Consolidated GUM connection time and logistics
 

I am planning to travel HNL to HKG via Guam on United/Continental. The layover in Guam is 35 min. Gut feeling says I will never make this connection. Has anyone traveled this route before or made connections in Guam?

Will not be a problem in GUM if flight is not late.

the GUM agents do their best to hold the flights if the HNL inbound isn't too late. how soon are you going? take caution as UA now operates this flight and the arrival into GUM has been late consistently since they began operating last Friday.

The problem with this is they seem to be using the aircraft tht arrives from ORD, rather thn use the aircraft tht comes in from SFO which arrives around 1250. The aircraft from ORD arrives around 130 not enough time to unload, clean, and cater the aircraft, get the new crew and passengers on board and everything all loaded up ready to go. Whn CO was operating this route the inbound aircraft came in from IAH and the ground staff had least 90 minutes to turn the plane around before it headed off to GUM.

Depends. If you're way in the back, most likely not. prior to my status days I missed a flight b/c I was waaay in the back. If you're close to exit, then it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

That said, was that a valid ticketing on united? Typically they want more time than that between planes.

Ive had a similar connection going to MNL and made it fine.

Coming back through GUM would be a different story though as I believe you have to clear customs.

Guam layover
 

I posted the initial question about connection times.

I am actually flying HKG--HNL (45min layover in Guam) and the HNL--HKG (35min layover in Guam) around xmas and new year's holidays.

The itinerary is not what I created but one that shows up on any of the online websites (kayak, vayama, hipmunk) and also on continental's website. I don't have any status on UA/CO either so likelihood of getting front row seats is slim although they might let me off early. Also, I am not a US green card holder/citizen so will have to stand in the non-resident alien line.

Given all of the above, do you think I can make the connection with 45mins time. I even called Continental today to talk to the agent regarding this connection. She said that the min connection time is 30 mins in Guam.

I am only considering these flights because it actually is the most direct route to get from HKG to HNL and the cost savings are pretty high.

Thoughts?

If the flights are on time, you will likely make the 30 min connection but the 45 minute may require you to rely on some help. You will not have to clear customs in Guam in either direction, but coming in from Hong Kong you will have to clear immigration.

They generally put a Continental agent just outside of immigration, who directs you to the front of the security line and crosses your name off the list of people connecting. You will not have to claim and recheck your baggage.

I've connected in Guam several hundred times, they're much better about keeping track of who is coming through and accommodating you by holding flights (for a few minutes) than most places.

Good luck.

Something to consider:

What carry on baggage are you bringing? I just came through Guam with some medical equipment in my bag that did not raise any problems in LAX or NRT, but in GUM they opened the bag and emptied half of it to rescan everything. That took about 5 extra minutes going through security.

I carry the same stuff all the time back and forth to Guam and OOG (only on Guam) seem to get it searched.

Hello, does anyone recently transfered through GUM? I'll have a trip in 2 weeks, and a little concerned about the 40 min. layover at GUM. Would appreciate if someone can share the experience.

Thanks.

Totally Doable
 

I've taken HNL-GUM-HKG and HKG-GUM-HNL a couple times. IIRC, the mininum connection time at GUM for HNL-GUM-*** is 30 minutes just like other domestic--international connection and ***-GUM-HNL is 45 mins (for immigration). I would say they are totally doable if the flight is on time. Once you get off the HNL-GUM plane, it only takes up to 5 minutes to walk to the HKG flight gate. GUM is a small airport afterall.

Once the HNL-GUM flight was delayed for around half an hour, but they held the HKG flight (as well as other flights) for us. I would rather they let it go so I could have overnight in Guam courtesy of UA though:D

Thank you for sharing.

Connecting in GUM?
 

Looking at flying HNL-GUM-MNL... its showing a 65 min connection time.

What's the procedure for GUM connections from HNL? There's no immigration in GUM, no Customs, just an Agriculture Inspection (because I'd be coming in from HNL)? Is there another security check?

What about the return MNL-GUM-HNL? Immigration upon arrival in GUM, then a security check? Customs and Agriculture Inspection upon arrival in HNL?

Yep just agriculture form. Then they will check your name on a list of transfers and put you in the security check line.

There is an immigration check for incoming flights in GUM, even from Hawaii. Not sure why exactly but that's the way it is. Outgoing, no