Advice on flying indirect please..

[tabbycat]

So after much searching and thinking we wouldn’t be able to go due to flight prices being so expensive I’ve finally bit the bullet and got flights from Manchester flying via Philadelphia which cost me £1465 for 3 of us, I was hoping to pay this for direct for the beginning of October but this was not to be . Anyway we’ve not done indirect before so if anyone can give us advice that would be great, such as do we have to pick our luggage back up and check it back in? Also any advice on American Airlines such as entertainment etc or anyone who has flown that route with AA I’d be very grateful

[Loobylou_82]

Yes, you have to pick your luggage up and go through customs at your first port of call in the USA. There will be a bag drop off when you come out of the customs hall where you leave your bags, if you are on a through ticket you don't have to check in again. Then you go on to your next gate or terminal. Happy planning.

[tabbycat]

Originally Posted by Loobylou_82

Yes, you have to pick your luggage up and go through customs at your first port of call in the USA. There will be a bag drop off when you come out of the customs hall where you leave your bags, if you are on a through ticket you don't have to check in again. Then you go on to your next gate or terminal. Happy planning.

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Thanks for your reply, can I ask is an hour and 50 minutes enough time to get through? It is the same terminal.

[cornishfrogboy]

Hi.
Re the baggage, you simply pick it up at baggage reclaim after having been through immigration, take it through Customs and then deposit it on a conveyor on the other side. It is not another check in etc.

When you are coming home indirect, you don't see your bags again until reaching your final destination as your flight change will have happened on US soil and thus there is no customs to go through. that happens when you reach the UK.

1 hour 50 is less than the oft quoted ideal of 3 hrs going out (and 1 hr coming home). I have not been through Philadelphia, so cannot comment. I note that you stay in the same terminal, which should help. At Atlanta I would be somewhat wary.

I have only flown US internals with AA, so cannot comment on the quality or otherwise of their in flight entertainment. My experiences of those internals (and thus AA) have all been very positive, to date.

[TinselAngel]

You will need to go through security as well between flights. It’s a bit of a pain but not too bad. Just make sure you haven’t brought any bottles of water or juice etc off the first flight. We changed at Philly a few years ago and found security a bit slow so if you are running late you may need to alert a guard and they may be able to help you through faster.

[tabbycat]

Thanks for the replies, I’m sure it will be ok just used to jumping on the plane and landing in Orlando. Unfortunately we have I think a 4 hour connection time on the way back

[Guest]

We have had AA transatlantic on their new fitouts a few times. The IfE was excellent. Kids say best ever.

Ife on domestic is often more limited. Some public service broadcasting, live streaming, a few ted talks and some reruns of the tonight show and friends. Not a lot, but enough. Kids and DH use IFE on plane for the transatlantic leg and just make sure that they have enough battery for the domestic hop. Also get dink and something like pretzels. Lo her hips also had hot snack like pizza rolls etc. Not complex or gourmet but fine.

International is standard plane fare.

You may find that actually indirect is nowhere near as bad as you originally thought. The opportunity to stretch your legs mid journey and to pop out at the domestic terminal in Orlando is really good. On the way back if you have a through ticket your bags go all the way so at the mid point, deplane, go to next plane reboard and off again. Time for a snack or a shop depending on your timescales.


If you have your locator number log into the aa website and sign up for text alerts for flights. Can get delay notifications, a d gate notifications. Really helpful so you have a bit of an understanding of where you are going at the other end and how far you have to go.

Many of the US airports websites also have walk through videos for transiting passengers which I find helpful

[Sew109]

Singapore and Emirates are my two favourite airlines if having to fly economy sadly they don’t fly to the US AA is my favourite for only a small amo7nt you can book Main cabin Extra seats it’s not premium economy but it is good and well worth the additional fee.

Food is good, staff are good IFE is good IMHO far better in every front from BA and Virgin.

The internal flight (like all US internal flight) is like easyJet but there is unlikely to be seat back screens but if you download the app and then you get a really good selection of stuff to stream on the flight.

9 times out of 10 2 hours is easily enough but we have had times when it is not however if you miss your flight you will just be put on the next one but you may well not be seated together.

[Tigger71]

We did that route in 2017. The plane from MAN was late and with immigration/customs, bag drop and second security (with quite a queue when we arrived) it was very very tight with time. We only just made it because the Orlando plane was delayed 30 mins. If I did it again I would book it so I hd 3 hrs. But as I said, we did make it - just maybe be prepared for what you do if you miss your connection.

[7SeasSailor]

I like to have at least 2.5 hours just in case there is q queue at immigration. Have a look to see what flights are available after you land so that you are ready with the information if things don't go as planned.