Help! Can I make 10am San Juan Return Flight?

[jbrentf]

For those of you who have been on Constellation out of San Juan:

When did it arrive back in port? What time did the first passengers get called off? How long to taxi back to the airport?

Could I make a 10am return flight?

[OPSoccermom]

The ride back to the airport isn't bad... I'd say 30 minutes tops. I don't know if you've ever been to SJ airport, but it can be a bear on weekend mornings.

 

You have to go through an agricutural check at the airport before you can check-in, and when we were on Constellation, check in took over an hour, and we had priority check-in. Unless things have changed a lot in San Juan, I'd think 10:00 is cutting it pretty close if you're flying out on a weekend day.

 

Also, SJ is pretty strict when it comes to weight limits on bags. If you're not flying first class, make sure your baggage meets the weight requirements. If not you'll pay a significant penalty or they'll give you a cardboard box (I'm not kidding) for you to re-pack your excess baggage in.

[Char]

Trust me--you do not want to risk it!! Don't book anything before noon. You never know who is going to be on strike in San Juan and the traffic is sometimes terrible. You don't want to end a delightful cruise with missing your flight and not being able to fly out till the next day because of all the other cruisers who have booked the available seats.

[patrioticgirl]

I will agree with Char... don't risk it. I flew out of San Juan this past Christmas... the airport was fairly dead considering that it was the holiday weekend. I had an 8:45 disembark time, and I took the cruise line shuttle so we waited for about half an hour for the shuttle to load before we left the pier area. Still, by the time I arrived at the airport and checked my bags, it was around eleven o'clock. Traffic getting to the airport was the major obstacle. I would suggest that you consider a later flight, if at all possible.

[Spender Nui]

San Juan airport is especially bad on cruise ship change over days. I doubt you'd get on anything much before noon.

[canderson]

For those of you who have been on Constellation out of San Juan:

When did it arrive back in port? What time did the first passengers get called off? How long to taxi back to the airport?

Could I make a 10am return flight?

There are a whole host of variables, any one of which could make a 10am flight impossible. Nobody has even mentioned delays in clearing customs, or locating your bags. Bags are usually where you expect them, but not always! We've been on more than one Easter egg hunt, one of them in San Juan. Sometimes I think the shoreside handlers are colorblind!

 

Take something in the early afternoon, take a taxi to the Old San Juan, have a nice lunch, and make a leisurely event of it. Grab a taxi later to the airport.

 

The only hitch will be that you'll need to sign a silly waiver to get your bags held at the front desk while you relax in this truly elegant hotel.

[drfun48]

For those of you who have been on Constellation out of San Juan:

When did it arrive back in port? What time did the first passengers get called off? How long to taxi back to the airport?

Could I make a 10am return flight?

I was in the same situation last year. THE ANSWER IS NO!!!!!!!!!We did our best after changing to a noon flight just to see how early we could get there,and with everything clicking it was about 10:40 to final security.DON"T try to risk it.

[smdubowsky]

I've heard of people making it but I would not place a bet on it.

[jbrentf]

The circumstances are I am attempting to use a FREE ticket with my miles. The airlines will gladly let you fly in the AM, however PM is N/A. However, the good thing about the free ticket is if I don't make my flight, I can keep going standby even on the next day to get home.

[jasm8449]

If you really want to use the free ticket, and it is worth more than a night in a hotel, my advice would be, since you are considering the possibility of staying overnight, is to stay at a nice resort hotel, enjoy the day and the evening, and leave the next morning.

 

As the other posters have stated, 10:00AM is a real risk. And do you really want to spend hours and hours on standby at the airport? It doesn't have all the facilities that major airports would have.

 

I don't remember from my San Juan disembarkation, but if you have to clear immigration on the ship, another hold up I have experienced is some bozo that thinks they do not have to be at immigration when required, and the entire ship is held up from leaving until they show. On another sailing into Ft. Lauderdale, this took an hour extra. While we enjoyed the extra time on deck, those who had close flights were freaking!

[reggierail]

As was said before, why make a stressful day even worse?

I know getting off the ship is depressing at best.

Again as said before, spend a day in San Juan and leave the next morning.

 

Reggie:D

[bigreckster]

We've made the 10 AM flight the last two years after our Connie cruise in/out of San Juan but I agree with everyone that it's a risky gambit (we had a later flight booked and were able to leave earlier!). We are CC Elite members and hence, were able to get off the ship first, then took our own cab (we never take their transfers) to the airport...about 18 minutes if there's no traffic. You'll be much less stressed to plan on a later flight or staying over a day.

[wieslaw]

The circumstances are I am attempting to use a FREE ticket with my miles. The airlines will gladly let you fly in the AM, however PM is N/A. However, the good thing about the free ticket is if I don't make my flight, I can keep going standby even on the next day to get home.

 

It is very risky, but I have done it......although I will avoid it if I can.

Back in 2002 or 2003 (I am not sure) we were coming home from a cruise on the Constellation and our flight was on AA at 9:45AM. We left the ship around 8:10AM but we got to the gate only three or two minutes before its closing.

If taking risks, and some stress does not bother you - it can be done......but I will not do it again unless I absolutely have to. That particular day, we had some other commitment at home that evening, so we took the risk.

 

Wes

[wrp96]

The circumstances are I am attempting to use a FREE ticket with my miles. The airlines will gladly let you fly in the AM, however PM is N/A. However, the good thing about the free ticket is if I don't make my flight, I can keep going standby even on the next day to get home.

 

Somebody else on these boards once said "If the flight's cheaper than all the others, that is because the airlines know that cruisers can't make it." I think the same could be said about using airline miles. Definitely stay over night and take the early flight or pay for a later flight.

[Duanerice1]

I had the "opportunity" to stay in the San Juan Airport after we missed a flight because of a traffic jam. We were driving from the other side of the island. I would not recommend this. It was not fun at all. I thought it would be no problem because they had a flight to Miami about every 90 minutes back then. All the flights were full going back and I finally caught one about 7:00 p.m. that night.

 

The bad part is that you do not have time to go anywhere because you have to be back at the gate every 90 minutes.

 

Since you are willing to spend the night if needed, enjoy the day. Get a hotel and fly out the next morning.

 

Duane

[katiel53]

We were on the Connie last December. We are also Elite CC members. Still, we didn't get off the ship until about 9:00. The usual thing with people having to be called for unpaid bills delayed all of us.

 

The immigration lines are also quite long. I wouldn't take a chance on a flight before noon.

 

Also, staying overnight in PR is not inexpensive. If you miss your flight and need to stay overnight, you might not get to find a decent room unless you booked in advance. I'd pay for my ticket unless the rate is exhorbitant. I don't know where you are flying to, so it's hard to say. Good luck.

[Fang]

My wife and I have flown out of San Juan many times.

 

I would never book a flight out of San Juan before noon. I agree that if the airlines are offering a free ticket, it is only because they can not sell that flight.

 

We are on the Connie on the 11/19 cruise this year. Our flight is scheduled to leave at 1:30 PM. The San Juan airport is in my opinion a real pit hole.

 

We fly on American and are members of their Admirals Club. Its a nice place to stay before your flight. Every time we have been at the San Juan airport it is very, very crowded.

 

I would suggest either getting a later flight or spending the night. If you chose to do a later flight, look into the airlines club, that you are flying. Normally, they sell day passes to the clubs for $50 or $75. After seeing all of the passengers sitting on the floor or standing for hours, in my opinion, again this is a cheap price to pay for getting a nice chair and having something to eat and drink before your flight.