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Advice on potential tight connection in Frankfurt?

I'm looking at an Air Canada flight from Calgary to Frankfurt that connects with Lufthansa to Florence. There is 1 hour and 30 minutes to connect. Does this seem tight? First time to Europe, not sure about terminal changes in Frankfurt. Oh and YES, I will have only 1 carry on bag. Thank you wise ones!

Posted by
19092 posts

All I can tell you is that a few years ago I made a shorter connection than that from Munich to Denver through FRA, so it can be done. It was hectic. At least you will be in Germany. There are a lot of other flights to Florence.

Posted by
9100 posts

Lufthansa has five daily non-stop flights between Frankfurt and Florence. So if you do miss your original connection there's a good chance they can put you on a later flight.

Posted by
111 posts

I think you'll be okay. I recently connected thru Frankfurt on Lufthansa when coming back to Canada and I had go thru border control. I had 90 min to make it and I whizzed thru it in 24 mins with my carry on.

Posted by
2745 posts

While I can't speak to Frankfurt... my general overall advice. Look at maps of the airport so you know where you are going. And then GO, don't stop for food, duty free shopping, etc... (even bathrooms can be optional)

I can't tell you how many times I see folks in the Atlanta airport having hysterical fits over missing their flight while holding the fast food bag and/or bag of "goodies" from the shops! That "just five minutes" to get food adds up quick!

Posted by
372 posts

thank you all for the prompt and helpful tips.
I like the idea of printing out a map of the airport in advance, and timing bathroom breaks! I'll skip the airport fast food and shopping in favour of gelato and souvenirs in Florence! Thanks again.

Posted by
8942 posts

An hour and 30 minutes should be plenty of time, even if you have to change terminals. Though Frankfurt airport is huge, they run it pretty efficiently.

Looking at the map of the airport is an excellent idea. If you also look at the arrivals section on the Frankfurt Airport website, the same flights land at the same time pretty much every day. See which terminal and hall your flight is usually landing at, and where your next flight is departing from. This will give you a fairly good idea, though they do sometimes switch things around.

Posted by
1357 posts

We had a connection there this summer going to Dublin. Our flight from Atlanta was a bit late, so we ended up with just an hour to make our connection. It was tight, the plane started rolling as soon as we got on, but we made it. And that's with 2 small children in tow.

Be prepared -- you'll have to go through at least one security check. We had to do two. And a terminal change.