I’m travelling regularly between Europe and San Diego, Ca. Once and sometimes twice a month.
I usually fly to LAX and then drive down to San Diego but I am fed up with the traffic on the I405 and I5.
Last time I flew to SFO and from there to SAN with United but I don’t like UA and Star Alliance.
As I am a loyal SkyTeam flyer, I much prefer DELTA.

My question is simple : what is the easiest DL Hub for international/domestic connection ? Several possibilities from CDG or AMS.
I rule out JFK and LAX.

Options are : ATL, MSP, DTW, SLC, SEA.

Any DELTA « experts » here ? Thanks for your help feedback

I'd personally vote for SLC or SEA. Both are very easy airports to navigate with 5 or so daily connections on to SAN.

Second choice would be ATL -- bigger than SLC or SEA, but more European flights and still w/ 5+ connections to SAN.

For TATL-SAN, DTW probably involves the fewest steps/shortest distance traveled, as both flights are likely to use mid-A gates. You may lose a few scheduling options but for me that’s a worthwhile trade for the connecting experience.

I would still opt for LAX due wide choice of flights and low chance of ATC/weather issues.

If you really don't want to drive, then fly up. DL has half dozen flights between cities meant specifically for connecting customers.

janders wrote:

I would still opt for LAX due wide choice of flights and low chance of ATC/weather issues.

If you really don't want to drive, then fly up. DL has half dozen flights between cities meant specifically for connecting customers.

It requires a cab or Uber to Union Station, but Amtrak isn’t a bad option from Los Angeles to San Diego either.

I wouldnt rule out LAX as your connection point. Here is why:

1. You are traveling year round up to twice a month. With LAX having year round good weather, you avoid the risk of IRROPS during the winter months compared to the other hubs.
2. In case of IRROPS you dont risk of getting stranded mid way through your trip as you always have the option to drive down to SAN.
3. Would rather have one long flight with full service than a shorter TATL flight with a longer domestic segment with BOB.
4. 5 daily LAX-SAN-LAX flights means you shouldnt have overly long connection times.
5. The AF/KL-DL connection is much better now that DL is in T2/T3.

It really is the combination of 1+2 that would swing me over to use LAX as the gateway to SAN. You can't beat the option of just driving down to SAN in case of IRROPS.

Cubsrule wrote:

janders wrote:

I would still opt for LAX due wide choice of flights and low chance of ATC/weather issues.

If you really don't want to drive, then fly up. DL has half dozen flights between cities meant specifically for connecting customers.

It requires a cab or Uber to Union Station, but Amtrak isn’t a bad option from Los Angeles to San Diego either.

Yea the Amtrak option is smart. But forget the cab/uber, take the FlyAway bus. It runs every 30 min, costs $9.75 and runs directly to Union Station using the express lanes the whole way.

masgniw wrote:

Cubsrule wrote:

janders wrote:

I would still opt for LAX due wide choice of flights and low chance of ATC/weather issues.

If you really don't want to drive, then fly up. DL has half dozen flights between cities meant specifically for connecting customers.

It requires a cab or Uber to Union Station, but Amtrak isn’t a bad option from Los Angeles to San Diego either.

Yea the Amtrak option is smart. But forget the cab/uber, take the FlyAway bus. It runs every 30 min, costs $9.75 and runs directly to Union Station using the express lanes the whole way.

Agreed - I had forgotten the bus because when I do the trip I usually have a stop elsewhere in Los Angeles.

B747forever wrote:

I wouldnt rule out LAX as your connection point. Here is why:

1. You are traveling year round up to twice a month. With LAX having year round good weather, you avoid the risk of IRROPS during the winter months compared to the other hubs.
2. In case of IRROPS you dont risk of getting stranded mid way through your trip as you always have the option to drive down to SAN.
3. Would rather have one long flight with full service than a shorter TATL flight with a longer domestic segment with BOB.
4. 5 daily LAX-SAN-LAX flights means you shouldnt have overly long connection times.
5. The AF/KL-DL connection is much better now that DL is in T2/T3.

It really is the combination of 1+2 that would swing me over to use LAX as the gateway to SAN. You can't beat the option of just driving down to SAN in case of IRROPS.

Agree about the weather. I already connected at LAX several times, the problem is it can be sometimes really fast and easy, and sometimes it’s a nightmare.
I usually arrive in LAX with AF066 from CDG at 12:50. The DL flight to SAN is at 3:45 PM. And I can tell you I missed it so many times : immigration and then baggage delivery and customs can take for ever. And the next flight leaves at 7:10 Pm ...

Where in Europe do you fly from ?

Which cabin do you fly in ?

jetwet1 wrote:

Where in Europe do you fly from ?

Which cabin do you fly in ?

Business Class most of the time

Seems to me from SAN the logical and preferred gateway to the world would be LAX.

I would not want to make a domestic connecting flight back East when you have LAX up the coast. You gamble with weather/ATC issues virtually every season of the year from all the other DL hubs.

FlySSC wrote:

I usually arrive in LAX with AF066 from CDG at 12:50. The DL flight to SAN is at 3:45 PM. And I can tell you I missed it so many times : immigration and then baggage delivery and customs can take for ever. And the next flight leaves at 7:10 Pm ...

Join Global Entry.

Out of dozen times annually I arrive at TBIT, I don't think I have spent more than 15min from jetway to roadside. Its literally almost a nonstop walk, with only a minute or two spent at the kiosk and line waiting to be let out.
Yes, I dont check bags, but even if wait at the carousel for business class bags was 30-mins, there really is no reason while you won't be outside very fast to make the DL SAN flight.

My parents have done SAN-MSP-AMS (and return) at least a couple times and enjoyed the experience. They thought it was an easy connection and prefer the "smaller" airports (like MSP) over airports like LAX, just for the relative ease of getting around.

Thanks for your feedback.
I booked a CDG-SLC-SAN for my next trip in 2 weeks.... we ´ll see !

FlySSC wrote:

jetwet1 wrote:

Where in Europe do you fly from ?

Which cabin do you fly in ?

Business Class most of the time

You didn't say where from, if London, take VS to LAS, then WN down to SAN, easy connection and a ton of WN flights from LAS-SAN. You earn miles + MQM's on VS, as you fly a lot of DL flights in J I am also going to assume you are either Gold, Platinum or Diamond, in which case VS honer the benefits you would get with DL.

If you're flying from the continent, just go to LAX, I would rather deal with the 405 than not have a flat bed for 5 hours connecting anywhere else.

jetwet1 wrote:

FlySSC wrote:

jetwet1 wrote:

Where in Europe do you fly from ?

Which cabin do you fly in ?

Business Class most of the time

You didn't say where from, if London, take VS to LAS, then WN down to SAN, easy connection and a ton of WN flights from LAS-SAN. You earn miles + MQM's on VS, as you fly a lot of DL flights in J I am also going to assume you are either Gold, Platinum or Diamond, in which case VS honer the benefits you would get with DL.

If you're flying from the continent, just go to LAX, I would rather deal with the 405 than not have a flat bed for 5 hours connecting anywhere else.

I fly mostly out of CDG or AMS.
The only interest for me at LHR is the nonstop BA to SAN but I avoid LHR at all costs for connecting.

The most convenient according to me would be SAN - LAX - AMS/CDG/LHR and you would get MQMs all the way.
With DL in T2/T3 at LAX now, easier to get to TBIT for the double daily KL and AF flights. VS still uses T2 so that is convenient as well.

After LAX, I would go with DTW or MSP over SLC/SEA due to more flights to Europe from those airports.

If cost is not an issue, I'd go through DTW and catch the A350 F suites.

I'd say JFK is an option too, but IRROPs are basically normal ops here thanks to our rather crappy weather.