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Since the pricing on Southwest sucks this year, we are forced to fly American out of St. Louis. We have a 1 hour and 20 minute layover in Charlotte coming back. Is that enough time to get through customs and be able to make our next flight? Can we re-check our bags coming out of customs or do we need to go back to ticketing? I would love to hear others experiences flying through Charlotte. Thanks for your help!
We've done Charlotte, Houston and Atlanta all with times like these. It's stressful, but we were told by an airline employee to ask the first employee you see when you get off the plane to call your next gate and tell them you're in the airport. They have only had to wait for us once out of many flights, but they did wait! Let them know you're in the airport, worked for us. Now if your plane is late however....
I think 1:20 is a little thin for any international arrival layover. We have global entry cards and I still try to make sure that we have 2 hours or more when re-entering the states. You don't need to go through ticketing to re-check your bags. You pick them up at the carousel, drag them through customs, and hand them off at a baggage drop. You will need to go go through the tsa security check point after dropping your bags. The immigration and tsa lines can be ridiculous in Charlotte depending on the time of day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil & Cindy
I wouldn't do it, especially on AA. More times than not I have been delayed leaving MBJ on AA, last time was just this past August and I was headed to CLT. I had a longer layover and made my flight, but barely. AA is having internal issues and morale is pretty poor. On time performance outside of last month has been really poor, with mechanics manufacturing issues to delay flights. I wouldn't do it with United either, Delta potentially. Now if you have only a carry on you are better positioned, especially with Global Entry.
I primarily go thru CHarlotte with AA (usually arriving there 6pm). I usually give myself 2 hours and usually have plenty of time but the other's are right in that AA can be late getting down to MoBay for an afternoon flight out sometimes. As for CHarlotte, they have the kiosks which are pretty fast to get thru and you drop your checked luggage off before going back thru TSA. (I have TSA PreCheck though to make it easier). So if AA is on time leaving Mobay, you should be alright catching your flight out of Charlotte but obviously you're taking a gamble on AA being ontime.
We fly from Charlotte every February (breakfast a home and lunch on the beach :) ), so we haven't had to recheck, but I would definitly have TSA precheck! TSA lines are often very long, but the precheck lines move quickly.
We had an AA connection from ORD to Philadelphia, PHL to MBJ last year with a 57 min layover. AA is not supposed to make reservations with layovers that can't work - at least according to their customer service. We made the connection easily with time to spare.
In Nov, we have the same itinerary with a 50 min layover in PHL. Originally had the flight leaving ORD at 5AM with a longer layover, now leaving at 7 AM. We will try again and hope we don't have to alert the Club MoBay about any changes. On these early flight, they usually have the airplane waiting there overnight so I think there is a better chance of on time departure. The last four flights I've taken were all delayed waiting for the incoming machinery.
I understand that we got pretty lucky last year, hoping for more of the same - really wish AA would keep direct flights to MBJ from ORD all year long and all week long when they do offer them. Every flight is totally full so I know the market is there. Every Air JA flight ORD to MBJ was also full and that didn't keep them around so who knows how this business works.
We'll just keep rolling the dice until Rob finishes the space/time portal.
We have gone thru Charlotte on our way back to Hartford for years. Even with 1 hour and 20 minute layover we have always made our next flight with time to grab a snack. Maybe flying mid week makes a difference.
We are flying out of St. Louis too, but we are staying with SouthWest, every time we have use American they have been late.
So at least 2hrs or more, we have a 2hrs 45min layover thru Ft. Lauderdale.
We sure miss those Charter Flights from St. Louis, sure wish they would come back!!