Why do some people book connecting flights that have a connection time of 50 minutes?

Question

When booking a flight it tells you the departure and arrival times. A plane typically boards around 30 minutesminutes before takeoff. So a person would have like 5 minutes to get to the other gate with a 50 minute connection time counting getting off the arriving plane.

Answer 1

Sometimes it's a choice between a 50-minute connection and a 4-hour connection. Those flights with the tighter connection might also be the cheaper options. People choose the options that seem to work best with their schedule and budget, and sometimes that cuts it a little close.

Answer 2

Most airlines have a minimum "legal" connection time of between 29 and 31 minutes. Meaning that they still consider the connection a valid itinerary if you have a connection that is at least that length of time. But it depends on the situation.



Airlines will START boarding about 30 minutes in advance and unless you are on an airline that doesn't have a reserved seat, whether or not you board 30 minutes before or 15 minutes before..you are in the same seat.



If you are on the same airline and arriving and departing from the same terminal, 50 minutes is more than enough time. If you know you need to switch terminals and need to go through security again then 50 minutes may be cutting it a bit close. Some people hate airports and want to spend as little time as possible waiting for their next flight, others don't want to feel rushed and would be very happy waiting an extra few hours for the next flight. You apparently are the latter and there is nothing wrong with that. But there is also nothing wrong or strange about people wanting to have a tighter connection.

Answer 3

An airline will allow you to book any connecting flights with 'legal connection times,' i.e. if the airline thinks there's not enough time to make the connection they won't allow you to book the flight. The minimum connection time is different for every airport depending on the size and layout of the airport, and it's longer for connections where you will be clearing customs.



The airlines want you to be at your gate about 30 minutes before departure but the boarding usually finishes about 10 minutes before departure. So quite often the passengers with short connection times are the last few people to board the plane, but the flight can still leave on time.



I've often seen people make a connection in under 15 minutes when their first flight was delayed.

Answer 4

Also 50 minutes is more than enough time to get your next flight. Nearly all airlines have pre assigned seating, so it doesn't matter if you are at the gate 60 minutes before departure or 10 minutes, you still will be in the same seat. You can make a 50 minute connection even at Atlanta with different terminals.

Answer 5

Sometimes the airline schedules a connection that tight. I was looking up airfare on Orbitz and they had a connection for 1 airline of 33 minutes. The thing is also that airlines do sometimes pad their schedule to make their on-time performance look better. So a flight many times arrives earlier than the scheduled arrival time.

Answer 6

Sometimes you don't really have a choice. On my big trip next year I have a flight from LAX to Colorado Springs, and it goes via Salt Lake City. They've given me 47 minutes between flights. But, it is all booked on one ticket, and there is nothing horridly urgent waiting for me at the other end, so if I miss the second flight, Delta will be responsible and as long as they get me there that day, I won't be too worried.

Answer 7

I prefer to have 60 minutes or more, but 45 to 50 minutes is entirely doable IF the first fight is not delayed.



Airlines don't book connections they don't expect passengers to be able to make.