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Here's a newbie question for you grizzled vets. How early do you need to arrive at Sangster airport before your departing flight to get checked in and through customs and security? Say your flight is at 1:00pm - what time would you want to be at the airport?
Thanks in advance. (37 sleeps!)
Unless you're flying business class and have a way to get through security quickly (club Mobay or wheelchair assist), I'd give it 3 1/2 to 4 hours based on the lines I saw last week. That assumes you have to check in luggage.
We try to arrive about 2 hours early especially if we check luggage. The line has always been LONG for us. We have always used Club Mobay so we might get thru secuity faster however - not sure. :confused:
It has never ever taken my wife and I more than an hour from parking lot to gate.
Saeyedoc is right about the wheelchair assist - I requested it when I booked ticket. Not only was it great in Vancouver and Toronto, but it was also amazing in MoBay ... on arrival the wheelchairs were right as you came off the aircraft and the attendant took me right thru customs and immigration (using the special line for airline crew), stopped at baggage and grabbed my one piece of wheeled luggage which he pulled behind him and I was out the departure door where my driver was waiting in about 15 minutes total. On departure, they took me directly from the checkin station to the departure gate (again about 15 minutes). Incredible service and well worth the $20 US tip I gave each attendant.Quote:
Originally Posted by saeyedoc
I doubt you'd get to the gate in a hour based on what I saw last Saturday around 1:30.
Depends on what day you are travelling. Saturday is the heaviest travel day - so give yourself extra time - but most other days aren't that bad and 2 hours is good
Keep in mind if you are checking baggage the check in counters do not open until 3 hrs before your flight. Has happened to us. We always use Club Moby on the way out, sometimes we dont need it sometimes we do and it is nice to have the lounge to use if for some reason we get there early.
We arrive at airport about 2 hours before flight, get in line to check bags and get that part done. You can look at the security line through the doors and if it is not too bad, we go down to the far end of the airport and grab a couple Red Stripes from The Island Grill. Price there is about half (or less than half) of what you will pay for a beer at Jimmy's or at any other Kiosk in the airport past security. We pop open the beers and sit outside across the street from the airport building on a little island where busses drop off passengers and people watch and enjoy the last few minutes of hot, windy air. Once you go through security the vacation is over and we like to savor every last second. All of this means leaving Negril 3 1/2 hours before your flight.
Make sure you book Club Mobay early if you plan on using it, it was already full when I tried for our recent trip.
We're heading back to the states on a Tuesday (probably not the busiest of travel days). Sounds like I should plan on leaving Negril about 3.5 hours before departure. That will get us to Sangster roughly 2 hours before our flight. I think I'll go ahead and book a Club Mobay departure, if they still have openings, just for peace of mind (and we can grab some eats before boarding the plane).
Our original itinerary had our return flight departing at 1:00pm, with a relatively short layover at DFW. Shortly after I booked though, American Airlines decided to cancel that flight and put us on an earlier one (I think it's right around 10:00am). Now we'll have to kind of scramble in the morning, and our layover in DFW will be about three hours longer. :-( Oh well, I'll be well-relaxed after our time in Negril, so it'll all be irie!
Just remember that Club Mobay doesn't help with the airline checkin, and that's what we've always found to be the long wait (if any). Club Mobay outbound gets you in a separate security line after you're done with the airline, and seems to us to be the equivalent in time saved of TSA Precheck (which we have) in the states.
we plan 3 hours before takeoff, very soon come
I'm always more concerned about getting my luggage checked in within the time-guidelines my airline recommends. Most international flights recommend 3 hours. I usually check one bag. If that weren't the case, I'd probably go ahead and arrive about 2.5 ahead of scheduled BOARDING (which is always about 30 minutes prior to the actual flight)
Some people would rather so me that extra hour on the beach, but at that point, really... what's an extra hour? If you haven't done everything you wanted by then, an hour won't help! Book another trip, haha !
I am a proponent of Club mobay but haven't found a huge benefit to the outbound security line, as yet. I travel [home] mostly on the last Saturday of April, which on occasion is the first Saturday of May. I have seen the line run the length of the departures hall, however, and would absolutely HATE getting stuck in that kind of line. Ive had both fast and slower lines at my airline counter. I think it's kind of hit or miss, aside from the more obviously busy travel dates. I have only traveled in April and June.
I need to chime in on this one. We normally leave on Sunday. Flight time is usually around 3pm. We always check bags and fly Delta. I think we flew Southwest once. We have never left Negril before 12 noon. A couple times we left Negril at 12:30 pm. I don't think it has ever even taken 45 minutes from curb to terminal. We always say we're too early. We always have to sit and wait to board. Never had an issue in at least 10 trips.
Driver always says based on our flight time, we need to leave Negril at 11:30am. We always say how about noon (and we are usually running late) when he arrives.
We tried Club Money departure once but it's really not our thing. In fact, we've gotten to the airport with friends who had CM departure and we beat them through security.
Not recommending this for everyone but we stay until the very last minute that we possibly can.
Hi, are you a new girl ??? :)
I think you know who I am, sparkly girl. Lol. I just don't post often.
I agree with the 3.5 - 4 hours ahead. Last year, the lines were crazy - we got there 2 hours before and barely got through on time for our flight. We booked Club MoBay and didn't even have a minute to use it. This year, we depart at 3 - I plan to be AT the airport around 11:30. I agree with Livininthe603 - as much as I want to spend the extra hour on the beach - if I haven't done it - it's not gonna get done in the hour before I leave. I hate leaving...but I hate making a stressful rush through the airport more. Besides - there's always our next trip!
I agree, I'd rather give up an hour of beach time than be stressed out or even worse miss my flight. With the timing we usually want at least a snack if not a full meal.
I would say 3 hrs, last month I was flying Jet Blue and spent an hour just getting my luggage and boarding pass while my cousin who was flying Delta zipped through her check in
The day of the week and whether it is busy or slow season definitely has an impact on how busy the airport will be. We always try to travel on a Wednesday or Thursday, so the airport isn't at it's busiest. Linston recommends that we arrive at MBJ 2 hours before our flight and this has always worked for us. By the time we check in and go through security (no club Mobay) we have some time to hit the coffee and spice shop and grab a Jerk Chicken sandwich from Wendy's (yes, this is really a thing!). If we wanted to have a sit down meal at Air Margaritaville, we would probably have to rush through it.
We have flown out of Mobay on a Sunday when we didn't get through the first set of doors into imigration for over an hour,that is why we do Club Mobay for all our departures now.Well that and an hour or 2 of free drinks and snacks is always nice!
This is interesting. With the exception of crossing the US-Canadian border in personal vehicles (many, many) times, this is my first international travel, and certainly my first by air. When crossing the US-Canadian border in an automobile, you only have to deal with the incoming customs service. So, on the way into Canada you deal with Canadian customs, and on the way back you deal with US customs. Which makes sense, because you would think the receiving country would be the most interested in who's entering (and what they may be trying to bring with them). So, why the heavy scrutiny by Jamaican customs on the way out of Jamaica?
Not much scrutiny on the way out, just some random checks of carry on luggage
Dan, it's the same as the rest of the world, there is no customs inspection for departures, just airline checkin - especially for checked baggage - and then security. For arrivals, it's immigration (present your passport), then get your checked bag if any, then customs, then you're out. I have never experienced nor witnessed a customs inspection outbound, although the security checks are quite similar to what TSA does in the US.
In my four trips so far, they have only checked my hand luggage once at the departures security gate. I've never been searched upon arrival.
Ironically, the only time had a checked bag searched was a domestic flight to my brother's when I had brought some 603-made goods for him.
I think the two biggest factors are day/time of departure and if you have to check luggage.
We left on a Thursday, our flight was at 4pm (boarding at 3:30). We arrived at 1:30PM which was WAY too early - no luggage to check so did the kiosk check-in (that took about 30 seconds), walked right though security in 5 minutes. Didn't use Club MoBay either. We sat around for more than an hour and a half.
I've had lines before though, usually on weekends. Always to check luggage (which is why I generally don't do it).
i like this idea
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monty&Melo
here is my experience...my better half has already told our deal...we fly out at 250pm on Sunday almost every time...we have NEVER spent more than 45 minutes from curb (we always check bags) to lounge...11 trips at different times of the year....we leave negril at 1215-1230....get to the airport about 145pm....gives us an hour...havent missed a flight yet....in oct, we rode to the airport with our friends...he had club mobay, our flight was 30 minute after his....we got dropped off at margaritaville in mobay, ate lunch and enjoyed our last few seconds before having our driver pick us back up and take us to the airport...I can also say that if you are running late and the line is long, Delta dosent want u to miss your flight...I've seen them on many occasions escort someone to the front of the bag check in line if their flight is close....seen them take folks to front of immigration.....talked to the girl at the counter...she told me they will do all they can to get u to the gate on time...
We arrive 2 hours before departure time and in 15 trips all in high season we always have time to check the Harley store and buy our booze and still sit at the gate too long it seems.
Here are the factors that affect what time we leave for the MoBay airport:
What time is your flight?
What day of the week are you flying?
Will you be in rush hour traffic going into MoBay?
Did you pack the night before?
Did you stay out late?
How many people in your group and are some of them not very "timely" or organized?
Are you planning on eating before the airport?
Are you checking luggage?
Did you pay for MoBay Club departure service?
Do you need to shop at the Duty Free Shops?
I usually don't have much of a wait for check-in, but I have been searched (both me and my carry on) a couple of times during security. The funniest ones were getting pulled out of the line going onto the plane and being searched again. Always fun being the last one on the plane and have people look at you like you're a smuggler. Could never figure out why I always got searched and not my ex, since I didn't look shifty. Turns out he did, so they searched me thinking I was the mule...lol! That's why he's my ex!
Of course, the key part of this thread is "from when you arrive at the airport". The one time I was seriously worried about making our flight it was due to traffic congestion coming into MoBay, so it took almost an extra hour to get to the airport.
Like most say, depends on the day of week and time of year but always remember, the airlines have their rules and they won't wait for you. So if you are heading to Mobay and there is a huge crash on the highway and no one can get through.....your missing your flight.
I like to be early. I check my bag then go outside and have a drink or something. Then go through security. And FYI, you absolutely can get a nice private search before heading home. It usually happens fairly quickly though but they will take you to a private room and make you think the worse.