zpaul

Ditto coolcoil's answer...you're biggest worry will be if there's any weather in ORD, as the plane should already be there.

worldiswide

Thanks for your quick response. Much appreciated..

Harmoncove

Hi All - I am planning on flying RT from EWR>Mia>GYE (Guayaquil Ecuador) The first leg the connection time in Miami is 1:27min. I think that is doable. On the return flight the connection time in Miami is 1:36min. This is my first international flight. I believe I have to go to customs before my flight to EWR? If so, is there an expedited process for this? I am also planning on flying business class if that helps...

Thx a million!

Kyle

JDiver

We have GUIDE hub threads, including AA GUIDE: MIA / Miami Int. Airport, MCT / Connection. I'd recommend reading the Wikipost at the top of the thread.

1:35 is the Int'l. - Domestic Minimum Connection Time, and I personally think that's insane. 1:36 connecting time from international to domestic at MIA? I've always scheduled three hours for that. Flying in Business as EXP with Global Entry I've still been caught up in a queue just waiting for the TSA connection area to be staffed after turning baggage back in at the Customs the it.

ricktoronto

On the way south the only issue is if EWR-MIA is on time since there are no formalities or luggage etc. Of course you have to go through immigration and customs in MIA or you could just scarper from the airport without being checked.

On the way back depending on:

1. Time of day and number of arriving flights at the same time
2. Weather leading to gate delays
2A. Gate delays even when the weather is great
3. What row you are in
3A. How many miles you have to trek to immigration
4. If you have Global Entry and TSA Pre-check
5. If transit security is open and if the Pre-check lane is open

It's not likely you will succeed.in 1:36, but you might. I have Global Entry and Precheck and sit in row 1 and even then, I book 4 hour connections (Actually what I do northbound is fly on TACA/Avianca or Copa and avoid MIA completely) .

I think the best ever time with the TSA transit passenger lane open was 30 minutes, so add 15 for the gate and the walk you have 45 minutes to get to the gate even if it works.

Good luck.

coolcoil

If you are saying that you have to go through immigration outbound, that is not accurate. There is no customs/immigration on departure from the US.

Other than that, you're right on the money. It's doable if everything falls into place. I fly into MIA from South America often. I have GE, but it's rarely a help vs. those who can use ESTA since I have to recover bags. Typically, by the time the bags get to the belt (minimum of 35 minutes) most of the ESTA passengers are waiting there as well. On my flights two weeks ago the ESTA lines were much longer than I normally see, but most people still got to the belt before the bags did.

On a really good day, I'm in the security line 40 minutes after arriving at the gate. 50 to 60 minutes is the norm though. Most of the connections that I've flown this year had a 2:40 layover, but I usually get an hour at the club and that's with leaving in time to be at the gate 30 minutes prior to boarding.

If it happens that your MIA-EWR flight is leaving from an "E" gate and Pre-Check is closed (often) or you don't have Pre you would probably save a few minutes exiting into the terminal and entering through E security as you will have access to the priority lane there and it's a shorter walk. As far as I know, there is no security priority lane in from the international arrivals area.

Note: Even though your bags will be marked as priority since you are in Business Class, that means nothing at MIA. If you are expecting your bags to be among the first on the belt, you will be disappointed. I always am.

Harmoncove

So I've read through some of that thread. The way I understand it on my return flight (all legs are AA) I have to retrieve my luggage in Mia, check it in near the customs area and go through customs and TSA?

There is another return flight from GYE that lands in MIA at 4:24am and my departing flight to EWR leaves at 7:05. That gives me 2H and 41min to get to my next gate.

Now, on my flight to MiA from EWR I have 1h 27min to get to my gate for my flight to GYE. What are the mechanics for me to get to my next gate? Is it straight forward, get off the plane and walk to my next gate?

Thx in advance....

coolcoil

MIA is a bit different than other airports in that you do not go through customs after retrieving your bags. Customs questions will be asked of you at the same time you go through immigration prior to baggage claim. Your bags will be scanned and/or hand inspected prior to arriving at the belt. Assuming the scan does not find anything suspicious, you just pick up your bags and take them to recheck. Recheck is very simple - you walk out of the baggage area and there will be a recheck line to your left. It takes almost no time - you just hand your bags to a baggage handler and keep walking to security. The bags will have been tagged to your final destination at the first airport.

If you don't mind the redeye, it's a much lower stress choice than shooting for a 1:36 connection. As noted earlier, it's doable, but only if nothing goes wrong.

Outbound is very easy. It's no different than if you were making a domestic connection. The only difference is that boarding may start 45 minutes in advance of departure rather than 30 minutes. Your baggage will be transferred - you do not have to retrieve it. You do not have to go through immigration since the USA, unlike most countries, does not have personal outbound immigration checks. The airline will report your departure to DHS.

1:27 is plenty of time.

Harmoncove

Thanks everyone for the wealth of information. I'm reading up on flying Copa into Panama City. Seems like it might be better suited for me as far as transferring goes.

You guys are great, Thx..!

TravelinSperry

Or, don't check bags. Just get an approved carry on like I have from TravelPro. You're flying business, they'll let you carry on. A huge time saver.

jmr50

Any idea the hours that Precheck operates at the FIS checkpoint?

runningformqm

flying on iberia from MIA,. however I plan to use the Amex lounge near gate d12. after checking in with iberia should I go through security in e then take the train to the club in d? how long should I allow to get from the amex club to the iberia gate (seems its usually e21 in the satellite terminal). i've been to mia many times but have never been to e before. never knew there was a second train at mia! does iberia also arrive into the satellite e concourse? its not obvious how they handle international arrivals there, unless they bus people to immigration

coolcoil

After check in, you will be better off walking down to a D checkpoint. If you enter in E the layout of the terminal forces you to make a loop that adds a lot of distance. If you have priority check in or Pre-Check, then don't stop at the first D security point, as that does not have those, Keep walking and you will come to the checkpoint that has Pre and Priority only.

Personally, I would allow 20 minutes to get from around D12 to E21. You will take two trains, but there is a pretty good hike from the one that runs the length of D to the train that takes you out to the E satellite. It's actually probably doable in 15 minutes or a bit less, but just to be safe...

When you arrive you will take the same E terminal train mentioned above from the satellite to the main building (same route anyway, as this one might be isolated for int'l arrivals). After that there is a 3-4 minute walk to immigration.

coolcoil

I'm sorry nobody was able to answer your question. I had hoped somebody out there knew the answer. I did not find anything in a search. IME, whether Pre-Check is open is a crap shoot.

runningformqm

thank you that is really helpful! didnt think about ib being in e when booking it, just saw 2-3-2 seating vs 3-4-3 on aa