Question for the frequent flyers

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
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Despite the fact that I fly a fair amount, I can't remember the last time I had to deal with this:

We are flying to Peru for a meeting/tour. The first leg is on United to Miami. The second leg is on American to Lima. There is a 1.5 hour layover in Miami to continue on to Peru.

Will United handle the luggage transfer to American? Or do we all have to schlep to United's baggage claim, find our bags, and schlep them to the American gate? We might be SOL unless the plane is on time or early..
 
UAL will transfer the luggage. Make sure at check in that they do that. You tell by looking at the luggage check in tag.

On your way home you will have to pick up your bags in Miami and then clear customs and recheck them. That matter not whose airlines you are on.

with only 1.5 hour between flights I would make sure I have a carry on that has at least a change of clothes in it and all my necessary items. KMIA can be a little nutty.
 
Thanks Scott. I knew about the issues when coming home, but am less worried about that. Going TO, I just don't want luggage issues. Especially since where we are going isn't going to have lots of department stores to buy replacements.
 
It's not likely your luggage would be more than 24 hours behind you, but with a 1.5 hour connection between UAL and AAL, there's a significant chance your bags will be on the next plane, not the one you're on. Make sure you have enough in your carry-on bag to get through those 24 hours, and you should be fine.
 
I had a similar issue where my bags were 8 hours behind me into Lima - but they got there. I was able to buy some essentials locally when it wasn't clear that my stuff would arrive that day.
 
Thanks for the info - and Ugh. The thing is, while we are initially ending in Lima, we are only doing so to stay overnight (late arrival) and the next morning are taking off for Cusco on a different ticket. That won't be ticketed or noted.
 
woodstock said:
Thanks for the info - and Ugh. The thing is, while we are initially ending in Lima, we are only doing so to stay overnight (late arrival) and the next morning are taking off for Cusco on a different ticket. That won't be ticketed or noted.
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Well, if your bags don't make it on the AAL Miami-Lima flight, you may want to see what the local airline can work out with AAL to get your bags from Lima to Cusco when they do get there. Kinda like the time I flew Seattle to Manila on my way to Subic Bay -- my bag didn't make it to Manila when I did, and I had to work out a way to get them on the shuttle bus later on. Fortunately, I had a credit card the Navy Excange at Subic would take so I could buy enough clothes and toiletries until my bag showed up three days later -- fortunately, before the ship left port.
 
That's a tight squeeze. I would probably opt to carry on, or if absolutely required, ship my bags to the hotel one to three days in advance of my arrival.

Cheers.
 
astanley said:
ship my bags to the hotel one to three days in advance of my arrival.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Now that's a good idea. Just ship them FedEx or UPS. Still have a couple days clothes and your meds with you in a carryon.
 
Do you guys have the slightest idea how much it would cost Elizabeth to ship her bags to Cusco, Peru? It would be cheaper to buy all new stuff down there.

I was down that way about a year ago. Great part of the world to visit.

Jon
 
Well... if she can't live out of a carry on (some people cannot/choose not to), then this is a way of reducing her risk. Yes, it's expensive. But it may be better than the alternative.

FWIW, yes, I do have an idea how much it would cost to that part of the world; I've had to do it (for non-clothing items that I didn't trust being checked) before.

Cheers.
 
Considering I have to bring my work laptop and this isn't just one-two nights, I can't merely carryon. As much as I'd love to do so. I will probably have three days of clothing in my carryon, and the rest in a checked bag.
 
1.5 hours at MIA? I would actually be very surprised if your bag didn't make it on to the AA flight. 1.5 hours isn't bad at all; I've had connections as close as 25 minutes and the bags made it without a problem.

I would just put all my essentials into my carry-on; worst case, your bag gets there a little (day maybe max) later. But it probably won't be late.
 
For what it's worth, my experience has been that with tight connections, my bags are more likely to make it on to the plane than I am. Last time I flew home, my bag went to New Haven on the flight I was booked on, I went to Bradley.
 
I have had similar short connections (30 minutes is my lowest, IIRC) intraline without issue. My concern with 1.5 hours is the interline component. Outbound, the bag is more likely to make it to Peru; on the return, less so.

YMMV, FWIW, $0.02, etc.

-Andrew
 
More than once I've had my bag catch up with me somewhere in the world due to short connections or airline mistakes. The only time I've been through MIA was an overnight stay due to UA having a problem getting me out of San Juan, so I can't speak to how that will work.

Have fun. I'm about to board Cathay Pacific from YVR to HKG then on to TPE. Darned last minute trips...
 
I usually buy a few sets of clothes 1-2 sizes too large. I wear three sets on the plane. That way, I have all the clothes I need, right there with me. :goofy::goofy::goofy::goofy::goofy:





Or not.
 
Good news! score!

We are taking the corporate jet home from Cusco. We had hoped for both ways, but then Ops Review got in the way. Our GC managed to finagle the ride home for all of us. Sweet!

Bloody Marys all around. Guess I should pack a deck of cards, too.
 
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