Lima airport overnight
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: South of England
Programs: LH SEN, BA blue
Posts: 172
Lima airport overnight
I will have to spend a night at Lima airport shortly: arriving at 11 pm and departing by a domestic flight at 5 am (both flights are by Lanperu). Mrs Oldthinker and Oldthinker the junior will be accompanying me on this occasion.
There are no *A lounges at that airport but I understand that there are several other lounges there and that some of them may be open overnight and can be used for a fee. What would be my best bet? I do not hold a Diners card.
Oldthinker
There are no *A lounges at that airport but I understand that there are several other lounges there and that some of them may be open overnight and can be used for a fee. What would be my best bet? I do not hold a Diners card.
Oldthinker
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: South of England
Programs: LH SEN, BA blue
Posts: 172
#4
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SAN
Programs: AS 100K, DL MM, AA PLT
Posts: 2,934
FWIW, though, LIM is not a great airport to have to spend an overnight---things basically shut down after the late international bank, and things are a zoo outside of the secure area. If you've never flown into a 2nd or 3rd-world airport before, you'll be in for a shock. Moreover, you will walk directly from the plane to immigration (hence no access to any of the lounges in the international terminal) and not be allowed to check in for your domestic flight (and clear back into the secure zone) until morning. Note that domestic and international flights at LIM use different terminals, although they are just a short walk apart.
While it's not so bad I would fear for my safety, it's not something I'd recommend for a family. There are a set of hotels not too far from the airport (20 mins by cab) that I'd suggest you consider spending the (very short) night.
While it's not so bad I would fear for my safety, it's not something I'd recommend for a family. There are a set of hotels not too far from the airport (20 mins by cab) that I'd suggest you consider spending the (very short) night.
Last edited by Erasmus; Jul 17, 2008 at 5:24 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
FWIW, though, LIM is not a great airport to have to spend an overnight---things basically shut down after the late international bank, and things are a zoo outside of the secure area. If you've never flown into a 2nd or 3rd-world airport before, you'll be in for a shock. Moreover, you will walk directly from the plane to immigration (hence no access to any of the lounges in the international terminal) and not be allowed to check in for your domestic flight (and clear back into the secure zone) until morning. Note that domestic and international flights at LIM use different terminals, although they are just a short walk apart.
While it's not so bad I would fear for my safety, it's not something I'd recommend for a family. There are a set of hotels not too far from the airport (20 mins by cab) that I'd suggest you consider spending the (very short) night.
While it's not so bad I would fear for my safety, it's not something I'd recommend for a family. There are a set of hotels not too far from the airport (20 mins by cab) that I'd suggest you consider spending the (very short) night.
Since Lan checkin opens up at 330 am for the early domestic flights, located in the somewhat secure area with just pax allowed, you really only have 3 - 4 hours to kill.
Depending on the age of your child, perhaps the Ramada is worth it for a few hours but be warned that there is a line for the Airport Fee then security which can take some time in the morning - so allow yourself some extra time to avoid being stressed. And the final kicker? Both TA and LP like to park remotely so a bus trip to the aircraft is more than likely...
Other than that...if you are headed to Cuzco or Arequipa, enjoy. Peru is an amazing country.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 866
I have spent the night as you describe several times; however, after a couple of times of doing this I had my clients arrange a hotel for me in Miraflores if even just for a few hours sleep.
You will not be able to access any lounge as they are all airside in the international terminal (except maybe AA, but I rarely fly them so I am not sure). If you do camp out be sure that someone stays awake as petty theft is quite common and you may wake up sans baggage.
You will not be able to access any lounge as they are all airside in the international terminal (except maybe AA, but I rarely fly them so I am not sure). If you do camp out be sure that someone stays awake as petty theft is quite common and you may wake up sans baggage.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: South of England
Programs: LH SEN, BA blue
Posts: 172
Many thanks to everybody.
I will book the Ramada hotel near the airport: this looks like the most sensible option, even if we end up spending only a couple of hours there.
Oldthinker
I will book the Ramada hotel near the airport: this looks like the most sensible option, even if we end up spending only a couple of hours there.
Oldthinker
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,930
I have heard conflicting stories about overnight lounges at LIM.
Can others confirm that arriving in LIM is like arriving in the U.S., ie. you must go to immigration immediately?
Are there any lounges in the international terminal that are open all night?
Can others confirm that arriving in LIM is like arriving in the U.S., ie. you must go to immigration immediately?
Are there any lounges in the international terminal that are open all night?
#12
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Finland
Programs: BA Gold, LH Senator, SPG Gold
Posts: 352
We had our luggage checked only to LIM but there we had written a note to the Copa badge that our final destination is SCL. LAN was supposed to pick our luggage but they couldn't find it -- the friendly people at Copa had written our flight details with a pen to the baggage tags and our luggage did arrive with our flight -- I wish we (or LAN) had known it and not worried about our luggage.
#13
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SAN
Programs: AS 100K, DL MM, AA PLT
Posts: 2,934
I'd definitely overnight at the new airport Ramada.
#14
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: New York, N.Y.
Posts: 309
We're scheduled to arrive from Miami on LAN just before midnight on 6/12 and our Star Peru domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado on 6/13 was just moved to 6 a.m.
We've got a reservation at the Sheraton downtown, but assuming that it'll take about an hour to clear customs and immigration, at least 30 minutes to make it to the Sheraton, we wouldn't get to the hotel until 1:30 a.m. or so. If we have to leave the hotel by 4:30 to be back at the airport by 5 a.m. for our 6 a.m. flight, we're looking at a lot of effort for at most three hours' sleep.
At the same time, we're heading into the jungle from Puerto Maldonado, so I'd prefer not to be exhausted.
The on-site airport Ramada is coming up at $180 for the night we'll be there, and the sleeping room in the Sumaq lounge isn't an option since it's airside in the international wing, and we won't be able to access it after clearing customs/immigration.
So is our best bet to just hang out in the airport for six hours and attempt to sleep on the MIA-LIM and LIM-CUZ-PEM flights?
#15
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA/AA
Posts: 1,741
Any more recent thoughts on overnighting at LIM?
We're scheduled to arrive from Miami on LAN just before midnight on 6/12 and our Star Peru domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado on 6/13 was just moved to 6 a.m.
We've got a reservation at the Sheraton downtown, but assuming that it'll take about an hour to clear customs and immigration, at least 30 minutes to make it to the Sheraton, we wouldn't get to the hotel until 1:30 a.m. or so. If we have to leave the hotel by 4:30 to be back at the airport by 5 a.m. for our 6 a.m. flight, we're looking at a lot of effort for at most three hours' sleep.
At the same time, we're heading into the jungle from Puerto Maldonado, so I'd prefer not to be exhausted.
The on-site airport Ramada is coming up at $180 for the night we'll be there, and the sleeping room in the Sumaq lounge isn't an option since it's airside in the international wing, and we won't be able to access it after clearing customs/immigration.
So is our best bet to just hang out in the airport for six hours and attempt to sleep on the MIA-LIM and LIM-CUZ-PEM flights?
We're scheduled to arrive from Miami on LAN just before midnight on 6/12 and our Star Peru domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado on 6/13 was just moved to 6 a.m.
We've got a reservation at the Sheraton downtown, but assuming that it'll take about an hour to clear customs and immigration, at least 30 minutes to make it to the Sheraton, we wouldn't get to the hotel until 1:30 a.m. or so. If we have to leave the hotel by 4:30 to be back at the airport by 5 a.m. for our 6 a.m. flight, we're looking at a lot of effort for at most three hours' sleep.
At the same time, we're heading into the jungle from Puerto Maldonado, so I'd prefer not to be exhausted.
The on-site airport Ramada is coming up at $180 for the night we'll be there, and the sleeping room in the Sumaq lounge isn't an option since it's airside in the international wing, and we won't be able to access it after clearing customs/immigration.
So is our best bet to just hang out in the airport for six hours and attempt to sleep on the MIA-LIM and LIM-CUZ-PEM flights?
Reviews on TripAdvisor still seem decent.
http://www.mamipanchita.com/