# Frontier 47 min layover in DEN long enough?



## Cheryl17 (Jan 5, 2013)

In May, we plan to go to Yellowstone for a Yellowstone Institute program, and none of the outbound flights are ideal.  We're considering Chicago-Midway to Denver and then Denver to Bozeman both on Frontier.  However, there would be only a 47 min. layover with a change of planes, and that is Frontier's only Denver to Bozeman flight that day.  Here are the statistics for the first flight from Frontier's website:

On Time Performance: 80% 
Delayed (30+ minutes): 5% 
Cancelled: 0% 
*Calculated from flights operated in November 2012.

My tentative plan is to book these flights but travel a full day before we need to be there in case there is a problem.  Other options include a flight on Delta that arrives ~ 11:30 p.m. or a flight on United into Billings.  I'd appreciate any advice.


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## linsj (Jan 5, 2013)

I'm only familiar with United's terminal at DEN, but 47 minutes could be cutting it close too, no matter who you fly. Consider this: Depending on where you're sitting on the first flight, it could take 10-30 minutes to get off the plane. The next flight will start boarding 30 minutes before takeoff and close about 10 minutes before. If the gates are far apart, that will add time. If the first flight is late arriving, you probably can forget about making the connection. 

I fly enough to have mid-status and will never book a flight with less than an hour connection even though plenty of them are available.


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## dougp26364 (Jan 5, 2013)

We fly through DEN quite a bit. IMHO, 47 minutes is plenty of time. If the flights are running on time you should even have enough time for a quick bathroom break. DEN has moving sidewalks throughout the concorse. They can get you from one end to the other in 5 to 10 minutes depending on whether you walk or stand. Of course, if there's any delay, things can get dicey. Like the poster before me I really prefer a longer layover and prefer to relax, grab a bite to eat and be able to use the restroom without worry. Unfortunately that's not always possible.

I don't believe it's ever taken us 30 minutes to get off a plane. It might seem like it takes that long but that's only anxiety. Considering how quickly they turn planes around I doubt that it would ever take longer than 10 minutes from the time the door opens and the first passenger steps off a flight until the last passenger clears the plane.

Keep in mind that if you booking a flight over 3 months in advance, your flight times and layover times are likely to change. The most drastic change was on a Delta flight, which started out as a narrow connection time before eventually ending up as a 5 hour layover. Oddly enough, we still missed that connection (very long weather delay). I always look ahead to see what flight options are possible should we miss a connection. Missing connections has been a rare occurance. I can only thinks of two times in the last 12 years we've missed a connection, both weather related and unavoidable. Connection times for us have ranged from the short end of 30 minutes to the long end of 5 hours. As mentioned, that 5 hour layover was one of the missed connections. The other was a 90 minute layover. We've made every narrow connection time but, I still hate the feeling of being rushed and hate the stress/anxiety that goes along with hoping the flights are runing ontime.


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## Jimster (Jan 5, 2013)

*frontier*

All of Frontiers gates are together.  It should be plenty of time.


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## WinniWoman (Jan 8, 2013)

I like 2 hour layovers myself. We did the Denver to Bozeman route. Denver is a busy airport, but I am only familiar with United. But- plenty of people have managed with 30 minute layovers. I personally don't like to run through an airport....


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 8, 2013)

Denver airport is very organized.  All of Frontier's flights are on Concourse A.  You will stay in the same general area, so changing planes is no problem.  Plus, you are flying Frontier, and Frontier is very good at waiting for ticketed passengers for enough time to get from one plane to another.  They are better that way than most airlines.  

You will also have assigned seats, unlike Southwest, where you have to take any ol' seat they have left. 

My problem with a layover on Southwest, whatever airport, is that the time can be sparse between flights, and Rick and I have had to separate and sit in middle seats for the second leg.  I hate that.  I love Southwest, don't get me wrong, but getting a middle seat after calling at 24 hours to get early in the B group for the first leg, then accepting the longer leg in a middle seat.  That's just awful.  

I won't take a flight on SW without a long layover to assure we will be able to sit together.  I also look for stops that don't require a plane change.


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## deannak (Jan 9, 2013)

I try not to book a trip with less than an hour layover, but I did once end up with a 35 minute layover in Denver.  I was worried about it, so paid the extra cost to upgrade my seat on the first flight to one near the front of the aircraft.  

I might have made the connection anyway, but at least I avoided that anxious feeling when you're seated at the back, waiting to get off the plane, and watching the minutes ticking away...


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