Seeking advice on JFK -No longer direct to CDG
Looking for experienced travelers who have navigated transfer through JFK. I just got notification that my Air France ticket for a direct flight Chicago to Paris next month (purchased through Tauck air last November) has been changed. Now I fly ORD to JFK on Republic (a Delta Connection). Then JFK to CDG on Air France (a SkyTeam partner with Delta). I was hoping to reduce the chance of lost luggage and avoid the connection hassle, not to mention now a very long travel day. I've looked at the JFK site so I've read there is an AirTrain running in the afternoon peak time every 4 to 6 minutes to shuttle from my 2:19pm arrival terminal 4 to my 4:30pm departure terminal 1. Will I need to clear security again at JFK? Arriving Paris 5:50 am! I have GOT at Intercontinental. Hope I can freshen up and store baggage until check in time.
Comments
I have connected thru JFK on my way to Europe a couple times. I usually am flying up from Fla. The shuttle between terminals runs regularly and is easy to use. I am traveling next month to CDG from J F K also. I am getting the Savoring on Sept.17. I am flying out of here on the 15th. I always use my delta app. I can track my luggage with it. I do however have a long layover in JFK.
You won’t go thru security. Everything is behind security.
I picked a random date in Sept and it appears there are 3 non-stops from ORD to CDG - United, Air France and American. When are you going?
I found more than three. I chose September 21 just to see what was available. I use Matrix Search to search for flights.
Get Tauck air to sort a solution for you!
MikeHenderson - Those are really 3 different flights. Those with the same times are codeshares of the same flight.
Thank you all. Good to know Choc, that I will not need to pass security at JFK. You will love Savoring. My favorite cruise. I’m departing Thursday September 29 for French Escapade arriving for my GOT on the 30th. Air France still shows a direct flight on Wednesday the 28th. Intercontinental shows no available room if I wanted to arrive a day earlier. And don’t really want to change hotels.
I told you wrong. So sorry. You are going to have to pass thru security again. Only if you go from 4 to 2 can you avoid it. It’s a pain. I am going from 2 to 1. Yuc!
BKMD - Oh, didn't realize that. Just looked at the screen and didn't look into the flights.
Are you sure?
I haven't looked online recently, but we fly through JFK from RDU on a Delta Connection (Endeavor like Republic) flight quite often (most recently in May 2022 and have never needed to go thru security at JFK outbound. Inbound is different because of immigration and bag pickup and recheck which is not bad if you have Global Entry. Patrice will be flying Skyteam all the way so if unable to take the Skytrain should be able to take the Delta Jitney. I'll dig into this, but I just can't imagine Patrice will need to go through security at JFK on the outbound journey.
Well color me wrong, it looks like the Delta Jitney does not go to Terminal 1 at JFK and using the Skytrain you will need to clear TSA.
For my flight. I have to go outside and walk from terminal 2 to terminal 1. Not far and supposedly a covered walkway.
We did that coming home from J&E. Arrived at JFK Terminal 1 on Turkish, picked up bags near the base of the terminal, went thru Global Entry, rechecked bags at small Delta drop right by the exit (didn't know it was there), walked 3 min. to Term 4, went through security to our Delta Connection gate. Easy peasy. Construction is ongoing on in that area however
It looks like they have closed the Terminal 2 Airtrain station and consolidated the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 stations, but the website doesn't say where the consolidated station is actually located, on the map it looks like at the old Terminal 1 station. As I said there is a lot of work going on in that area. At least you only need to go one stop (T4 - T1&2) since the terminal loop train goes clockwise .
The T1, T2 (& former T3) area will be a mess for the next 4 - 8 years as they begin construction of the NTO (New Terminal One).
Patrice, did you book direct with Tauck? It would certainly be worth a phone call to the Air Department to see if they can get you on a non-stop flight. Stress that you PAID for a non-stop flight last November.
Yes Patrice, in fact, I thought if you booked through Tauck, they are the ones who have to change it anyway. Do your research first and then call them. We had to do this a few times last year and we had found better options than them, ithey still rebooked it for us
I don't know how Tauck Air handles these things, but the airlines never guarantee you will fly the route you book, sit in the seat you booked, or even in the class/section, but they, at least Delta, will allow you to change flights in a case like that and, at least with Delta, don't charge for making the change. In some cases there will be no time and few options, and the few options available might have worse routing. All this is a result of the ongoing pilot shortage and the severe flight reductions we are seeing industry wide. The Dept of Transportation is working on a new policy for passenger rights.
When we did Treasures of the Aegean in May, we were supposed to fly non-stop in business (with lay-flat seats) from JFK to Athens, but our feeder flight from RDU to JFK kept getting delayed and cancelled. Two days later, we ended up on a flight from JFK to CDG to Athens, so had to fly in Euro business for one leg. There were no other options unless we wanted to go even later!!! Delta considered their contract fulfilled.
Tauck has always kept us apprised of changes, no matter how insignificant they might be. Just to illustrate, a few months ago they advised us of a two-hour time change to a domestic flight. Just last week they advised us again of another time change to the same flight. The airline initially changed the time then turned right around and changed the time again to the original time.
Yet another reason why I book air with Tauck. It is a personal choice.
Yes, Tauck does keep you approved but doesn’t offer any suggestions when the connections are impossible, you have to call them
I've never had that issue with them, but I think it's because I fly in and out of a major hub...certainly the only positive thing I can say about LAX.
On a recent phone call with Tauck air I mentioned the frequent flight itinerary changes I've received from them for our flights this fall and that they confused me because they don't highlight what has changed. The vast majority were extremely minor changes like flight number or times of a couple of minutes. The Tauck agent told me they don't generate those emails. They come from the airlines but thru Tauck and have no way to alter. I monitor my Delta acct using their app just quickly checking if there are changes but for these flights Delta has never sent a message.
Booked flights for next year thru Tauck air and I'm getting change messages from both them and Delta. The emails direct from Delta clearly highlight the changes. No idea why these two sets of flights are being handled differently.
There's a rhyme and reason somewhere to all this but I'm not getting it - yet.
Choc & Alan - thank you for your updates & postings about the JFK terminals and construction. I returned August 2021-(Tauck small ship cruise) on Air France from Barcelona to ORD with a nasty, very long connection in JFK. Like Alan said, there is ongoing construction. I recall carrying my roll aboard down 2 stories - 4 flights - of stairs and then walking outside on a dirt and gravel "sidewalk", again having to carry my roll aboard. Also had to cross through car traffic. It was 92 degrees. Other travelers (New Yorkers) told me I did not miss any sign and that it was the only option to get to my departure terminal. I don't mind a connection returning home but prefer to avoid a connection getting to the arrival city at the start of the tour. I do have Global Entry. I'll keep checking to see if there are updates on the JFK website.
British & Claudia - you are correct - Tauck has sent me numerous updates of very small changes to the original booking with a direct flight to Paris from Chicago. Often just a change of 5 minutes in departure or arrival. As mentioned, I had to go through the information to find what had changed. But this time the change was drastic - from the original direct flight to a connection through JFK and a significant time change. Originally Chicago departure was 5:45 PM now it is 11:00 AM. The original Air France direct flight is available the day before on Wednesday September 28, but not Thursday 29th. I spoke with Tauck about adding another day in addition to my GOT. Tauck says that although the Intercontinental is booked full, Tauck reserves more rooms than necessary. The rep advised me to make a refundable reservation as a Tauck guest for an additional night. I then was transferred and on hold with Tauck Air for over 30 minutes. I gave up, hung up, and decided to deal with the new itinerary that requires a JFK connection. Thank you all again for the input/advice. Very helpful.
Patrice, not sure what time zone you live in but I've found recently that if I call Tauck air at 8am eastern time M-F I get thru right away. Unfortunately for me that's being up and awake enough to deal with it at 6am my time. On Sat they start at 9am.
We are flying Delta all the way from home to Lisbon in Oct and have a connecting flight at JFK. I assume we'll arrive from ATL at Terminal 2 and leave from Terminal 4. The shuttle choc mentioned is called the "Jitney". Per JFK's website it runs from Gates C20 in Term2 with stops at Gates B18 and B54. It also says you don't have to go thru TSA security again. If you get on the AirTrain you will have to go thru TSA again.
Here's a link to someone's personal experience
https://yourmileagemayvary.net/2022/04/22/the-jfk-jitney-the-post-security-link-between-terminals-2-4/
I’ll check out that link Claudia. From what I’ve read on the JFK site, the Jitney is not an option going from T4 to T1. I’ll need to take the AirTrain. Thank you for posting. Much appreciated
Rome2Rio says you can walk between terminals 4 and 1 in 12 minutes. I'm pretty sure that I did that on my return from Egypt in 2016 and plan to do it again next March.
12 minutes' walk from T4 to T1 isn't bad at all. Curious if the construction will interfere with that plan. Hoping to avoid stairs and walking outside on gravel and dirt and carrying my roll aboard. I'll cross my fingers that it does not rain.
Updated with additional info and links
As I mentioned above, we walked from 1 to 2, but I would check all sources as you get closer to departure because of the construction- make sure they are current sources.
When we went thru in March there was construction but it didn't affect T1 or T2 just the roadway and parking building. Some stuff I've been reading are hinting the T2 could close at any time and T1 could also be affected. The start of the massive NTO (New Terminal One) project was supposed to start in 2020 but, due to COVID, was delayed until 2022 - work has started.
I just found this article from June: https://www.thrillist.com/news/new-york/jfk-airport-terminal-one-construction-guide It includes a link to and article by the Points Guy which has more detail. https://thepointsguy.com/news/new-york-jfk-terminal-one-big-disruptions/?utm_content=0492DDD2-F700-11EC-B4DE-CD452152A482&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=Editorial&utm_medium=social
Hopefully our upcoming XMAS Mkts flights thru JFK will not be affected. I am bypassing JFK next May.