Is 30 minutes enough time for a connecting flight in Detroit?
For most people a 45-60 minute layover will feel very comfortable on a domestic layover. Enough time to be comfortable but not so much that you're board. DTW is a great place for a connection.
Plan to arrive at the airport no later than 90 minutes before a domestic departure, and 120 minutes before an international departure. Check with your airline to confirm your schedule, and be sure to add time for parking and security.
The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport's terminals feature moving walkways to ease the journey to your departure gate. In the McNamara Terminal, Concourse A, the ExpressTram whizzes travelers along the mile-long concourse between three conveniently-located stations.
If traveling on a domestic flight and not changing airlines, then 40 minutes should be enough time for a layover.
Detroit Metro Airport is simple to navigate with the right information.
The McNamara Terminal is also referred to as Detroit Airport Delta Terminal as it is used primarily by Delta Air Lines and its SkyTeam alliance partner airlines. You will find Concourses A, B, and C at the terminal along with more than a hundred gates. The rest of the airlines operate out of the North Terminal.
Recommended minimum connection times
Delta: 30-minute minimum connection time.
McNamara Terminal
McNamara is the larger of the 2 terminals, consisting of 3 concourses — A, B, and C — where SkyTeam airlines Aeromexico, Delta, and Air France operate.
What happens if a flight is delayed and you miss your connection? If you miss your connection due to a delay, usually the airline is responsible for providing you with a replacement flight to your destination. They will have to book you on the earliest possible flight available.
What if my layover is too short?
The airline will simply put you onto the next available flight, free of charge. No need to worry uselessly.
No, if your first flight is delayed and you won't make it in time to catch your connecting flight, the plane won't wait for you. However, if you're travelling on a through-ticket, the airline must rebook you on their next available flight to your destination, provided that there are seats available.

The terminal is used exclusively by Delta (which merged with Northwest) and Delta partners Aeromexico and Air France. This terminal has three concourses, A, B, and C, which house 103 gates with shopping and dining in the center of A concourse (known as the Central Link), as well as throughout the concourses.
Today, the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is one of the largest and busiest airports in the United States. It is 4,850 acres in size and services more than 32 million passengers annually.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport's North Terminal becomes the Warren Cleage Evans Terminal on April 4th. DETROIT (March 14, 2022) – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport's (DTW) North Terminal will be renamed the Warren Cleage Evans Terminal on Monday, April 4, 2022.
Two hours. Mayers recommends two hours as a standard buffer between flights to be safe. This gives you a cushion in case things go wrong during your journey. You'll definitely want at least a two-hour window if you've booked a “hacker fare,” as opposed to flying with the same airline your entire trip.
The Detroit Metro Airport has two airport terminals: the North Terminal and the McNamara Terminal. Both terminals are connected by a shuttle bus, and accessible from I-94 (Exit 198) or I-275 (Exit 18).
Every airline sets minimum connection times at each airport. Domestic are usually 30-60 minutes. International will be longer due to immigration/customs requirements. Larger, congested airports will require a longer time than a small airport.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) was named one of the best airports in the United States, according to the 2022 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) awards.
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- Lukla Airport (Nepal) ...
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What is the fastest way to get through the airport?
- Enroll in TSA PreCheck or Clear. ...
- Wear shoes you can easily slip off. ...
- Make sure none of your clothes contain metal. ...
- Pack your carry-on (relatively) neatly. ...
- Make sure you're following TSA's 3-1-1 liquid rule. ...
- Empty your water bottle. ...
- Plan extra time during busy travel seasons.
Detroit Metropolitan-Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Delta said the move to Terminal 5, where it invested $50 million, puts travelers in closer proximity to the carrier's international airline partners, eliminating the need for international travelers to leave security and travel to a new terminal.
Detroit – One of Delta's two Midwest hubs. It is the primary Asian gateway for the Eastern United States and it also provides service to many destinations in the Americas and Europe.
Many Delta flights have short layovers of 30-40 minutes for a few reasons. First, it allows the airline to maximize their efficiency by quickly turning around planes and getting them back in the air as soon as possible. This helps keep costs down and ensures that passengers can get to their destination on time.
The main disadvantage of the delta-delta transformer is that there is no star-point or neutral terminal available. Therefore, the delta-delta connected transformer is used when neither primary nor secondary requires neutral terminal and the voltages are low and moderate.
For domestic flights in the U.S. minimum connection times range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, and for international connections, from 1 to 3 hours.
Having welcomed more than 32 million passengers in 2012, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Michigan's busiest airport and one of the world's leading air transportation hubs.
Arrivals Terminal:
Delta Air Lines uses Terminal M - McNamara at Detroit Metro Airport.
Detroit Metro Airport participates in TSA Pre✓®, which is a program that allows eligible, low-risk passengers to expedite the security screening process. As a TSA Pre✓® member, you will enjoy the benefits of short wait times and won't be asked to remove certain items.
Can I make a connecting flight in 20 minutes?
So yes, it can be done. However, you need to consider the nature of the connection. If it's from a domestic to an international flight, chances are, you have to switch terminals so you may have to go through security again.
A one hour layover should allow you to make your connection on a domestic flight without any issues in the majority of cases. If there is a substantial delay to your original flight then you might run into some trouble but even then a lot of times you can still make your connection.
If a delay in your first flight is the reason you're missing your connection, don't worry too much. Usually, most airlines will rebook you on the next flight, and that too for free. Although, you might have to fly on standby depending on seat availability. Some airlines, in fact, automatically rebook you.
In a passenger context, MCT is defined as the shortest time interval required in order to transfer a passenger and his luggage from one flight to a connecting flight, in a specific location or metropolitan area.
1958: Detroit-Wayne Major Airport becomes Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
Delta has nine official boarding zones, but with a dedicated protocol for who can preboard the plane, there are essentially 10 groups when it comes down to it. First up is the opportunity for those that need extra time to board the plane as well as active-duty U.S. military members with identification.
The rather unique honor of hosting the smaller airport in the US goes to Montana. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Dawson Community Airport is the smallest in America. It covers a mere 413 acres and is at an elevation of 2,458 feet, and is five miles northwest of Glendive in Dawson County.
Although urban Detroit has been hollowed out by deindustrialization, the airport has thrived because of the modernization effort and strong population growth in surrounding suburbs.
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson international airport topped the list as the world's busiest airport for the second year in a row. The airport had an increase of 23.8% to 93,699,630 passengers in 2022.
Traveler Tips. Plan to arrive at the airport no later than 90 minutes before a domestic departure, and 120 minutes before an international departure. Check with your airline to confirm your schedule, and be sure to add time for parking and security.
What is the difference between terminal 1 and terminal 2?
Terminal 1 (domestic) — divided into two buildings (1C for arrivals and 1D for departures) within walking distance of each other. Terminal 2 (domestic) — flights of budget carriers IndiGo and Spice Jet can be found here. Terminal 3 (international) — all international airlines.
The TSA Precheck lane opens at 4:30 a.m. in each terminal. What time do the TSA checkpoints open? There is at least one TSA checkpoint open 24 hours per day, seven days per week in each terminal.
A short layover is definitely OK in Detroit as long as you're not switching airlines. Personally, in order to feel comfortable and as stress-free as possible, I'd want an hour if I was going from one domestic Delta flight to another.
Two hours. Mayers recommends two hours as a standard buffer between flights to be safe. This gives you a cushion in case things go wrong during your journey. You'll definitely want at least a two-hour window if you've booked a “hacker fare,” as opposed to flying with the same airline your entire trip.
For domestic flights in the U.S. minimum connection times range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, and for international connections, from 1 to 3 hours.
McNamara Terminal
McNamara is the larger of the 2 terminals, consisting of 3 concourses — A, B, and C — where SkyTeam airlines Aeromexico, Delta, and Air France operate.
At nearly 1 mi (1.6 km) in length, Concourse A in McNamara Terminal is the second-longest airport concourse in the world (the longest is in Terminal 1 of Kansai International Airport in Japan).
Delta Air Lines uses Terminal M - McNamara at Detroit Metro Airport.
Today, the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is one of the largest and busiest airports in the United States. It is 4,850 acres in size and services more than 32 million passengers annually. The airport generates $10.2 billion in annual economic impact and supports more than 86,000 jobs in Michigan.
Usually 45 minutes is enough, unless you have special circumstances such as health/mobility issues, traveling with small children, tendency to get lost, etc. Personally I try to get layovers 1.5 hours long so I'll have time to grab a quick meal, use the washroom, and shop.
What happens if you miss a connecting flight because of a delay Delta?
We will rebook you on the next available flight on Delta at no additional cost. If a Delta flight is unavailable, we will arrange an alternative flight operated by another airline with which we have a ticketing agreement at no additional cost.
What happens if a flight is delayed and you miss your connection? If you miss your connection due to a delay, usually the airline is responsible for providing you with a replacement flight to your destination. They will have to book you on the earliest possible flight available.
- Change your flight. ...
- Change your seat. ...
- Pack up your carry-on. ...
- Travel carry-on only. ...
- Ask for your connecting gate. ...
- Look at the airport map. ...
- Don't make any stops in the airport. ...
- Wear comfortable shoes.
So yes, it can be done. However, you need to consider the nature of the connection. If it's from a domestic to an international flight, chances are, you have to switch terminals so you may have to go through security again.
In my opinion (and personal experience), the minimum time for domestic to domestic connections at DFW is 40 minutes. If you're connecting from an international flight to domestic flight, I wouldn't be comfortable recommending anything less than 2 hours.