How Much Time Will I Need?

[DeputyDan]

I am flying back from Little Cayman on Cayman Air and will arrive on Grand Cayman around noon.
How much time will I need to pick up luggage and then check in with either Delta or American for the trip back to the States.

I have booked the Cayman Air part of the trip but have not booked the to/from the States part of the trip - thus the inquiry.

Thank you for any responses.

 

[jdcpa]

Honestly it depends on the day of the week.

You should be able to make it in about an hour, except on weekends. Saturdays can be a nightmare.

 

[DeputyDan]

It's a Saturday

 

[jdcpa]

I would allow at least two hours on a Saturday.

 

[zf2nt]

Two hours seems a bit conservative to me. Don't forget that when you're coming FROM Little Cayman you just walk past the Immigration desk and go straight to luggage claim. Once you get your bags, you bypass the Customs check and head outside. Thus your only real delay is how long the check-in line is for the flight back to the states.

 

[KathyV]

We did the trip from Little Cayman last year on a Sunday and the lines in GCM were long. We collected our bags fairly quickly after we arrived on GC and then we went outside and back inside to recheck our bags and go through security, immigration, and customs. I think 2 hours should be fine.

The only time we took Delta, they didn't open their ticket counter and baggage check-in until about 2 hours before the flight, so there wasn't any advantage to getting there earlier. We had to pile our stuff on a cart and take the elevator to the second floor and hang out at the Hungry Horse until they finally opened up for business.

Are you staying at Little Cayman Beach Resort? The reason I ask is that last year we had the option to pack a bag or two the day before we left. They put these bags on an earlier flight and they were waiting for us when we arrived at GCM. It was a bit of a rush to get our gear semi dried out and packed on time, but it was nice not to have to deal with them on our travel day until we arrived on GC.

One thing I didn't like about our trip home from LC. We waited at the tiny LC airport and then boarded the twin Otter which hopped over to CB. We had to deplane, collect our bags, go through security and then board a Saab Turboprop for the hop to GC. When we arrived at GCM we had to collect our bags and do it all again while fighting our way through the crowded lines to get to the departure lounge.

Of course when we arrived in Miami, we had to collect our bags and go through US customs and immigration before boarding the last plane for Chicago.

We visited 5 airports, took 4 planes, and traveled 12 hours just for a 1600 mile trip. Cayman Air offers direct flights from ORD during the High and Mid seasons but we were traveling in the low season and we didn't have a direct flight option from GCM.

Where are you coming from? If you can get a direct flight it will be worth it! And Cayman Air offers 2 free checked bags per person so even if the price is higher it may still be a bargain.

 

[tkaelin]

At least two hours.

 

[DeputyDan]

Flying from Raleigh/Durham to Grand Cayman.

The commuter flights were booked early since they can fill up. I have not booked the USA to GC and back flights yet. Was planning on the American Air flight that departs 2.5 hours after the inter-island flight lands according to the schedules.

 

[jdcpa]

Two and a half hours should give you plenty of time on a Saturday.

Depending on the time of day, you never know what you get on Saturday on Grand Cayman. Airline check in and security line can be very long on Saturday.