Originally Posted by
skicowboys
Hi Karfa, yes a guide would be most useful please, on the transfer process (customs/baggage/transfer etc.). I too have a OTP-PHX, but I'm going the other way from BA to AA at JFK. I presume we clear customs and then have to collect our cases, do we transit them in the terminal we land in (as they will be tagged to PHX) or do we have to take them on the air train to the other terminal and re-check there? In terms of security what are the options, is there a fast track for premium or first class passengers, is there a TSA pre lane? What kind of MCT would you allow to be comfortable and to be able to enjoy the lounge a little? Some of those things would be useful in the guide, thank you.
Yes so on arrival at JFK T7 you will go through immigration, then collect any checked bags, then go through customs. I think there is a bag drop place after customs in T7 but personally I would just take them over to T8 yourself and check them back in there. When you have got landside in T7 you next head to the airtrain to go to T8 - get the Howard Beach or Jamaica trains.
When you get off at T8 go do bag drop if you brought your bags over, apparently non-AA OWEs can now use the AA flagship check in. As well as that there is a fast track (which I have never found that fast) and a TSA pre check line.
I think MCT for this is 2 hrs. For me that's ok if I wasn't waiting for bags and also have GE so quickly out of T7 and I imagine that would give around 45-60 mins lounge time. Boarding starts at 30 minutes for AA domestic flights and they always seem to leave from a gate on the satellite building so that will take 5-10 minutes to get to from the Flagship lounge in the main building. For check bags and non-GE I might look at around 2.5 hrs for a comfortable connection.