Is 90 minute connection in Detroit enough time?

[fh2000]

We flew United last year from LAX to San Francisco, then Asia for 90 minute connection. We did not need to go thru security in San Francisco, just a short walk to the next gate.

This time, I booked a trip in August flying Delta from Los Angeles via Detroit to Paris. The connecting time in Detroit is also 90 minutes.

I am wondering if we need to go thru security in Detroit, and if 90 minutes give us enough time to get on the next gate?

 

[PaunchyPirate]

We flew United last year from LAX to San Francisco, then Asia for 90 minute connection. We did not need to go thru security in San Francisco, just a short walk to the next gate.

This time, I booked a trip in August flying Delta from Los Angeles via Detroit to Paris. The connecting time in Detroit is also 90 minutes.

I am wondering if we need to go thru security in Detroit, and if 90 minutes give us enough time to get on the next gate?

You will not need to go thru security in Detroit. Is the Detroit to Paris leg also on Delta?

 

[fh2000]

You will not need to go thru security in Detroit. Is the Detroit to Paris leg also on Delta?

Yes. Delta also.

 

[OldShooter]

Outbound I would not worry about it as the LAX-DET airplane is unlikely to be seriously late. Homebound, though, I would feel more comfortable with 2 hours as a long westbound flight will be fighting headwinds. They plan for some headwind of course, but a little extra can easily add a half hour to the flight.

Beware CDG. We just got back from Italy, connecting to/from Florence through CDG and the ground people screwed up on both flights, causing us to miss both the to and from connections. Allow plenty of time.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Yes. Delta also.

Delta occupies one entire terminal at Detroit. Their alliance partners (such as Air France) also use that terminal. It is a large terminal with 3 concourses. In total there are just over 100 gates. There is an automated Tram that connects the longer distances. Since you could be arriving/departing from any of those gates, the time to get between your gates can’t really be known. But I would be comfortable with a 90 minute connection between 2 Delta flights at Detroit. It should just be a walk, tram, escalator, and/or moving sidewalk between gates. You may have to travel 1 gate or 35 gates.

 

[HawkOwl]

Should be okay, as long as the flights are on time.

 

[pb4uski]

We flew United last year from LAX to San Francisco, then Asia for 90 minute connection. We did not need to go thru security in San Francisco, just a short walk to the next gate.

This time, I booked a trip in August flying Delta from Los Angeles via Detroit to Paris. The connecting time in Detroit is also 90 minutes.

I am wondering if we need to go thru security in Detroit, and if 90 minutes give us enough time to get on the next gate?

I would think that 90 minutes should be plenty, especially if you don't have to change go through TSA again.

 

[COcheesehead]

Probably, but nothing ruins a trip faster than a missed connection especially on the front end. We shoot for a couple hours. You can always get something to eat, shop or go to a lounge.

 

[SnowballCamper]

Back when I was w*rking (5-10 years ago) I travelled a bit in the eastern US. I was generally pleasantly surprised with my experience at the Detroit Airport compared with the other big ones on the east coast. It was easy to navigate and not too crowded.

 

[DrRoy]

DTW is our home airport. If you have 90 min, you will have time.

 

[qwerty3656]

Since it's all Delta, you are fine. Detroit is weird where Delta has one terminal all to itself and almost all other airlines in Detroit are in another terminal. So, if for example, you were switching from Delta to American, you would have to take a bus and go through security again.

 

[Ian S]

Since it's all Delta, you are fine. Detroit is weird where Delta has one terminal all to itself and almost all other airlines in Detroit are in another terminal. So, if for example, you were switching from Delta to American, you would have to take a bus and go through security again.

The situation at DTW stems from mergers over the decades. When Northwest acquired Republic Airlines in 1986, it acquired DTW as a hub and then really built that hub up. By the mid-90's, Northwest decided to build a new terminal for itself (the older terminals dated back to the 60's and 70's.) That terminal was completed in 2002. Delta acquired that terminal/hub after its merger with Northwest in 2008.