RNE

We're planning to go CLE/CAK-FLL Sep 1-6 on UA. I'm thinking about nesting a jaunt to NAS on UP Sep 2-6. On the return, how many hours should I allow to connect from the NAS-FLL UP flight and the FLL-XXX-CLE UA flight? Does US Immigration and Customs take place at NAS or FLL? Any other qualms I should have about this plan?

Ironic Background: We don't even want to go to Ft Lauderdale; we want to go to Nassau. However, we have a free night at a nice hotel in FLL that is use or lose. So, we're going to stay there Saturday, then go to NAS on Sunday for four nights (taking advantage of a 4th night free offer) and return to FLL Thursday.

Note: Silver Airways is not an option because TSMRSRNE won't fly on non-jet equipment. Go figure.

jsloan

The MCT appears to be 1:30, as it seems there's a change of terminal involved. On separate tickets, I'd pad that for safety.

There is a preclearance facility at NAS, so you should go through customs & immigration there, but I'd check with the UP forum to make sure there's not a caveat somewhere.

sexykitten7

UP is Bahamasair for those of you wondering (as I was). Googling UP was not terribly helpful! Apparently there is also an Israeli UP!

WineCountryUA

There is/was --- but it is discontinuing using the brand name and its IATA code is/was LY (as UP was already assigned)

mahasamatman

They're still selling tickets. It's basically El Al's Ted (only more so).

WineCountryUA

Israel's El Al to drop UP budget brand
By the relevant information for this thread is the IATA code UP is for Bahamasair as was mentioned earlier.

sbm12

USICS/CBP pre-clearance in NAS but still plenty of risk with Bahamasair operational reliability. I'd leave plenty of time for the connection. MCO is also a Bahamasair gateway, if that helps with return flight scheduling.

Also, booking an entire trip around a "free" hotel night that you don't really want anyways seems rather self-loathing. Go where you want to be. Life's too short to make bad decisions for "free" stuff.

RNE

Getting to NAS from CLE is no picnic either. It involves departures too early and/or connections too many. (Thank you CO-UA merger... not! ) We're better off going to FLL to get to NAS, methinks. I'll make sure to pad the UP return. Getting home late isn't as problematic as getting to the beach late.

Next on my to-do list: Getting Neptune to cool it with the September hurricanes. As a demigod, I have a little sway.

RNE, remarking that you know me, Seth. I'm the pathological antithesis of self-loathing.

dmurphynj

How about CLE-EWR-NAS? I grant - the beaches here in NJ are a lot further from the airport than FLL, but the connection options are likely much better.

I also see options on DL thru ATL, and B6 thru FLL.

Just a thought.

edit: Or, if you want to go in style... Ultimate Air shuttle BKL-MMU, then hop over to EWR-NAS. I live about 5 minutes from MMU and would be happy to chauffeur you to EWR (provided the dates aren't when I'm away!)

jsloan

In style, indeed! Sadly, Ultimate Air doesn't list a BKL-MMU flight on its website.

dmurphynj

They must've dropped it since I last looked! They used to fly that route ...
Sorry for the false hope. :-/

Yellowjj

What time is your FLL-XXX-CLE flight?

If your taking the first UP flight to FLL which usually leaves at 7am, 1.5 hours is sufficient to get and recheck luggage. You clear customs in NAS. I would only do this with UP or WN because both are in Terminal 1 with UA, so it's just a matter of going back upstairs to check-in/clear security.

For any other time, I would allow 2.5 hours if using UP or B6. WN can remain at 1.5.

Keep in mind UP has ATR's. September is a slower month due to school going back in. Be careful of UP203 because it will fluctuate between the 737 & ATR in slow periods.

RNE

Have not booked it yet, but I'm probably going to take UA 2335 FLL-EWR 3:30 pm - 6:29 pm. UA 2119 EWR-CLE 7:23 pm - 8:57 pm

That's too early. I'd book UP 203 10:30 am - 11:25 am. That'll give me 4 hours to connect at FLL. Way more than I need but the other options are a tad too tight for my sensibilities.

Yup. That'll be dicey.

RNE

Followup: We booked the trip to FLL (routing through ORD) and without the NAS nest, which was wise because flight delays today created a trip-in-vain cancellation and a refund from UA. Thus, we're in Ohio instead of Florida and the UP flight we never booked will take off without us.

RNE, exemplifying the risk of nesting flights.

Often1

Sounds as though OP made a sound decision. Always worth remembering that what he was proposing was not a connection, but a transfer between two entirely separate journeys. How much time one ought to allow is not a matter of MCT, but rather of one's own risk tolerance and the consequences of not showing up for one's onward ticket.

If there is a delay inbound, that is on the passenger and that delay can become quite expensive. Best approach is to build in an overnight.