Looking to book tickets for next September, Toronto to Venice. All flights from Toronto require at least one stop with Munich being the most convenient in terms of timing, etc. My question relates to the shortest layover that people are comfortable with. We have layover options as short as 75 minutes. Is that enough time? On the one hand it is the airline itself that is recommending those flight connections. On the other hand a lot can happen on the flight across the big pond. Similar issues on the return trip with very short layover times. I guess I'd rather miss the flight from Munich to Venice than the flight from Munich to Toronto. This leads me to want a larger layover on the way back. What are folks' experiences?
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
If you have other options I would recommend going with a longer layover time. Recently I flew from Costa Rica to Miami and then on to Chicago. In Miami we were supposed to have about a two hour time window. When we got to the airport in San Jose, though, we found that our flight time had been changed to 40 minutes later. Then there was a medical emergency on the plane before takeoff that resulted in a further delay. In Miami we had to claim our bags and recheck them (they had been checked through to Chicago but coming into the US you have to claim them and recheck), go through customs and security, and get to our gate. Moving at top speed (after standing in a long security line), we got to our gate just after our boarding group had been called -- no extra time at all. You can't always know just how far you'll have to walk after you get off of one plane to get to the other, or what hoops you might have to jump through on the way.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I've flown through Munich 2 times and my impression is that 75 minutes would be plenty of time if the flights are in and out of the same terminal and probably enough time if different terminals.
That said, I have flown RT to Europe 7 times in the last 8 years. Three times were non-stop, so in four cases I had to make a change of planes in the U.S. One time (25%) the domestic flight was one hour late, but I made my connection. Twice (29%) my flight arrived in Europe an hour late, but it didn't matter because it was my destination.
Munich probably has a lot of flights to Venice, so if you miss your scheduled one, they'll put you on another. If you have a long layover in Munich it would be the middle of the night where you left, in Toronto, and staying awake would be painful.
On the other hand, coming back, the layover in Munich would be late morning, maybe early afternoon, so it would be boring, but less painful. I'd like to say that with a short flight, Venice to Munich, they shouldn't be too late, but that is Italy.
I'd rather have a long layover early in the flight, in the U.S. on the way over, over there on the way back, even here on the way back, 'cause it is still daytime, but over there, when it is very early morning over here, no way.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8058 posts
I would be comfortable with 75 minutes in Munich. First, Munich is a very manageable airport, I was actually surprised at how small it actually is. Second, Airlines on overseas flights tend to go to greater measures to make sure you make your connection. Personally this has ranged from being escorted through passport control and to my gate to having the connecting flight held for me. Third, while not a sure thing, nearly all of my flights over (half dozen or so) have landed ahead of schedule.
Posted by
Seattle, USA
990 posts
I always allow extra time for any connection (whether domestic or international) which, if missed, would result in a long, long layover. So, I typically don't worry much about making a connection between two European cities with frequent flights. On the other hand, if I'm changing planes in the US and missing that connection would mean waiting till the next day to fly to Europe, I allow a generous window of time.
One thing to keep in mind is that, flying west to east, you are flying with the jet stream, so flights often arrive early. On the way back, though, its a headwind, which makes flight times longer.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, on the way back, if you have more than one touchdown in the US you will have to clear customs and immigration in the first point of arrival. Philadelphia and JFK are notorious for long delays in that process, so if I am landing there, I make sure to have a good margin of error.
Posted by
OP
Canada
83 posts
So it looks like most people are comfortable with a short layover in Munich on the way over and perhaps a slightly longer one on the way back since the consequences of missing the flight across the pond would be more of an issue.
Thanks for your responses.
Posted by
Sheboygan, Wisc., USA
934 posts
We flew into Munich with a 45 minute layover and were concerned.Our travel agent checked and all times into Munich on Lufhansa were about 45 minutes.On the way home we had 45 minutes on our Rome-Munich-Chicago.However before we left they changed our Rome flight and we only had 40 minutes so they made us take a later flight because they wouldnt allow less than 45.I dont know if all airlines do this but Lufthansa did and it worked very well.