St. Thomas (STT) - Pre-check or United Premier Access lines?
Sep 7, 2016, 10:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Could be anywhere...
Programs: United Platinum
Posts: 250
St. Thomas (STT) - Pre-check or United Premier Access lines?
Hello All,
Trying to time our departure day (including a ferry from Tortola) and I know the lines at STT can be bad. Does anyone know if they have Pre-check or United Premier Access lines for check in and security?
Thanks!
Trying to time our departure day (including a ferry from Tortola) and I know the lines at STT can be bad. Does anyone know if they have Pre-check or United Premier Access lines for check in and security?
Thanks!
Sep 8, 2016, 12:22 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott, AAdvantage, United, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,687
For check in yes, but nothing for security. You have to go through passport control, and there is no pre-check line. They give you a card to show to security so you can keep shoes on, etc., but you are in the general line with everyone else.
Sep 8, 2016, 8:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 111
St. Thomas Airport
STT can get very crowded--plan on 3 hours--at a minimum 2 --most airlines have priority check in for for those who qualify. Passport control is FIFO--no priority lines.
Security has a TSA-Pre-Check line--but I find it is rarely open.
My wife and I own a home on St. John and we would catch a 1pm ferry for a 4:30pm flight--we would be at the airport by 2pm--so we allow 2 1/2 hours for all of the above.
Hope this helps!!!
Security has a TSA-Pre-Check line--but I find it is rarely open.
My wife and I own a home on St. John and we would catch a 1pm ferry for a 4:30pm flight--we would be at the airport by 2pm--so we allow 2 1/2 hours for all of the above.
Hope this helps!!!
Sep 9, 2016, 8:48 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 248
+1. The red caps can get to the the front of the customs line, but then you're in the regular line for TSA. As mentioned, there is a TSA pre-check line that *should* be open during the airport rush times, which gets you to the ID checkers faster, but you still go through the same scanners as everyone else.
Sep 15, 2016, 1:10 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 702
20 year frequent traveler to STT and I agree with everything said above.
The STT lines are no joke if you are flying out during that afternoon period when many large flights are grouped in a short departure window.
We use a porter 90% of the time.
Many times the preferred/first class line isn't open so you wait for another agent to come over when they feel like it, eliminating any anticipated time savings.
The STT porter system is interesting. Not only do they fetch your boarding passes and checked luggage tags, they often take alternative routes to C&I and seem to have their own dedicated line. Sometimes they will route you to the carry-on only TSA line which may or may not be faster. (We have stood 30 minutes in this line.)
The STT lines are no joke if you are flying out during that afternoon period when many large flights are grouped in a short departure window.
We use a porter 90% of the time.
Many times the preferred/first class line isn't open so you wait for another agent to come over when they feel like it, eliminating any anticipated time savings.
The STT porter system is interesting. Not only do they fetch your boarding passes and checked luggage tags, they often take alternative routes to C&I and seem to have their own dedicated line. Sometimes they will route you to the carry-on only TSA line which may or may not be faster. (We have stood 30 minutes in this line.)