Kwang su

If anybody get more miles, LGA departing is possible. It is interesting routing.

cvaugust

Hi Anyone planning this MR - 345 RT ?

IAH 1:14 PM- POS Arrival 8:40 PM on the 26th and back out the next day

POS - 7:39 - IAH 11:49 AM

has anyone crashed overnite in the terminal - Any security issues/challenges ?

Would love company if anyone is making this run

thanks

Derrico

Sleeping in Airports review

If you can stay inside security I think you will be fine, and the reviews suggest you can. I wouldn't try to sleep on the landside. I doubt you would wake up with any bags.

POS airport, Port of Spain, and Trinidad in general, have to be one of the more predatory environments I have been in. Trinidad has very high rates of violent crime. (although far less than it used to be) The road from the airport to the city had its own state dept warning for a while. People were throwing bricks at cars and then vulturing from the resulting wrecks. Cars would also follow you from the airport Miami style and hit you mugging you when you stop. Unregistered taxis were picking people up and driving them to empty fields. There are large signs in the airport saying STAY ALIVE only use official taxis.

I need to be paid to go there. I wouldn't do a mileage run there, other than an same day turn around.

noe94131

I did a trip from SFO-EWR-POS-IAH-SFO a few weeks ago. Flight arrived into POS late, but because it was the same aircraft going to IAH, thought I would be fine. Did not see any "transit" signs anywhere, and asked two different people in the immigration area who said I had to go through immigration where the lines were VERY long. Saw people in short line for elevator and out of desperation, got in that line. Asked if I had a international flight, I said yes, and was allowed back up to the gate area. Had to clear security which was not an issue. I'm not sure what departure papers were needed but the gate agent asked for my copy. I gave them the bottom portion of the completed form I had. It was attached to my boarding pass and was allowed to board. Not sure if this was all proper or not. Worried every moment until we were in the air. Make sure you get your boarding pass for your departure out of POS in advance. If I did not have it, I would have surely not made my connection.

Kmxu

A bunch of turn-around runners (very close to ten) are going through diplomat lane this morning. Our flight from Newark was late. The regular immigration line is very very long. So, cheer for these 'Diplomats.'

Kmxu

I did not use this shuttle. What I actually used was the combination of Maxi Taxis (6 TTD) and taxis to Priority Bus Route stop. This regular taxis costs about 20 TTD. The mini bus took about 40 min to get to downtown POS. Do not take the maxis Taxis on Eastern Main St. unless you are interested in witnessing the busy commercial activity.

tsz

That's awesome—I guess they're getting used to mileage runners now!

westrob

At least one MRer was left behind on battlefield this morning and did not make connection through to IAH. Had to spend day at POS because of long, slow lines at immigration. Agent did ask what was up with with everyone connecting through POS.

Grapeking

Just completed EWR/ORD/EWR/POS/IAH/EWR mileage run in order to requalify for UA Platinum. Thanks to those who posted here for tips and to miasmal in particular for the comprehensive review with pics.

A couple of thoughts on the EWR/POS/IAH segments/connection in POS:

Flight to POS left EWR on time, at 11:59 pm. This was a very easy flight, no weather, no issues, etc., arriving POS 5 minutes early at 5:51 a.m. As I had been upgraded to First class, I was one of the first passengers off the aircraft. Armed with pictures previously posted here, the layout of the airport appeared familiar.

The walk from the aircraft arrival gate to the immigration/passport control is roughly 200 yards. For the most part it is wide open hallways (plenty of passing room) except for one small escalator that takes you down a level to the ground floor - no room to pass on the escalator. Due to concerns about the tight return connection to IAH, I passed anyone I could.

Approaching the passport control, I noted the small elevator previously mentioned here, but noticed the "corral" for Immigration/Passport Control had only two people in front of me. Perfect, as there were only two agents on hand, to clear an entire aircraft. While waiting for an agent to clear, it seemed there was no rush to processing passengers through Passport Control.

I had completed the entry form, noting that "purpose of visit" was "Transit". This worked well, until the agent asked to where I was transiting. When I mentioned Houston, she asked for the boarding pass, which I presented to her; she got a confused look on her face, then asked "did you not just come from Newark"? I replied yes, and then a sly smile appeared on her face and she waved a finger at me, saying "I know what you are up to - you are merely trying to accumulate points"! I laughed and said absolutely...before year-end. She suggested I come back some time to visit her country for a longer period of time, I told her I'd love to, etc...the forms were stamped and I exited Passport Control. Total elapsed time since exiting the aircraft was 10 minutes.
After exiting Passport Control, went through the double doors toward Baggage claim, noted the escalator previously posted by miasmal and made the U-turn up the escalator and immediately back to security. This being 6:05 a.m. the line for security was short, only a couple of people in front of me. As with Passport Control, the Security team was quite deliberate and in no hurry, and were quite thorough in their approach. There is only one metal detector, so one line for all passengers/all flights.

The flight to IAH was departing from Gate 4, which is at the far end of the terminal. It's not long, perhaps 100 yards long. Seating was ample, and there are a couple of small shops on the gate side of security if one wishes to purchase a bottled water or a snack. Flight to IAH left on-time.

A couple of thoughts for those who might attempt this turn:
1. It is feasible with good planning/execution. The key here is to be as close to the front of the aircraft as possible, due to the limited number of agents at Passport control - that is the pinch point. Agents there were clearing a person every 2-3 miuntes.....so 20 people in front of you, split across two agents, would mean a 20 minute wait. Being at the front of the aircraft, then hustling/running to Passport Control, will help significantly.
2. Travel lightly - just a backpack- to allow you to hustle to Passport control, and also to clear Security easily.
3. Be sure to have all your boarding passes - this is critical, both when "transiting" through Passport control and also to facilitate the return to the Gate area.

krazykanuck

Anybody have any hotel recommendations here? This weekend there is a deal $252 ai, IAH-POS, 5 cpm. Unfortunately need a place to stay Sat and Sun night and the best thing I've found is a corporate rate at the Hilton for $87/nt. $200 on a hotel kind of kills the value of it as a MR, but it's supposed to be really cold in Houston this weekend, so I am thinking of going to thaw out. haha

WingnutSYD

Depending on your arrival and departure times, I highly recommend jumping on a flight over to Tobago. It's much quieter and nicer, and there are some quite pleasant and reasonable accommodation options. Depending on your level of adventurousness, it could work out cheaper too. PM me if interested in details.

GrizShel

It appears that a disadvantage of a same day turn is a big chance of getting your boarding pass marked SSSS!

mtbaker

I am in EWR now waiting for the EWR-POS flight, and immediately coming back on POS-IAH. Thankfully I did not get the dreaded SSSS, and with all the advice in this thread, I'm feeling ok about the quick turnaround. Thanks all!

GrizShel

Some corrections and clarifications:
1. The VIP Flyers Club is NOT open until the last flight departs. Arrived after 9 PM and it was closed until 4:30 AM.
2. The stairs and escalator back up to the gate is NOT by the baggage claim. Rather it is behind you (you won't see it unless you turn around to look for it after going thru arrivals passport control) before you go through the gauntlet of Duty-Free shops and such, at the end of the duty free row you go through sliding glass doors to the baggage claim area and then to customs declaration if you are heading into Trinidad.
3. There is nothing at all open after 9 PM post depatures passport control and either before or after security. I was told by a frequent traveler that the Rituals coffee (which looks to be a nice place to lounge around for a couple of hours) is sometimes open all night, however it was closed for the evening when I arrived there after 9 PM.
4. If you are doing a same day turn with 4 or more hours (e.g., arrive from IAH depart to EWR) you may be better off exiting through customs and going to one of several restaurants that remain open late into the evening landside. All fast food type stuff though. Some have free wifi and it's much more lively area this time of the evening.
5. You can find free wifi outside of Rituals or sitting above the landside restaurants in the corridors pre security.

weirdlyndon

Looks like a pretty empty flight, too. Well, unless they haven't scrubbed the flight and given away E+ seats to those without seat assignments. Trust you're upgrade learned, too.