Peru - Lima airport overnight

I will have to spend a night at Lima airport shortly: arriving at 11 pm and departing by a domestic flight at 5 am (both flights are by Lanperu). Mrs Oldthinker and Oldthinker the junior will be accompanying me on this occasion.

There are no *A lounges at that airport but I understand that there are several other lounges there and that some of them may be open overnight and can be used for a fee. What would be my best bet? I do not hold a Diners card.

Oldthinker

What would be my best bet?Probably asking in a different forum to M&M...

Probably asking in a different forum to M&M...

You are very right.

I must have been thrown off course by the fact that much of the trip has been paid for by LH miles...

FWIW, though, LIM is not a great airport to have to spend an overnight---things basically shut down after the late international bank, and things are a zoo outside of the secure area. If you've never flown into a 2nd or 3rd-world airport before, you'll be in for a shock. Moreover, you will walk directly from the plane to immigration (hence no access to any of the lounges in the international terminal) and not be allowed to check in for your domestic flight (and clear back into the secure zone) until morning. Note that domestic and international flights at LIM use different terminals, although they are just a short walk apart.

While it's not so bad I would fear for my safety, it's not something I'd recommend for a family. There are a set of hotels not too far from the airport (20 mins by cab) that I'd suggest you consider spending the (very short) night.

FWIW, though, LIM is not a great airport to have to spend an overnight---things basically shut down after the late international bank, and things are a zoo outside of the secure area. If you've never flown into a 2nd or 3rd-world airport before, you'll be in for a shock. Moreover, you will walk directly from the plane to immigration (hence no access to any of the lounges in the international terminal) and not be allowed to check in for your domestic flight (and clear back into the secure zone) until morning. Note that domestic and international flights at LIM use different terminals, although they are just a short walk apart.

While it's not so bad I would fear for my safety, it's not something I'd recommend for a family. There are a set of hotels not too far from the airport (20 mins by cab) that I'd suggest you consider spending the (very short) night.

LIM is just fine for an overnight, albeit that changed fairly recently when the Ramada opened up just a few feet from the airport terminal. Its usually quite pricey and I wouldn't waste the money on it myself but...if you arrive at 11 pm there's a strong possibility of a long line up since 7 or 8 intl flights all arrive with minutes of one another. Most of the immigration officers are pleasant and pretty quick but things take time. Your bags can also take some time too. Then customs so you will be lucky to be out of there by midnight.

Since Lan checkin opens up at 330 am for the early domestic flights, located in the somewhat secure area with just pax allowed, you really only have 3 - 4 hours to kill.

Depending on the age of your child, perhaps the Ramada is worth it for a few hours but be warned that there is a line for the Airport Fee then security which can take some time in the morning - so allow yourself some extra time to avoid being stressed. And the final kicker? Both TA and LP like to park remotely so a bus trip to the aircraft is more than likely...;)

Other than that...if you are headed to Cuzco or Arequipa, enjoy. Peru is an amazing country.

I'll move this thread to the South America forum so that the OP will get some additional input.

Have a nice day

totti
M&M moderator

I have spent the night as you describe several times; however, after a couple of times of doing this I had my clients arrange a hotel for me in Miraflores if even just for a few hours sleep.

You will not be able to access any lounge as they are all airside in the international terminal (except maybe AA, but I rarely fly them so I am not sure). If you do camp out be sure that someone stays awake as petty theft is quite common and you may wake up sans baggage.

Many thanks to everybody.

I will book the Ramada hotel near the airport: this looks like the most sensible option, even if we end up spending only a couple of hours there.

Oldthinker

Sleepinginairports.com

We just stayed in the airport, you will find several people outside the food court using backpacks as pillows. There is also a fairly cheap internet cafe if you aren't tired.

I have heard conflicting stories about overnight lounges at LIM.

Can others confirm that arriving in LIM is like arriving in the U.S., ie. you must go to immigration immediately?

Are there any lounges in the international terminal that are open all night?

Can others confirm that arriving in LIM is like arriving in the U.S., ie. you must go to immigration immediately?

Not really, instead of going through the immigration one can go back the stairs and enter the airport without entering Peru and paying the fee. There was a staff member showing the way. BP wasn't needed, we didn't get it until a few hours later when LAN opened their desk.

We had our luggage checked only to LIM but there we had written a note to the Copa badge that our final destination is SCL. LAN was supposed to pick our luggage but they couldn't find it -- the friendly people at Copa had written our flight details with a pen to the baggage tags and our luggage did arrive with our flight -- I wish we (or LAN) had known it and not worried about our luggage.

Can others confirm that arriving in LIM is like arriving in the U.S., ie. you must go to immigration immediately?

There is a transit option, but every time I've been through they wanted to see an onward BP to allow you through---otherwise it's straight on to customs.

I'd definitely overnight at the new airport Ramada.

There is a transit option, but every time I've been through they wanted to see an onward BP to allow you through---otherwise it's straight on to customs.

I'd definitely overnight at the new airport Ramada.

Any more recent thoughts on overnighting at LIM?

We're scheduled to arrive from Miami on LAN just before midnight on 6/12 and our Star Peru domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado on 6/13 was just moved to 6 a.m.

We've got a reservation at the Sheraton downtown, but assuming that it'll take about an hour to clear customs and immigration, at least 30 minutes to make it to the Sheraton, we wouldn't get to the hotel until 1:30 a.m. or so. If we have to leave the hotel by 4:30 to be back at the airport by 5 a.m. for our 6 a.m. flight, we're looking at a lot of effort for at most three hours' sleep.

At the same time, we're heading into the jungle from Puerto Maldonado, so I'd prefer not to be exhausted.

The on-site airport Ramada is coming up at $180 for the night we'll be there, and the sleeping room in the Sumaq lounge isn't an option since it's airside in the international wing, and we won't be able to access it after clearing customs/immigration.

So is our best bet to just hang out in the airport for six hours and attempt to sleep on the MIA-LIM and LIM-CUZ-PEM flights?

Any more recent thoughts on overnighting at LIM?

We're scheduled to arrive from Miami on LAN just before midnight on 6/12 and our Star Peru domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado on 6/13 was just moved to 6 a.m.

We've got a reservation at the Sheraton downtown, but assuming that it'll take about an hour to clear customs and immigration, at least 30 minutes to make it to the Sheraton, we wouldn't get to the hotel until 1:30 a.m. or so. If we have to leave the hotel by 4:30 to be back at the airport by 5 a.m. for our 6 a.m. flight, we're looking at a lot of effort for at most three hours' sleep.

At the same time, we're heading into the jungle from Puerto Maldonado, so I'd prefer not to be exhausted.

The on-site airport Ramada is coming up at $180 for the night we'll be there, and the sleeping room in the Sumaq lounge isn't an option since it's airside in the international wing, and we won't be able to access it after clearing customs/immigration.

So is our best bet to just hang out in the airport for six hours and attempt to sleep on the MIA-LIM and LIM-CUZ-PEM flights?

I had the same issue a few years back and booked at the Mami Panchita Hotel. It's about 15-20 minutes from the airport. They seemed to deal with many travelers in your situation.....a short overnight layover. Seemed clean, and got a couple hours of sleep.

Reviews on TripAdvisor still seem decent.

http://www.mamipanchita.com/

Not really, instead of going through the immigration one can go back the stairs and enter the airport without entering Peru and paying the fee. There was a staff member showing the way. BP wasn't needed, we didn't get it until a few hours later when LAN opened their desk.


Can anyone confirm whether this situation still exists ?

We will be arriving at LIM appr. 12:30 A.M. ( on AC if it makes any difference ), and departing later that morning at 7:40 A.M. on LAN for SCL ( I assume this is considered an International flight ? ). Will we be able to stay in the INTL secure area overnight ? I have never flown on LAN, but I assume that we would be able to print boarding passes from their website before we leave home if that helps. We will only have carry on luggage should that should simplify things.

Thanks very much in advance.

Yes, and if you are flying J on LAN there is a lounge open all night which has a room with some lounge chairs for napping. However they give the lounge invitations at the check in counter which means you would have to go through customs and immigration and pay departure tax. Maybe not worth the bother. Might be worth giving LAN a ring if you are in business class and asking them about the lounge situation.