robin fan

I am planing to fly from HKG to HNL via UA 116 then 200 but required to stop by GUAM. I am a Chinese and is required to be cleared by immigration. I am afraid the one hour window stopover is not enough for me to queue then be cleared in Guam . However, this flight is the most efficient for my travel. May I know if there any measures from UA to safe guard my journey continuity ??

atword

I have made this exact journey before. While I am a US citizen many non-citizens made this connection. It is a United hub and they are used to people making this connection every day. While there are no guarantees it should be fine.

GordonGordon

I will be staying at Saipan for a week with a group of scuba diving friends from SE Aisa and then head to Palau for another week via Guam. The flights that we are going to take are SPN 1805-GUM 1855, and then GUM 1955-ROR 2105, so we have exactly 1 hour at GUM for transit. My questions are:

1) Do we need to clear customs at GUM (1 or 2 hold Canadian passport, couple of them hold Hong Kong or Taiwan passports and some have US passport) ?

2) Do we all need to retrieve our checked bags at carousel in GUM and drop off our checked bags again for the connecting flight after immigration like what we usually do at the 1st port we land in the mainland United States?

3) we are thinking about taking the earlier flight leaving SPN 1420 and arriving GUM at 1510, so we will have 4 hrs 45 mins in GUM airport for transit but not so sure how we are gonna kill time when we get stuck at GUM airport air side. Is it necessary to take the earlier flight?

4) Is there a United Club at Saipan? I only remember there is a United Club in GUM and it looks like the old former CO Club.

Thanks for any input in advance!

garykung

I believe so. CNMI and Guam are both independent customs area from each other.

Passports are irrelevant.

No.

Your choice. Earlier flights can ensure you making the connection. Beside - even you are transitting at GUM, you can spend a few hours at Tumon Bay (You need to clear TSA anyway).

No. UCs are usually located at hub and certain key locations only.

johbeaker

When flying Saipan to Guam, you can connect directly to the Palau flight WITHOUT any immigration or customs inspection in Guam. You will however, go through a Departure US immigration inspection at the gate in Saipan. This is due to tighter visa restrictions for Guam over Saipan. An hour connection in Guam should be fine...

And no United Club in Saipan

HkCaGu

Aren't SPN/ROP-GUM the only arrival passengers who walk directly into GUM's terminal, departure side? (More directly so than HNL-GUM passengers who can go more directly to Guam customs from Gate 8/9 and SPN/ROP passengers more indirectly so from Gate 11.) There shouldn't be any TSA.

garykung

This is the part I am not sure.

CNMI is its own customs area. So in theory, whenever a person comes from CNMI to Guam, they are supposed to clear GCQA. Once they are required to clear GCQA, then a new TSA inspection will be required.

GordonGordon

Thanks Garykung, HkCaGu and johbeaker for the detailed info.

So I guess we will take the earlier flight from Saipan to Guam since the check out time for most of the hotels in SPN is around 11am or latest at noon and I don't think we want to spend extra money for late check out. Most of us including myself stayed at Guam before, so I don't think we will re-visit Tumon Bay. Maybe we will just go for a full late lunch at Guam Airport and then head to United Club for a few extra drinks.

Does Guam airport have any full service restaurants at the air side? I'd been to GUM airport but don't remember the detail. Besides, is SPN-GUM or GUM-ROR considered as international flight? Since we only have 1K or Star Alliance Gold status and none of us have United Club membership, we can enter United Club only when we have the boarding pass of the international flight on the same day.

HkCaGu

GUM-ROR is definitely international and you can go into the UC.

garykung

No. Fast/Casual food only.

Except for GUM-SPN, all flights ex-GUM are international.

mueagles09

I'm trying to book a flight from SFO to MNL for work in a few weeks, and I found a decent deal on a SFO - HNL - GUM - MNL route, but the layover in GUM is only 45 minutes.

Is that enough time for me to get through any customs or passport control? I'm assuming the airport isn't too busy, but I've never flown through GUM, so I'm not sure. Normally, I wouldn't risk cutting it so close, but it'll get me to gold on United, so I'd like to get this one in if I can.

jsloan

I haven't done a GUM transit in that direction in a while, but, in general, the evening flights are timed for HNL connections. There's no immigration control for the HNL inbound (GUM is part of the US), and there wasn't a customs check the last time I transited in that direction.

GUM is a small airport, but obviously 45 minutes is a tight connection anywhere. It's not insane, but it's tight, and if you misconnect you may cost yourself an entire day.

Darlox

There's a consolidated thread with a lot more information on this here:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...stics-gum.html

Bottom-line: These are common connections and you SHOULD be ok. But you do have to clear Customs with your bags (agricultural inspection) and re-clear TSA, so if there's any delays, there's no guarantee you'll make your flight. UA has not been consistent on holding flights at GUM for connecting pax. So it is absolutely a risk, and there's no guarantees.

mueagles09

Is this just for carry on bags, or does that include checked bags too, kind of like landing in the US from an international trip prior to a domestic transfer?

Kmxu

For outbound flight, you turn left and go to the gate for MNL flight. For inbound flight, you need more time. You will go to kiosk to scan your passport and then bring the receipt for inspection. Then, you go downstair to give the Guam Ag form; Afterward, you go two floors up for TSA check. At the gate for HNL flight, you will go through US passport check again.
So, try to sit near the first class cabin for MNL-GUM flight. You will make the connection in 45 min. Good luck.