Comments on: Advice from a business traveler: Managing the stress of connecting flights http://www.healthytravelblog.com/2009/08/17/advice-from-a-business-traveler-managing-the-stress-of-connecting-flights/ HTH Worldwide Healthy Travel Blog Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:50:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Maya http://www.healthytravelblog.com/2009/08/17/advice-from-a-business-traveler-managing-the-stress-of-connecting-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-321 Maya Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:50:02 +0000 http://www.healthytravelblog.com/?p=986#comment-321 I completely agree with the 2 hour rule. By the time you de-plane, find your connecting gate and get there, you've used up at least a half hour. Since flights generally board at least 30 minutes before (60 for international), you really only have an hour at most to wait. Get a sandwich, grab a drink at the bar in the concourse or buy an interesting magazine. Have a few extra minutes to kill is way better than missing your connection. Also, if you can take an airline that has a lower/no charge for changing/canceling a flight, that may be your best bet (e.g. Southwest has no charge). Though you'd like to think the airline will get you on the next flight for free, you never know and this can help you save some money if you miss your connection. Finally, would it be less expensive/hassle to drive? Someone I know was recently connecting in Washington DC to come to Philadelphia. They missed their connection and instead of waiting around for another flight, they rented a car and drove. It took way less time! I completely agree with the 2 hour rule. By the time you de-plane, find your connecting gate and get there, you’ve used up at least a half hour. Since flights generally board at least 30 minutes before (60 for international), you really only have an hour at most to wait. Get a sandwich, grab a drink at the bar in the concourse or buy an interesting magazine. Have a few extra minutes to kill is way better than missing your connection.

Also, if you can take an airline that has a lower/no charge for changing/canceling a flight, that may be your best bet (e.g. Southwest has no charge). Though you’d like to think the airline will get you on the next flight for free, you never know and this can help you save some money if you miss your connection.

Finally, would it be less expensive/hassle to drive? Someone I know was recently connecting in Washington DC to come to Philadelphia. They missed their connection and instead of waiting around for another flight, they rented a car and drove. It took way less time!

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