Turnaround in Cancun
 

First post in the AA forum from a British Airways tier point runner...

Quick question - if I am doing a run from SFO - LAX - MIA - CUN, returning CUN - MIA - LAX, what is the turnaround procedure in Cancun?

Is it possible to get straight off the plane (landing at 10:15am) and return on the same aircraft departing at 11:05am? Its bookable on aa.com, but I didn't know if in Cancun you are 'forced' to exit through customs / immigration etc, and would have to rush back through security etc?

Some European airports you can exit a plane and immedately queue at the gate to re-board, whilst at others you are channeled straight to immigration with no way of actually accessing the gate.

Help much appreciated from anyone who knows the AA set-up in Cancun well...

I am fairly certain you have to go through customs. Everyone is directed that way upon deplaning. However, you do walk through the gate area so I am not quite sure. It can take a good 20 minutes or so to get through customs.

longer when busy...i've waited close to 45 minutes if not more.

Not sure... I did a MR in June ... SFO-JFK-MXP and turned around MXP-JFK-SFO same morning. I didn't have to go thru customs. The AA MXP GA was waiting for me when I deplaned in MXP ... SHe had checked the manifest and saw that I was coming in on the JFK-MXP flight :) .. SHe walked me through a special door which took me right back to a private security check and escorted me back to the business lounge to wait for my departure, which left an hour later... Kinda quirky, but it worked out fine. I still had enough time to do the customs route if I needed to.

I would expect it to be an easy turn around in Cancun. Small airport. They might ask you a few questions like - why and what is a mileage run... Good luck..

I have never done a MR to CUN, but have been through the airport quite a few times. As mentioned, once you get off the AA plane you are funneled into the immigration line. I don't believe that you can reach the terminal without clearing customs and immigration and getting re-screened through security.

If you are doing the MR on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you may have a tough time getting back to the gate in 50 minutes. Things that will help your cause are having your return BPs, no luggage, and getting out of the plane first.

Thanks for all the advice. I think I will book the later return flight and leave myself 2-3 hrs in Cancun to be on the safe side. Also, am I right in thinking from having looked at the lounge directory on AA.com that there is no lounge in Cancun for Oneworld members?

Surely I must be wrong and missed something...?

Best regards to you all...

Surely you are not wrong; I don't believe there is any OW lounge in CUN.

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/ffp/lounge-access/search

Don't know if there is a contracted or 3rd party lounge or not.

Regards

The last time we flew into CUN, we were told that if we were on a Mexican codeshare on AA metal, with a connecting flight to our final destination, we could go into the Mexicana lounge. Our flight to ORD had a connection in MIA, so we were allowed to use the lounge. There is also a reasonably priced executive lounge in CUN, that is very nice.

I did this turnaround in early May. You go through full immigration and customs at CUN, and the lines can be very long. We arrived at the same time as a couple of widebodies from the UK (Thomas Cook charters) and the customs hall was a total zoo. All bags are x-rayed as you leave customs, hence the queues. You then have to leave the building physically and re-enter the departures side.

My outgoing from MIA was delayed so my anticipated 3-hour turnaround morphed into 90 min. I got to the departure gate just as they were calling my flight. Way too close for comfort.

sometimes you can add a tpa-mia leg to cun runs ;)

I'd be SHOCKED if a Mexican immigration agent in CUN asked any questions whatsoever.

Thanks for all the advice - I think I'll opt for the 3hr "wait" in Cancun then...! Not the 50 minute same plane back one...

Let me ask one clarifying question here:

similar to OP, if I go as Plat for SFO-DFW-MEX-CUN, where MEX-CUN is not AA flight but bookable at aa.com- will I in this case get free access to AC because of considering DFW-MEX as international flight? I believe, rules say that everything in Mexico except MEX is to be considered as domestic, which indirectly says, that MEX is an international airport for the flights out of US.

Flights on Mexicana land and depart through terminal 2, flights on AA land and depart terminal 3, so even if you had access to the Mexicana lounge in CUN, you won't be able to use it as it is in a separate terminal.

Turnaround in Managua / MGA
 

I'm a British Airways tier point runner and this is my first post in AA forum.

If I am doing a run from XXX - XXX - MIA - MGA, returning MGA - MIA - XXX - XXX, what is the turnaround procedure in Managua ?

Is it possible to get straight off the plane (landing at 12:45 pm) and return on the same aircraft departing at 1:55 pm ?
It's bookable on AA.com but I don't know if in Managua you are 'forced' to exit through customs / immigration and if I would have to rush back through immigration/security ?

I will much appreciate help from anyone who knows the AA set-up in Managua well.

Thanks