Airport Philadelphia (houses, transfer, restaurants)

[Bubble08]

Hi,

I will be traveling, with my 2 kids, from Norfolk to Germany this year and have a stop in PHL. Is 1 h 50 min enough to get from the one end of the airport to the other end? Same is on the way back from Germany, I got only 1 h 50 min. to go through customs etc.

[misueno]

1 h 50 mins is more than enough time to get through the Philadelphia airport. Coming from Norfolk, you will likely arrive at terminal F. Head directly toward gate F10 and then on to the center of the terminal to the doors where they board shuttle buses to the main terminal.

The main terminal houses terminals A, B, and C and you can walk easily to any of these terminals once the shuttle bus drops you off. (Your international flight will most likely be out of terminal A). Do not worry about which bus to get on at terminal F. Get on the first bus that arrives. The difference in walking time between the bus that goes directly to terminal A and the bus that drops at terminal B/C is minimal, the walk from B/C to terminal A is only about four extra minutes, but you if you wait for a terminal A bus, it could take up to ten minutes.

I've never been through customs in Philadelphia, but I think you will still be fine. I've done the transfer from F to the main terminal many times when I only have 35 minutes between flights. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

[Bookmen]

I think it's enough time if everything goes perfectly. If your initial flight is delayed, however, you could be cutting it close. How long it takes to get through customs will depend on what the international traffic is when you arrive. Personally, I would want at least 2 1/2 hours for an international connection to feel comfortable given the record of on-time arrivals at PHL.

[james777]

It is nice that you are using this forum and this is a good question, but this question can only be answered by the airline that is flying you to Germany.

All airlines require you to be at the airport at least two, and sometimes three hours before the flight departs for international flights, but only your airline can advise you correctly. Ideally, you should try to get to Philadelphia on an earlier flight in case that flight is delayed.

I fly to Germany two or three times a year, usually from PHL, sometimes from EWR and rarely from JFK. I have found PHL to be a very well run airport that is easy to navigate, but then I have never changed planes here; only used it to begin or end my journey. Although an airport is not usually a place one would want to hang around, PHL has a new, comfortable international terminal with plenty of restaurants.

Good luck, and consider spending a day or two here on your way back home.

[Bubble08]

Thanks for the information. My kids and I will be flying with US Airways and I have to be at the Airport in Norfolk 3 hrs prior, same when I board in Frankfurt, Germany.
We will arrive in PHl from ORF around 2p.m. / 3p.m. and on the way back almost the same time also. I just hope it won't be too busy. I hate to be stuck with 2 kids and no way to contact my family in Germany, to let them know that the plane is late. lol