Tampa-miami-grand Cayman

[jdcpa]

We don't normally have to do the TPA-MIA-GCM connections. We normally go TPA-GCM-LYB, but the last flight from GCM to LYB was already booked.

We are going from Tampa to Maimi on American and then taking the Cayman Air flight to Grand.

Has anyone done this recently?

Can I pick up my luggage in Miami and not have to exit back out to the main terminal to check back in at Cayman Airways counter?

Or are we stuck with going into the main terminal and going back through security?

Thanks for your comments.

 

[Newdiv]

My impression is that if you can't check your luggage to your final destination, you have to pick it up from baggage (which in most cases is outside the secure area). After picking up luggage, you would have to go through the whole check-in and security procedures.

 

[jdcpa]

I have the same impression.

That is why I am trying to find someone that recently made the trip to know for sure.

Hoping against hope.

 

[keyshunter]

AFAIK You need to pick up your checked baggage in MIA and take it to the Cayman Airways counter, unless American code shares with Cayman Airways and the flights are both on one ticket. Either way, you will have to go through security again once you leave the American concourse.

 

[Doctorfish]

Not sure that is the case. Outbound, you should be able to check bags all the way to final destination. Inbound, regardless of final destination all bags must be cleared through US Customs and then put back on the conveyor for Tampa flight.

 

[Newdiv]

If it is an affiliate airline only.

Not sure that is the case. Outbound, you should be able to check bags all the way to final destination. Inbound, regardless of final destination all bags must be cleared through US Customs and then put back on the conveyor for Tampa flight.

 

[jdcpa]

I agree that it appears that I have to recheck my bags.

I will report on what is the actual result next week.

 

[keyshunter]

An easy way to tell is by what is on the baggage strap placed on the bag at the original airport. If both the AA and KX flight numbers are on the strap that bag will transfer automatically. If it is just the AA flight number, you must pick it up in Mia.

 

[KathyV]

I can tell you how it worked last year when we came back from Little Cayman but I am not sure about the trip down because we vacationed on Grand Cayman before going to LC.

Coming back was not great because we couldn't get a direct flight on Cayman Air from LC to GC. So we had to check in at the LC airport, fly the Otter for about 5 minutes and land on Cayman Brac, reclaim our luggage and go through security and check in on Brac, fly the turboprop to GC, claim our bags, go outside and then come back inside the main terminal to check in on AA for our return flight. Then go through security, customs, immigration in Grand Cayman.

We could not get a direct flight to Chicago from GC because we were traveling during the low season, so we had to fly to Miami, collect our luggage, and go through US customs and immigration to enter the US. When we finally got to O'Hare we handled our bags for the 5th and final time and went home. In all, it took us 12 hours of travel time and we visited 5 airports and traveled on 4 airplanes just to go 1600 miles - kind of ridiculous but it was the best options we could find.

When we traveled from Grand Cayman to Little Cayman we were able to get a direct flight on the Otter and didn't have to stop on Brac, but we couldn't get a direct flight coming back.

We booked our trip more than 7 months in advance but we also couldn't get a flight back from LC on a Saturday so we had to stay an extra night on LC (not a hardship!) to fly home on Sunday.

We were staying at the Little Cayman Beach Resort and they offered a nice option. You can pack and check one or two bags the day before you leave and they will pick them up and send them to GCM so they are waiting when you arrive. It was a bit of a rush because we did the 2 morning dives on our last dive day; spread out gear out on the deck to dry as much as possible while we ate lunch, and then packed it to be picked up by 2 pm. But it was nice not to have to deal with the gear as we traveled from LC to CB to GC.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[jdcpa]

The answer turns out to be an interesting one.

Yes, you can check your bags all the way from Tampa to Little Cayman through American and Cayman Airways.

You do not have to recheck your luggage at the Cayman Airways counter in Miami.

The problem is that you can't get from Airside D to Airside F without going back out and having to go back through security. At least I could not find a way nor find anyone that could tell me how to do that.

So luggage does not have to be rechecked, but you do. Weird!!