I'm just about done finding the flights for my 17 year olds trip to Spain. She will be staying with a family in Almeria. She arrives in Madrid at 8:15 a.m. I've gone to Iberia.com and find 2 flights to choose from to Almaria that same morning. One is at 10:10 a.m. and the next is at 1:50 p.m. We think the 10:10 will not give her enough time to claim her bags and get checked in at Iberia. What is your opinion? Is 2 hours plenty of time or should we schedule the 1:05pm flight? Also, this is for travel in June. When should I actually make a reservation? Thanks!

She has to pass through Immigration and Customs. Customs won't probably take much time or even nothing, but the Immigration queues depend on how many flights arrive simultaneously. She will have to change terminals, too. She will arrive at T1 and has to go to T2. It's just a 10 minutes walk, but it's time you have to add. And, finally, in my experience, delays in transatlantic flights are not uncommon. If I were you, I would take the 1:05pm one.

concernedmom writes: Many TransAtlantic flights arrive about that time so, as Torrales said, there may be some pretty long queues for Immigration. But, depending on winds aloft, there's more probability of arriving early than late. Usually it takes me about an hour from deplaning to when I exit the Arrivals Hall with my luggage.

Here's something you might consider: Make a firm reservation for the 1:50 PM flight; then, if she arrives at the Iberia domestic check-in before the 10:10 flight has closed, ask if she may fly standby.

For June travel, you should be shopping around now!

I don't know how confusing could be the airport for an 17 years old, but I think 2 hours should be enough. Luggage arrives at the same time you pass the passport control, and maybe it's possible to check it straight to Almeria, I don't know. I think I've never waited more than 40 minutes to be on the street. I also think that if the plane is late and you loose the connection, there's no problem and they get you in the next avalaible plane, the delayed company has the responsability.
I'ld check the luggage straight to Almeria taking with me as handbag the things I could need in case the luggage doesn't arrives with me, and I'ld take the 10:10 plane, waiting 5 hours in the airport after a intercontinental trip could be very very tired.

The Delta fare went up $50.00 today, so I went ahead and booked her trip. Should I reserve her Iberia flights now for June domestic travel? I'm thinking of taking a chance with the earlier flight to Almeria and hoping she can get on the later flight if she doesn't make it. Thanks!

I don't think it will be possible to check through the baggage from the US to Almeria, because the international and the domestic legs are done with different companies that even belong to different alliances (Delta is Star, Iberia is OneWorld).

As Eddie says, she can try to board the earlier flight at the check-in counter if she is on time. Iberia will have no problem if they have room in the morning plane, as they will have three more hours to try to sell the place she leaves in the afternoon flight. And it is always easier to change a flight for an earlier one than for a later one, unless you buy a full fare. If the Delta flight arrives late, it would be Delta's responsibility to put her in anoter flight to her destination but, what if the flight arrives, say, only 45 minutes in advance of the 10:10 to Almeria and she loses it due to queueing at immigration? Delta can say that she had time enough and that her loss was not due to them.

Booking the later flight, the worst case would be that she had 3-4 hours to stretch her legs after a long flight in a place with shops and cafes. Not too bad, in my opinion.

Thanks Torrales - good information and advice.

Like others have said before, Id book the later flight. Theres a good chance her first flight could be late, and why take the chance.

On checking luggage all the way through...if her first flight is not with IBERIA, even if they say its an option, I wouldnt do it, just leaves a bigger chance for it to get lost. When my friend came to visit me last year in Granada, she flew American to Madrid, then IBERIA to granada, and checked her luggage all the way through to Granada. When I picked her up at the airport, they had lost the luggage.

The flight transfer shouldnt be too bad, especially if shes not pressed for time and doesnt have to worry about missing her next flight. Something else to keep in mind, the gate for her IBERIA flight likely wont be on her ticket, it will be posted (normally in my experince anywhere from an hour to 30 minutes prior to boarding), on the boards in the terminal. Shes arriving early, so should have plenty of time to check.

Ive waited in line for up to an hour before to get through customs. Remind her to be sure and get in the line for non-europeans, as not to confuse EU (European union) for Estados Unidos as I did on my first trip to spain as a naive freshmen in college After going through customs, instead of walking between the 2 terminals, there is normally a bus.

Kelly

Thanks Kelly and everyone. I've changed my mind again and will book the later flight. Is Iberia.com fine to book from directly?

The 'Checking luggage thru to Almeria' may not be an option, even without a change of airline. Not all airports in Spain are International Ports of Entry even though flights from other EU Countries arrive/depart there. If Almeria is not an International Airport (i.e., with Immigration & Customs) she may have to clear both on arrival in Madrid when she enters the EU.

Sometimes this is not strictly enforced: Once I arrived in Madrid on SpanAir from Dulles, with a connection on SpanAir to Santiago de Compostela. SpanAir checked my baggage thru to Santiago. On arrival at Barajas I was routed to a closed passageway to the gate for my Santiago flight: there was a Passport Control (Immigration) Agent but no Customs. I expected to go thru Customs at Santiago but there was no Immigration or Customs there, either.