Clearing customs at JFK, can we make this flight?
Sep 3, 2009, 5:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6
Clearing customs at JFK, can we make this flight?
We are arriving on Air Jamaica (terminal 4) on Oct 21 at 1130am. We want to book a connecting flight on Delta to Columbus, Ohio (I think terminal 3) that deaprts at 1:59pm, can we make this flight? We have booked these tickets seperately but will pbe able to print our boarding pasess.
What if the Air Jamaica flight is late, will we still be able to make it?
Thanks!
What if the Air Jamaica flight is late, will we still be able to make it?
Thanks!
Sep 3, 2009, 6:58 pm
#2
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Welcome to FT!
Now that I've said that, there are a few questions that must be looked at.
- Are you US citizens? Usually the US citizen line moves faster.
- Will you have anything to declare at customs? Again this could slow you down.
- Will you be checking luggage? JFK is a zoo at times and reclaiming then rechecking your bags at Delta could eat up valuble time.
Frankly, I think it's a makeable connection and I would go for it as long as I wasn't checking bags and was flexible. If you misconnect you'll be put on the next available flight to Columbus. But that could be a while.
Now that I've said that, there are a few questions that must be looked at.
- Are you US citizens? Usually the US citizen line moves faster.
- Will you have anything to declare at customs? Again this could slow you down.
- Will you be checking luggage? JFK is a zoo at times and reclaiming then rechecking your bags at Delta could eat up valuble time.
Frankly, I think it's a makeable connection and I would go for it as long as I wasn't checking bags and was flexible. If you misconnect you'll be put on the next available flight to Columbus. But that could be a while.
Sep 3, 2009, 7:02 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6
Thanks for the welcome! I am glad I found this forum since we travel alot. This is our first time ever clearing customs in JFK though.
Yes we are US citizens
Will will have nothing to declare
Out luggage will be checked, but talked with Air Jamaica and they will process it to go all the way home to Columbus, but I realize that we will need to pick it up for customs. If this will make it harder to make the connection we could try 2 carryons.
Yes we are US citizens
Will will have nothing to declare
Out luggage will be checked, but talked with Air Jamaica and they will process it to go all the way home to Columbus, but I realize that we will need to pick it up for customs. If this will make it harder to make the connection we could try 2 carryons.
Sep 3, 2009, 7:05 pm
#4
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Thanks for the welcome! I am glad I found this forum since we travel alot. This is our first time ever clearing customs in JFK though.
Yes we are US citizens
Will will have nothing to declare
Out luggage will be checked, but talked with Air Jamaica and they will process it to go all the way home to Columbus, but I realize that we will need to pick it up for customs. If this will make it harder to make the connection we could try 2 carryons.
Yes we are US citizens
Will will have nothing to declare
Out luggage will be checked, but talked with Air Jamaica and they will process it to go all the way home to Columbus, but I realize that we will need to pick it up for customs. If this will make it harder to make the connection we could try 2 carryons.
I'm glad you enjoy FT so far, make sure you check out all the forums.
Sep 3, 2009, 7:12 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6
Unfortunately here in the US even when it's tagged all the way to a connecting city (like Columbus) it must be claimed at the port of entry than rechecked. I'm not sure if Delta has a recheck area in T4 or if you'll have to carry it to T3.
I'm glad you enjoy FT so far, make sure you check out all the forums.
I'm glad you enjoy FT so far, make sure you check out all the forums.
Sep 5, 2009, 9:04 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6
We decided to take our chances and book the 2pm flight and hope for the best...it beats the thought of sitting in the airport til the next flight which is not until much later and takes 4+ hours to get home. We did decide to just do carry on luggage though
Sep 6, 2009, 12:57 pm
#7
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Ah excellent! Best of luck though I'm sure you won't need it. Be sure to let me know what happens.
Sep 8, 2009, 8:05 pm
#8
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JFK? Late morning and early afternoon? Two and a half hours to clear customs and get from T4 to T3 (or 2)? No checked luggage? That certainly sounds like a 95%+ connection to me. Not to worry.
Sep 8, 2009, 11:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 8,509
Yeah, 2.5 hours to clear customs and switch terminals without checked bags should be fine as long as there aren't major delays on the Air Jamaica flight. And like someone else said above, as long as both segments were booked as part of the same ticket, even if you were to misconnect, Delta will accommodate you on the next available flight to CMH.
If you couldn't handle going carry-on only, btw, I would recommend taking the checked bags with you to T3 and giving them to DL there even if the option exists to re-check them right after clearing customs at T4, because it reduces the chance that your bags might get lost or delayed in the inter-terminal shuffle.
If you couldn't handle going carry-on only, btw, I would recommend taking the checked bags with you to T3 and giving them to DL there even if the option exists to re-check them right after clearing customs at T4, because it reduces the chance that your bags might get lost or delayed in the inter-terminal shuffle.
Oct 31, 2009, 12:29 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6
Wanted to thank everyone and let you know we made our connection with
40 minutes to spare! We had no wait at immigration or customs.
Even with some unexpected delyas :the AJ flight was an hour late, we ended up at terminal 5, and we were significantly delayed at security because of suspicious items in our carry-on. But since we did carry-ons we made our connection to Columbus with enough time to get lunch!
Thanks ^^
40 minutes to spare! We had no wait at immigration or customs.
Even with some unexpected delyas :the AJ flight was an hour late, we ended up at terminal 5, and we were significantly delayed at security because of suspicious items in our carry-on. But since we did carry-ons we made our connection to Columbus with enough time to get lunch!
Thanks ^^