problems getting out of San Juan airport (SJU)?

[teresad2297]

Hi everyone -

 

comparing caribbean cruises here and wondering how difficult it is to get out on an earlier flight (12:45pm) out of San Juan's airport (SJU). Assuming we could get an early debarkment...

 

I've heard that since it's a smaller airport, it has difficulty managing the huge influx of travelers from the different ships.

 

any info would be helpful.

 

tia -

Teresa

[mjyanne]

Hi everyone -

 

comparing caribbean cruises here and wondering how difficult it is to get out on an earlier flight (12:45pm) out of San Juan's airport (SJU). Assuming we could get an early debarkment...

 

I've heard that since it's a smaller airport, it has difficulty managing the huge influx of travelers from the different ships.

 

any info would be helpful.

 

tia -

Teresa

 

We've sailed out of SJU many times. We've always been to the airport by 9 - 9:30 am. You should have no problem (unless the ship has issues) catching a 12:45 flight. The issues at the airport begin later in the morning and into the mid-afternoon.

 

Also, if you can use the luggage valet service that will save you even more time.

[ckrobyn]

Hi everyone -

 

comparing caribbean cruises here and wondering how difficult it is to get out on an earlier flight (12:45pm) out of San Juan's airport (SJU). Assuming we could get an early debarkment...

 

I've heard that since it's a smaller airport, it has difficulty managing the huge influx of travelers from the different ships.

 

any info would be helpful.

 

tia -

Teresa

 

San Juan's airport can get a bit chaotic on Sunday mornings - but they deal with the crowds every week and they are pretty good at it.....just think, they need to deal with about 6000 passengers over a 5 hour period, so there is bound to be some chaos!!!! :eek: The busiest time is between 11:30-2:30pm - I would avoid a flight during that time. We fly out at 4pm and by then the airport is much more civilized!

[mslaabs]

Hi everyone -

 

comparing caribbean cruises here and wondering how difficult it is to get out on an earlier flight (12:45pm) out of San Juan's airport (SJU). Assuming we could get an early debarkment...

 

I've heard that since it's a smaller airport, it has difficulty managing the huge influx of travelers from the different ships.

 

any info would be helpful.

 

tia -

Teresa

 

We've made an 11:30 flight before. However, we did use the baggage check through the cruise line. That allowed us to skip the ticket counter at the airport and go directly to the security checkpoint. I think we arrived at the gate a little over an hour before take off. I remember having time to go in search of food (after all it had been a couple of hours since the Windjammer :D ) and had time to eat it without feeling rushed.

[Tex_Jen]

I found that the airport in San Juan handles the influx of passengers much better than the airport in Fort Lauderdale. You should be fine.

 

Jen

[mjyanne]

San Juan's airport can get a bit chaotic on Sunday mornings - but they deal with the crowds every week and they are pretty good at it.....just think, they need to deal with about 6000 passengers over a 5 hour period, so there is bound to be some chaos!!!! :eek: The busiest time is between 11:30-2:30pm - I would avoid a flight during that time. We fly out at 4pm and by then the airport is much more civilized!

 

Actually, based on your assessment, this would be the best time to fly since you need to be at the airport 1 1/2 - 2 hours before your flight. Therefore, a flight during this time would be departing just as the crowds are building.

 

BTW I don't disagree with your assessment as I have sat around the airport (flight delays) until late afternoon and the airport does in fact seem to calm down around 2:30 pm.

[ckrobyn]

On our first AOS cruise we had a flight home that left shortly after 1pm. We arrived at the airport around 9:45am and the check in area was jam packed. We waited WITH our luggage (sitting on it, on the floor for half the time) for about 2 hours before we made it to the front of the line to check in and drop the bags.

 

From that experience (and we were travelling with my folks who are not spring chickens and cannot stand in a 2hr line up) we decided on all future San Juan trips that we would book flights later in the afternoon to avoid the long lines that are typical on Sunday mornings :)

[apk1389]

just had a 10:45 flight out of san juan. we got off in the first group let off and got to the airport, through agriculuture check, ticketing and all that jazz and made it to the gate by 9:30 no issue

[teresad2297]

thanks everyone..

 

since we live on the west coast, our flights choices are very limited as in two! the 12:45 is really our only choice to be able to get all the way home in one day.

 

Sounds like we can manage it - we'll make sure we're in the first group off the boat and use the valet luggage service.

 

-Teresa

[DGNY]

Anyone with experience flying out of SJU during the summer? I'll be on Serenade in May....after Adventure and Caribbean Princess leave San Juan as a home port. Will the crowds at SJU be tangibly less crowded?

[dna1990]

If you don't get to do luggage valet straight from ship/customs - then DO get an airport porter. They really make short work of the AG line while you go ahead and start waiting in the check-in line, etc. Even more effective if travelling with small group, you get one person to handle all the bags and you can group everyone together and focus on tickets and seats, etc.

 

12:45 could start to feel close, if your ship has any delays...so maybe, just maybe - know what alternate flights are available later that day.