LondonElite

Right

N1120A

Interesting, I didn't know that. Makes sense, as those are two other likely places with ITI transfers.

I often like expedited better than regular Pre Check.

copaflyer

Saturday morning I do the online check in for an AA flight Mia to PTY. When I arrive at the airport it is a zoo. I go to a bag drop computer and scan my passport and fill it out and it does not work. Says I need an agent to help. There are 12 computers but the agent is more then occupied so I have to go right up to them and explain. When they are done someone else had already used my computer so I am asked to do it again. Same results. The agents asks me where my return ticket is. I say I live in Panama. I then show my cedula and a few moments later everything is fine.

Is this AA's plan for people who are traveling to a country they live in but are using a different passport? This must happen hundreds of times a day. A simple note about having to provide a flight out of the country or documentation that you are a resident would be much more helpful then making me think there is something wrong with my ticket or their computer.

If it were not for using BA miles I would have flown Copa.

After that when to the Amex lounge. A nice place to relax before the actual flight.

16 people on the standby list so I figured it would be a full flight. The middle seat in my row was the last seat filled. Just happened to be by the most annoying guy on the plane. Probably drunk when he got on. His friend was sitting in the window seat a row behind. They both ordered 3 vodkas when the drink service came around. Then wanted more but it was told it was too late in the flight. They were very upset. He then passes out (thankfully head forward) until well after landing. The lady in the window seat had to try to wake him up so she could get out. After that I left and never saw them again as I went through the resident immigration line. He was perfect image of the Ugly America.

JonNYC

Happy 4th to you too.

copaflyer

basketball jersey and sandals. Not fat but too big for the seat, but unaware or did not care where his elbows were.

tlott

AA does need more of those roaming employees. US citizens that require a visa for their destination also need one of them to verify visa information. Very disorganized process.

zpaul

I'm surprised you were able to use OLCI; I always get a message to check in with an agent at the airport, and there they check my various plastic cards and passports and such to show I'm resident in Chile.

RJ1

I have upcoming travel later this year, on AA through MIA:

Flt 1299 Dep SJU 2:45pm, Arr MIA 4:45pm
Flt 275 Dep MIA 5:30pm, Arr LAX 8:16pm

So, I know the connection is a whole 5 minutes more than the MCT , but for those who travel through MIA frequently, is this do-able? We are traveling in business, so at least we'll be able to get off the aircraft quickly.

And regarding luggage, should we chance it by checking them, or is it advisable to only do carry-on?

ricktoronto

It's a domestic to domestic flight and quite manageable as long as the weather is OK in San Juan.

jcatman

Is it doable? Yes. Is there some risk? You bet.

I did this itinerary for a mileage run earlier this year. Weather in SJU delayed our flight to MIA by about 20 minutes. Upon arriving in MIA, I jogged/schlepped/cussed with carryon to the gate for flight #275 , for which I had J seat on the 77W. You don't want to miss your seat on that beautiful aircraft.

I elected to skip the train which runs between gates in Terminal D and just run like hell to catch #275 .

I was so sweaty and late (second to the last one on before the door closed) that the FA brought me a PDB as we taxied to the runway.

My advice? On the SJU-MIA leg, sit as far up front on the plane as possible so you get off that metal tube and hotfoot it to your next gate.

The luggage? If you can easily walk fast / run with it, then carryon. If it will slow you down, check it.

An adventure for sure. Good luck.

RJ1

Thanks for sharing your personal experience. I've done exactly as you've suggested and changed our seats to the first row on the SJU-MIA leg. Will keep my fingers crossed that everything else aligns.

dkc192

To add to what has already been said, since flight 275 is operated by a 77W, it will very likely go out of the "central" D gates (somewhere in the D21-D30 range), meaning that you're almost guaranteed not to have to cover the entire length of the concourse on your connection, i.e. the distance from D3 or D50 to D28 is less than the distance from D3 to D50. I understand that the 77Ws do use D14 and maybe another of the low D gates on occasion, but this should give you a little more assurance about making your connection on most days.

jcatman

Definitely numerous shops / restaurants separating those low D gates from the mid D gates. And, you'll be moving past the main security outlet to the airside D Terminal, at about 5:15pm (peak time).

An adventure.

worldiswide

Bumping this thread. Our situation...flying from Ord to Mia to Eze..one hour connection in Miami. Flight is in November ..ord to Miami leaves at 515 am and the flight from Miami to eze leaves at 1030 or so..AA says it's a legal connection. Clearly we are taking the first flight in the am.,any insights into where the first flight will arrive abbd the second will depart? Any recent experiences with this tight a connection? Any bets on whether we make the connection? Any other suggestions? Carryon luggage only, waitlisted for F on the Ord to Mia with ex plat companion.

coolcoil

If you're on the first flight of the day from ORD you're in good shape as it is unlikely that it will be late. I have often made 1 hour and under dom- to-intl connectons with plenty of time to spare. The very worst case to get to one gate from the other is 25 minutes assuming you can walk at a mormal pace. That's going between the low D gates and high E gates. The odds that you'll have to trek that far are low.

This question is often asked on this thread, and nobody has reported a problem as long as their plane did not arrive too late.