Minimum Time Check-In Miami to Cayman Airways ?

[PartyStar]

Ahoy, Does anyone have the 411 on minimum amount of time to check-in at the Cayman Airways counter?
Knowing international flights are three hours - we will have about 1 1/2 hours to get from MIA terminal D
with a short RUN to terminal E. It's so fun running thru airports ! Good cardio :blinking:

If you have any advice I would love to hear it and maybe an alternative to get our luggage over to
Grand Cayman in advance at the least expensive cost. Google tells me to send our luggage ahead
equals an airplane ticket. So I'm freaking out. Thanks in advance and happy bubbles !

 

[Drew Sailbum]

90 minutes is enough for a connection on the way to Cayman. 60 minutes would likely be enough, assuming you don't have to clear security again. 90 minutes would likely not be enough time if you need to claim your bags and recheck them. You will need a longer connection going back to allow for customs and immigration upon reentering the US.

90 minutes would not be enough if you are flying into Miami on one ticket and picking up your bags to check in again with Cayman Airways on a separate ticket. Two hours might be cutting that close. I have done it but I had many more hours.

The other option for sending luggage ahead would be by sea. Much slower. Much cheaper cost of shipping. But I believe the contents might be subject to import duty as the accompanied baggage exemption would not apply. As you found, FedEx or UPS would be outrageous for something that size.

Pack light. Some regular travelers do a week's worth of vacation clothing in a carryon.

 

[keyshunter]

Time to connection is largely dependent on day of the week and the time of day. The last time I was through MIA, they were full body scanning everyone and security was really backed up. Check in at Cayman Airways counter usually goes quickly. But, if I needed to go downstairs to pick up baggage, then back up to the CA counter, and then through security (which you will need to do), I would want a minimum of 2 hours.

 

[Roombaguy]

90 minutes is plenty ... assuming you get your luggage fairly quickly from your other flight. That being said, I would not be overly concerned.

 

[billinwilliamston]

If you need to go through security 90 minutes is cutting it close and may not be enough time. If you don't it's plenty of time. You can even spend some of it at the duty free (strongly recommended if you plan on consuming any adult beverages).

 

[Oldbear]

Perhaps you can let Cayman Airways know ahead of time that you might be cutting it close due to terminal transfers...I have seen airlines wait a few minutes to let the final customer board.

 

[PartyStar]

Dear Diving People, THANK YOU so much ! Knowing there are budget cuts and delays with airporting we are definitely allowing extra extra time for dranking and people watching. After hearing from you and the news we are now giving our travels much more time because we have missed planes due to not giving extra time for stuff hitting the fans. Why not. We are staying in hotel to ensure we get our dive on. That's all I think about. This is going to w-o-r-k and I will post some fun photos. Thanks for all the trip reviews - they mean a lot! Party on party people.