I often make trips where I can’t fit everything into hand luggage only (for example multi-day professional events where I need multiple outfits of different types and appropriate footwear).

My approach is to take two small hand luggage size suitcases and check one in. I keep as hand luggage the absolute essentials and then in the checked case I put the extras. This means that if my checked luggage doesn’t arrive it’s an inconvenience, but I don’t need to go shopping to get replacements, I can generally manage (especially if the missing case arrived 24 hours later). I also put an Air Tag in the case that I check-in so that I can see if it has made the connection.

The one time I arrived at MIA on BA earlier this year there was no immigration queue at the area where the flight arrived. I found that arriving into MIA on AA, the immigration hall used is much bigger and the queue was much longer (many arriving AA flights). If you’re returning home via MIA arriving into MIA on AA you will likely have this. The three times I did it I waited between 30 and 60 minutes which is fine if you join the queue expecting a 60 minute wait. I also noticed that the staff fast-track passengers with a short connection. And my checked luggage was automatically transferred at MIA.