]? I'd suggest you associate the flight number with the airline, so you know where to go to check in at the Lisbon airport. You could also start monitoring the on time performance of that flight online, so you have an idea of what your actual connection time might be. From what I see, my ITA flight is often early.

Delta is obligated to get you home to Austin if you miss the connection in Boston.

If you are flying nonstop from Lisbon to Boston, you are not on Virgin Atlantic as they do not fly that route.

Whats the flight number?

I was at Logan two weeks ago, the bus isn't that difficult to use between terminals but it does get crowded. The buses will say which terminals they go to but you could always confirm with the driver.

Thanks to all for your responses.

My situation sounds dreadful. This is exactly what I did not want and that is why I chose the flight that I did -- because there was a SIX hour layover in Boston. I do not like stress and I do not like rushing.

Frank II, I thought that I was on Delta and I believe that I still am but it says something about being offered or managed by Virgin. I forget the exact wording. Perhaps I am going to be flying Virgin from Lisbon to Boston and then Delta from Boston to Austin.

Today is a busy day but I plan to call Delta either later today or definitely tomorrow.

At least Logan has rocking chairs if I have to spend the night. And when I was last there some years back, there was a 24/7 Dunkin. Plus I might be able to get a Lobster Roll. I am trying to be positive.

UPDATE: I made a mistake. I am flying Delta from Lisbon to Austin, all the way. From Lisbon to Boston, I am on Delta and from Boston to Austin, I am on Delta

SCHEDULE CHANGE FLIGHT DL 125
LIS
to
BOS

DEPART:
12:45 PM
ARRIVE:
3:20 PM

:

LAYOVER IN BOSTON, MA 2HR 15M

FLIGHT SCHEDULE CHANGE SCHEDULE CHANGE FLIGHT DL 2663
BOS
to
AUS

DEPART:
5:35 PM
ARRIVE:
9:08 PM

A few thoughts after looking at my FlightRadar24 app:

• Delta flight 125 has a current scheduled departure time of 12:45 and scheduled arrival time of 3:15.
• The flight has about an hour of padding built into its schedule. When it actually departs Lisbon on time (rare), it typically arrives in Boston at 2:30.
• Flights that depart 50 minutes late arrive by the current 3:15 arrival time. So… if you remain on this flight… don’t be stressed if you depart a little late.
• Since July 1, the flight has been more than an hour late 5 times. All other times it arrived within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival time except once. It often arrives 15-25 minutes early.
• It looks like you are on the last non-stop flight of the day headed from Boston to Austin; there is a 5:52 pm itinerary that connects through Atlanta but that probably won’t be of much help.

The odds are pretty strongly in your favor for a successful connection, but only you can determine your level of comfort.

Since you have global entry, they should not be a problem. Because it also means you have precheck to go back through security.

I found Boston to be a fairly efficient airport to connect through. It’s one of my favorites I don’t think you’ll have any problem.

I can do this in Atlanta and it’s a fairly inefficient airport when it comes to immigration😂

Delta will rebook if there’s a problem .

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

When I booked air, I booked flights that were perfect for me. Delta has messed everything up but I am going to stay with them and hope for the best.

Tomorrow, I am going to call Delta and talk to them about the Boston to Austin connection I assume that Delta feels that I will be able to make the connection or the Delta BOT does.

I want to ask someone about "if I miss the connection because YOU changed the flights, what then"

As Oat Willie says, "Onward Through The Fog"

I will save you a call.

• Yes, Delta thinks you can make the connection. I routinely make 75 minute connections at Atlanta on return itineraries from Europe. I once made a 40-minute connection at Paris with my plane arriving 15 minutes late.
  
• No, the agent will not promise you any compensation if you don’t make the connection.
• If you miss your flight, Delta will put you on the next available flight to Austin… probably the next day.

Thanks Dave,

Yes, the next non stop to Austin from Boston will be about 7:30 a.m. the next day and I assume that if I miss my connecting flight on the 27th, that is the one that I will be on.

"I routinely make 75 minute connections at Atlanta on return itineraries from Europe. I once made a 40-minute connection at Paris with my plane arriving 15 minutes late."

How do you do the above?

Quick connections at Atlanta are facilitated by Global Entry and no checked luggage.

As for the Paris transfer, I had an early-morning arrival from the US and then had to change terminals to catch a flight to Budapest. I was toward the front of the arriving plane and walked as fast as I could to get to the gate for the Budapest flight. I arrived at departure time and was surprised to find the door still open for the flight. It turns out, the door stayed open another 15-20 minutes; Air France held the departing flight because several passengers on that flight were transferring from my late-arriving international flight.

One more thing... EU 261 would apply to your Lisbon to Boston flight since the flight departs the EU. That MAY grant you some right to compensation if your flight is delayed more than 3 hours or if you miss your connection, depending on the reason for the delay/missed flight.