Is 1hr 5min transit time in Dallas enough (QF codeshare to QF8)

15 replies

paulb

Member since 16 Dec 2012

Total posts 11

I am flying from St Louis to Dallas (QF codeshare) then on to Sydney (QF8) in a couple of months - there is only 1hr 5min transit time - is that enough transit time? My travel agent assures me it is? 

paulb

Member since 16 Dec 2012

Total posts 11

I forgot to mention that I am in J (business class) if that makes a difference.

sydneykiwi

Member since 20 Jul 2017

Total posts 2

If your (AA?) flight to Dallas is on time, you should make the connection. From experience, domestic AA flights are notoriously late. Can you give yourself a few more hours as a buffer? 

mspcooper

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 09 May 2013

Total posts 442

US domestic flights are less reliable for on time performance. I think @sydneykiwi was spot on. I would'nt want anything less than 2:30hr connections, but that's just me. 

Knowing their (US) customer service with airline passengers, you may be asked to deal with the situation yourself if you miss the connection. Check your rights/obligations with the ticket issuing airline.

attyrobert

Member since 20 Jul 2017

Total posts 2

I have had similar connection times on an AA flight from Houston. It is possible unless anything goes wrong - I just recently spent the night at the airport hotel.


There are intense storm systems that move through North Texas - On my recent day of travel, 84(?) flights were cancelled out of Dallas. However, QF7 arrived early enough and QF8 late enough that they avoided the storms.

Note as well that QF8 is often as much as 30 minutes late departing; however, that's not something you can exactly count on...

dp

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 16 Jan 2015

Total posts 24

My experience of Dallas, is that anything under 2 hours means you might get to your flight, but your bags won't. I am surprised your TA thinks this is fine. I'd be getting a different TA......

rob01

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 10 Nov 2011

Total posts 110

Why chance it and create undue stress?

Foo

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 08 May 2017

Total posts 3

I would say it's just possible (but not recommended) subject to your US domestic flight running on time and your bags being checked through to final destination in Australia from your origin point which means you don't need to collect luggage in DFW. In this instance all you need to do is transfer between terminals on the Sky train and there is no security to pass through. 

I just did this today flying in J from Boston on AA and had a good 15 min spare prior to start of boarding time for QF8 with a scheduled 1 hour 15 min layover and my checked bags made it to Sydney with me.

You are taking a pretty big risk though as any delays, even relatively minor could result in missing the connection.

Last editedby Foo at Jul 21, 2017, 05:04 PM.

Peter56

Member since 09 Jun 2016

Total posts 2

As many have pointed out, it is possible but really does not allow any margin for error, ie, your St Louis flight cannot be late. QF will start boarding 45 minutes before departure so you should be at the gate only 20 minutes after your domestic flight gets in. In terms of transit through the airport, airside, the class of ticket makes no difference. Just to reiterate another comment re what happens if you don't make the connection- last week I was on a First ticket to transfer from NY to QF 8, missed the connection and was on my own after that. It was rather stressful and there was absolutely nobody available for assistance. 

flychrisfly

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 09 Jun 2011

Total posts 40

I'd be okay with it but would make sure I had nothing critical scheduled for the arrival day

Himeno

Member since 12 Dec 2012

Total posts 295

Unless your travel agent has done such a connection a number of times before, they'll just be looking at the airports minimum connection time and assume that is fine.

MCTs often aren't fine. More so in large airports which can get congested quickly.
If you know your way around the airport in question, the arriving flight is on time, you can move quickly and the terminal isn't congested, it is possible to make a connection like this.
If anything goes wrong, you can easily miss the connection.

Copernicus

Member since 22 Jul 2017

Total posts 3

Incoming domestic flights typically arrive at one of the other satellites in this very widely spread out airport - there is a connecting skytrain between the terminals but it is a significant ride. I would not leave much less than 3 hours if I was travelling with luggage and I would ask the gate agent to check that the bags appeared in the manifest of the departing aircraft to be sure. The incoming aircraft arrives around 1pm so, even if it is delayed inbound, it is unusual for the departing flight time to be impacted as the turn round interval is very generous. The weather in Texas is often an issue as well. The Grand Hyatt is landside in the actual terminal that the Qantas arrives/departs from and is a very good hotel.

attyrobert

Member since 20 Jul 2017

Total posts 2

Incoming domestic flights typically arrive at one of the other satellites in this very widely spread out airport - there is a connecting skytrain between the terminals but it is a significant ride. I would not leave much less than 3 hours if I was travelling with luggage and I would ask the gate agent to check that the bags appeared in the manifest of the departing aircraft to be sure. The incoming aircraft arrives around 1pm so, even if it is delayed inbound, it is unusual for the departing flight time to be impacted as the turn round interval is very generous. The weather in Texas is often an issue as well. The Grand Hyatt is landside in the actual terminal that the Qantas arrives/departs from and is a very good hotel.

I agree. The Grand Hyatt is great - that's where I stayed. They have a decent work out room and a pool. So, my time there wasn't entirely wasted!

crwilkins

Qantas

Member since 02 May 2016

Total posts 29

Have done it many times from Minneapolis to join QF8 in around an hour layover with no problems, as many have said, any delay and you are basically shot, so it is not without risk. In the reverse though, transferring from QF7 I always allow around 2 hours at least, immigration and customs at DFW can be unpredictable sometimes.

BevanMcBevan

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 01 Mar 2013

Total posts 32

You'll be fine. DFW is pretty efficient. No need to worry. I'm in and out 4-6 times a year (and yes, if it's a stormy then things, just like here, will go a little haywire). Cheers.

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