Mileage Run Discussion - Any Surprises Waiting For Me On One-Hour ORD-SJU Turnaround

I'm on my way to AA Ex Platinum this year with the help of a few mileage runs. When ORD-SJU dipped to $294 for 10/6 I figured, hey, it's a long day, but if I can grab 4,144 EQM for $294 on a Saturday I'll take my laptop and get some work done en route. So I'm flying ORD-SJU-ORD the same day on the same plane.

I've checked the gate info so I know I'm flying back on the same plane I'm arriving in. Which gives me 1 hour in SJU.

If I was going to another country I would not want to try this because I might possibly find myself required to pass through customs before returning to the gate, possibly delayed too long to catch the return flight.

I know that Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. so I won't have to go through customs, but I can't help wondering if there are any other pitfalls I have not foreseen. Has anyone else made a 1-hour SJU turnaround, and were there any surprises?

Thanks!

This should probably be in the MR Discussion Forum, but no, you should have no issues with SJU. It will be the same as a domestic turnaround. No need to re-clear TSA even

I did a 50 minute turnaround there in May on a MR. You should be fine.

No pitfalls with regard to customs/security. It's a quite simple turn. I've done a few there myself.

Best of Luck!

The price of a beer in the bar may surprise you, but other than that....

I travel there often. Make sure you print out your return BP upon check in at ORD. SJU does not use mobile BP. You are allowed to buy on the duty free shop, all you need to do is show your return bp. No need to go through security, and as mentioned before, it is the same plane coming back, so a delay on the outbound, will result in a delay on the return, no chances of missing the connection.

I travel there often. Make sure you print out your return BP upon check in at ORD. SJU does not use mobile BP. You are allowed to buy on the duty free shop, all you need to do is show your return bp. No need to go through security, and as mentioned before, it is the same plane coming back, so a delay on the outbound, will result in a delay on the return, no chances of missing the connection.

Thanks for the useful info from the SJU regulars. I have a couple of MR's to SJU coming up this fall. One is a short turn, so this thread is pertinent for me as well.

On the other hand, my second MR has a longish layover around 4 hours. I heard a rumor that SJU has a good location at the airport for plane spotting? Does anyone know if this is true and if so, can you share any details?

Thanks for the useful info from the SJU regulars. I have a couple of MR's to SJU coming up this fall. One is a short turn, so this thread is pertinent for me as well.

On the other hand, my second MR has a longish layover around 4 hours. I heard a rumor that SJU has a good location at the airport for plane spotting? Does anyone know if this is true and if so, can you share any details?

Not sure if this is worth it, even at the beach it is great.

Not sure if this is worth it, even at the beach it is great.

Thanks for your reply. Just to clarify, do you mean that plane-spotting from the beach is great? If so, I assume you mean the beach just north of the airport? Any idea if this is accessible by walking or would it be best to take a cab or other transportation?

I've made this turn around several times in the last few years. If you needs some rum or other alcohol products the price is right and you can carry them on board.

Thanks for your reply. Just to clarify, do you mean that plane-spotting from the beach is great? If so, I assume you mean the beach just north of the airport? Any idea if this is accessible by walking or would it be best to take a cab or other transportation?
Yes, the beach right north from the airport, you can hear the engine roar, and short time latter see the plane lifting up as it turns to the left, towards the beach. I stay in this area (Isla Verde) when I travel to PR, and go to the beach during my free time. Is not within walking distance from the aiport, and I certainly will not advise anyone to take a taxis to go out of their way to watch the planes, that is your choice. I was referring more along the lines from the OP situaiton, that he didnt really have enough time to go outside to spot planes. It is best to stay in the "secure" area.
Sometimes the security lines tend to really drag on a lot. Lately I've been noticing that on the AA terminal, they only have 1 TSA agent checking ID's an multiple lines forming. Priority Access does not mean anything there, once you go past that, they also have 1 machine/x-ray/scanner(whatever you want to call them) open also, so the process is rather long and time consuming. However, on the UA/US/DL/Spirit Terminal, there are several TSA agents and numerous lines open to go through. Cant say on Terminal A (Jet Blue) as I have not tried it.

If you really want to spot planes, try to go in the connecting corridors within the terminals and look out the glass corridor/window available.

Other than that, if you do have time, I certainly prefer the beach, or even outsdie the aiport entrace road, as numerous people ten to park there, aside of it being a self made "cell phone" lot for people waiting on arriving passengers.