AA typically will not check through on connections of greater than 12 hours (doesn't matter if overnight or not), so most likely you will not be able recheck your bags at JFK until the next morning.

I was just told the MCT for JFK (international) to LGA (domestic) was 240 minutes. They would not ticket a 230 minute layover.

Late Jan 2019: MLE-AUH-JFK (8:30 am) on etihad connecting to AA on (10:55 a) JFK-DCA-MSP (all one ticket)

We have 2:25 connection. My understanding is that we clear customs in AUH so the arrival at JFK is 'domestic' not international and don't have to go through customs then. Any concerns of a 2:25 connection at JFK in January? Barring a giant snow storm to shut down the entire airport ...

Shouldn't have any problem at all. You're correct in that you'll land at JFK as a domestic flight since you'll do customs/immigration preclearance at AUH. Worst case scenario AA would just rebook you on a later connection to MSP, of which there are lots of options.

You do have to change terminals at JFK (from 4 to 8) and then reclear security, but you have plenty of time. I've taken the AUH-JFK flight a number of times. It often arrives late, but in the numerous times I've taken it it's never been late enough to jeopardize a 2:25 connection, even with the terminal change.

My situation is this: I arrive from HKG on CX in F at 8:15 pm. My AA connecting flight to CLT is at 5 am, also in F.
1. After clearing customs will I be able to recheck my bag for the next early morning flight? Recent threads on this haven't been totally clear.
2. After this, at roughly 9 pm, will I be able to reclear security at T8 and be airside waiting for the 5 am flight? Based on what I've read I fear that I won't. There are also indications that they clear the airside of the terminal between certain am hours.
3. Assuming that I fortunately can clear security at that time, will I be allowed into the Flagship Lounge then? My understanding is that this is possible since my connecting flight is before 6 am the next morning. Also, there's some information that CX First Class makes one eligible for Flagship Dining. Would this be true also for an arriving passenger? Of course if I'm not allowed airside in the evening then this is all a moot point.
4. Next morning before the 5 am flight I would have some of the same questions about Flagship Lounge access and Flagship Dining. But the lounge only opens at 4:15 am right? So there wouldn't be much time to enjoy the lounge or the dining. Does Flagship Dining even have food put out at that hour?

Thanks.

Not sure about your bag. However, JFK T8 airside is not open 24hrs. So after arriving on CX, you wont be able to go back through security until the following morning anyways.

And CX F does grant Flagship Dining access at JFK. Both the Flagship Lounge and Flagship Dining open at 4:15am as you mentioned. Flagship Dining offers a restaurant style, order from menu setup...there's no buffet or "food put out" as you said. They should have the full breakfast menu available when they open at 4:15. But with a 5am flight, you'd have only 10 or 15 mins tops of lounge time anyways.

Not sure. If the baggage re-check agents (immediately outside of the FIS area) do not want to check your bag, try bringing it up stairs to the main AA ticket counters and ask the agents there. Technically, I think you have to wait for day of departure to check bags given security reasons, but you might be allowed to do so given that you are connecting.

No. You will not be able to go airside, since your onward (departing) boarding pass is not for the same calendar day. The airside of T8 closes to passengers after the last flight of the evening until around 4am the next morning. Also, most of the terminal concessions will close for a few hours overnight, with the possible exception of Dunkin Donuts in the domestic arrivals area. If you take the AirTrain over to Terminal 1, I believe the land-side food court is open much of the night, and has places to sit.

Here's another idea.....given that you might be jet-lagged and still on HK time (where it will be morning at the time when you land), might I suggest that you either check or store your luggage (downstairs at arrivals, there is a facility) and head into Manhattan for a few hours to pass the time? NYC is a 24/7 city! There is always a lot to see, and plenty of 24-hour restaurants and diners that would love to serve your needs. Be sure to make use of LinkNYC, the fastest free municipal wifi in the USA. It is astonishingly fast and available all over the city.


Moot point, I believe.

Yes, you will be allowed access to the Flagship Lounge the next morning before 5am by showing your arriving CX First boarding pass, as well as your onward connecting boarding pass to CLT. You *might* be allowed access to Flagship First Dining, but my guess is no--since CX pays AA to allow CX First passengers to use the service, and you would no longer be a departing CX passenger at that point.

Keep in mind that even though the lounge opens at 4:15, the hot breakfast items might not be on the buffet at exactly 4:15. It might be more of a continental setup at first. I'm not sure. The last time I walked into the Flagship around 4:45am, they were just putting out the hot breakfast items, and I was the only person in the lounge for the first 20-30 minutes. But that was months ago...might have worked out the kinks by now.

Thanks friends for all the information. It's pretty much as I thought. I guess my one forlorn hope is that they'll recheck the bag. That'll put me more into a mood to consider going into town, if I feel like it after the long trip. Having to hunt down and pay for the stored luggage might tip me into just hanging in the airport.

Hi all,

Arriving on QR701 (DOH-JFK) at 325p, departing AA19 (JFK-LAX) at 5p. Not super worried about timing since it looks like it's entirely T8 and I have Global Entry/TSA Pre. But wondering if there's a direct transfer option after immigration that would at least prevent having to loop back through security.

Appreciate any insights!

Unfortunately no. But it's an easy transfer. Short walk upstairs and TSA Pre will be on the far right.

Hello,

I have an itinerary on 04-JUL connecting from VS127 (MAN-JFK) to AA2580 (JFK-CLT).

US Citizen.

Virgin flight arrives 16:40 to T4, but can be early. We'll be sitting right by door #2 in premium economy, so hopefully can be among the first off the plane.

AA2580 departs from T8 at 19:00.

It goes without saying that the AA flight is the last of the night, and almost always leaves on-time to early.

Is 2:20 enough time?

Just to make matters worse, I might have a checked bag.

Besides downloading the mobile passport app is there anything else within reason that I can do to improve my chances? I don't think I have enough time to apply and receive Global Entry or TSA-Pre at this point.

Thank you for your time.

The silly answer is if you make it, it was enough time.

You need four things to make this work...

On time arrival.
Short customs lines.
Quick bag claim.
Short security lines.

Being relatively conservative...

1. Arrival is up to the airline gods and the weather. Last few days the flight has arrived up to 1 hour early. Good for those flights. A warning sign because it shows how much they pad the flight overall because of delays. Assume you arrive on time. Head out of the plane and get to customs ASAP. It is amazing what 5 minutes can do to those lines.
2. I would still apply for Global Entry/Pre-Check. Maybe you can get it done in time. If you can, you boost your odds greatly. If not, check the customs and security lines at those times at the TSA site. JFK can have huge customs delays. The app will help. 100% use Automated Passport Control. If you are eligible, this will cut your time significantly. (Assume 30-60 minutes to clear customs from the time you get off the plane assuming you are not using APC or GE.)
3. Bag Claim. Assume 30 minutes at a minimum for this. But this runs concurrent with customs, so no extra time beyond the 60.
4. Switching terminals and check-in. Should be able to do this in 20 minutes. 30 minutes if you need to check a bag, which I assume you do. Use online check-in to speed it up.
5. Security. Unless something is out of whack, no more than 30 minutes needed in regular security. If you can use priority it will save 10-20 minutes. Remember - a lot of credit cards get you access to the premium line.
6. 10-15 minutes to get to the gate.

So even being relatively conservative, within 2 hours you should be at your gate. So you would just make it. Arrive early, short customs/bag claim/security and you are at your gate 1 hour before boarding. Arrive late/long customs or security and you have a night out in NYC or a long drive to Charlotte.

Please report back.

I agree with everything Global321 said, but I'd like to add something. In my experience, doing on-line check in does not save any time when having to check a bag at JFK. For some reason, I've always been told to go to a kiosk, "re" check-in, print my bag tag, and then go get it dropped off at the bag-drop line.

If you walk with purpose, 30 minutes from the moment you leave T4 to when your bag is checked in at T8 is definitely doable.

Is there such a thing as a curbside bag drop anymore? In my experience tipping generously meant you could skip the crazyness inside.

Thanks for all the input!

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