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-   -   AA to Insel Air - Curacao - 55min connection? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/caribbean-nearby-atlantic-including-puerto-rico/1232200-aa-insel-air-curacao-55min-connection.html)

mrtrickdk Jul 1, 2011 10:52 am

AA to Insel Air - Curacao - 55min connection?
 
I am planning a trip though Curacao, connecting me from AA (inbound from Miami) and onwards to Paramaribo Suriname with Insel Air. I only have a 55min connection (7:30pm arrival and 8:25pm departure on a Wednesday).

Any suggestions if this is possible or not? I may or may not check luggage, being that AA and Insel Air do not have interline agreement I may not be able to check in luggage as I will not have any time.

Do I need to clear immigration/customs in CUR, or can I simply "transit"?

Thoughts?

Thank you,

TravelFlea Jul 4, 2011 9:25 pm


Originally Posted by mrtrickdk (Post 16657411)
I am planning a trip though Curacao, connecting me from AA (inbound from Miami) and onwards to Paramaribo Suriname with Insel Air. I only have a 55min connection (7:30pm arrival and 8:25pm departure on a Wednesday).

Any suggestions if this is possible or not? I may or may not check luggage, being that AA and Insel Air do not have interline agreement I may not be able to check in luggage as I will not have any time.

Do I need to clear immigration/customs in CUR, or can I simply "transit"?

Thoughts?

Thank you,

We flew Delta from Atlanta to Aruba and then DAE from Aruba to Curaco last summer. We did have to clear customs in Aruba, then claim our bags, check-in at the DAE counter and then check bags and go through customs again as it was considered an international flight. Same thing in reverse on the way home.

Almost missed the connection both times with roughly an hour between flights - required LOTS of fast running through the airport and some begging at the DAE gate in one direction and the Delta gate in the other, as they "closed" the flight at the front counter at about an hour out. Pretty sure Delta wouldn't have let us on at all if we hadn't been flying first class. DAE wouldn't have let us on had my companion not run ahead to the counter while I was waiting at baggage claim to get our luggage from the original Delta flight.

That having been said, Curacao is a MUCH smaller airport than the one in Aruba, so moving about within the confines of the airport should be lots faster and easier. However, it did take an extraordinarily long time for us to get our bags in Curacao considering the size of the airport. We waited maybe 20 minutes and it was a small commuter flight on DAE not even 50% full.

If you have an option to make a slightly longer layover it might be worth it since Insel, DAE and the others tend to fly on more of "island time" than actual time. If there isn't another good option you can probably make it in the 55 minutes, but have backup plan just in case something goes south.

mrtrickdk Jul 22, 2011 4:47 pm

Just an update to this thread:

It is possible to do a short connection in Curacao, however, I may strongly suggest you only do carry on luggage and that you print your boarding pass in advance.
As you exit the plane, go to the transit line (only possible if you have no luggage checked). If this line is closed, ask a staff member and they might be nice and guide you through.
10 min was a possible connection for me between landing on AA and take-off on Insel Air. Thank you Curacao Airport!


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