Travel

[Somertime]

@Mmsfoxxie Call Delta 1-800-221-1212, request a wheelchair be put in the record for your outgoing flight.  Then pay to select your seat as close to the front, once on board notify the steward that you only have 31 minutes to connect to your Detroit flight as you will need a wheelchair.  They are very accommodating.  When you check in tell the agent you will need a wheelchair to remind them just i case.

The wheelchair will come in handy!  Gets you through TSA a lot faster as well!

[granddi]

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@kaydee50 wrote:

@Mmsfoxxie   I wish you much luck with your flights.  I understand about your husband but I would pay for a taxi and leave from O'Hare.  And I would not count on the flight attendants.  And you don't have a seat??  That probably means you will be stuck in the back in a middle seat.    Sorry, but just thinking about your situation gives me the willies!  Again, good luck and safe flights!

@Mmsfoxxie 

Learn to use Uber/Lyft. Not much learning to it. I should say get familiar with it. We don't use it much

but it is a good resource. 

Southwest flies out of both O Hare and Midway. I just checked that you could get a flight that stops on the way to Atlanta but do not get off plane. Maybe you could change plans.

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[CatsyCline]

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@Somertime wrote:

@Mmsfoxxie Call Delta 1-800-221-1212, request a wheelchair be put in the record for your outgoing flight.  Then pay to select your seat as close to the front, once on board notify the steward that you only have 31 minutes to connect to your Detroit flight as you will need a wheelchair.  They are very accommodating.  When you check in tell the agent you will need a wheelchair to remind them just i case.

The wheelchair will come in handy!  Gets you through TSA a lot faster as well!

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@Somertime @Mmsfoxxie     yes i have added mobility assistance to my profile for my usual carrier. i have difficulty with walking distances,  balance and gait.

so nice when they open the cordoned TSA area just for me and get whisked right through. i do have to walk through body scanner though .

[Tori3569]

Good luck @Mmsfoxxie .   The only thing I can offer is that Atlanta is Delta's hub, so they may have additional flights going there from Detroit.  

You will probably be able to select your seat online in advance.  I fly Delta a lot and always pick my seat beforehand.   I'll admit the connection thing would make me anxious, so anything I could do, such as all the suggestions you've gotten will help.  

[wonderfulworld]

I fly in and out of Detroit. Delta is in one terminal but flights come into 3 concourses. A is the largest one B and C for the smaller planes. 
If you can walk quickly and use the moving walkway it would take about 20

minutes to walk from one to the other if they are far apart.  Your gates will probably be closer. 

If a flight is departing from the largest concourse the gate would be 

A30 for example. B 12, C 8 for example. I don't think the B and C gates are used very much. All the flights have been on in the last 15 years have been in the A concourse. 
You have enough time to make your flight if all on time. Detroit is quite efficient, clean and attractive airport. 
Have a good flight.  

[Etoile308]

Check with the airline to see what time they close their gates. I haven't flown in a few years now, but didn't the norm use to be 20 minutes prior to departure?

I wouldn't want the stress starting a trip and would either rebook an earlier initial flight, or a later connecting flight.

[beach-mom]

@Mmsfoxxie - Everyone has already given you great advice. Early in the morning I flew north to Detroit and had a one-hour layover before flying down to Louisiana. I remember the airport was nice and I didn't have to go far to my connecting flight.

 I called the airline and asked what time they recommended between flights. They recommended an hour.

 I think you might have a chance if your flight originates at Midway. If it's coming from somewhere else you might have problems. And Chicago to Detroit is probably a shorter flight. 

Just this past week we took DS to the airport for a 12:20 American flight. He got a notice it was delayed until 3. We were on the way to get him there when he got another notice it was delayed until 5. We dropped him off before 2, and he finally took off at 5:30. BUT the plane was delayed coming from another city. 

I believe the best thing you could do is try to schedule an earlier flight out of Chicago so you don't miss the connecting flight in Detroit. I just don't think 31 minutes is enough time. 

Otherwise call the airline and tell them you will need extra help getting to your flight to Atlanta. 

However you get there have a wonderful visit with your family!  

[Alter Ego]

It’s kind of the craziest thing. Just got nosy and went to Delta’s app. There are definitely several flights directly from MDW to ATL, but they only offer the route through Detroit when you add in Albany. In fact, when I do separate flights (MDW to ATL and then ATL to Albany, with return from Albany to MDW) it’s less expensive than the original round trip flight.

Seems like the issue is the time of the Albany flight - they are only offering you options with tight layovers so you don’t have one very long one.

If you don’t mind hanging around ATL, wonder if you could call and see if they could move you to the direct 12:50 flight between MDW and ATL? Other than Delta Comfort +, seems like there’s plenty of room on board. I wonder what’s worse for your luggage? Trying to make a 30 minute connection in Detroit or sitting around in ATL for 4+ hours? Because, even if you can make the flight, I would worry about your checked bags. Would invest in an apple AirTag to keep track of it.

Good luck!

[Mmsfoxxie]

@Somertime, thank you for that number!  I will do that!

[Mmsfoxxie]

@Alter Ego @thank you for going to the trouble of looking that up.  So many of you have been helpful!

Getting off the Chicago flight into Detroit is my 31 minute layover which is the problem.  My Atlanta layover is two and a half hours before going to Albany.  And yes, there are a few flights to Atlanta but not convenient for the Albany connection.  I'm going to call Delta today at the number given by another poster to get some concrete info.  I hate to ask my son to go to the trouble of calling to change things.  In hindsight, I should have told him to get me the money (the trip is a gift) and I'll make the arrangements.  He said ask for my input but I think my brain would have been working better if I went through the booking steps myself.