caydiver
Contributor
Who knows. Maybe they will open those routes more if they have more passengers. Right now with the talk of extending the runway to allow for bigger equipment they may have the need to expand the service.
Cayman Air is Now Offering Direct Flights from Denver!
- Thread starter KathyV
- Start date
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I agree with caydiver:
It can all lead to more options for those (like us) who continue on to Brac or Little. We choose never to stay in GC anymore, always heading 'back to the Brac' instead. But even when that means we have to take a redeye from US (we're in Phoenix) or overnight in Miami or GC first, etc., to do that, I figure I'm on the way to my version of paradise...might as well just enjoy the ride.
Yes, I was very happy to see these flights since we have a group going to Little Cayman in May 2019.
However, the 8:30pm arrival into Grand Cayman ( GCM ) on Sat. night doesn't allow us to get Little Cayman ( LYB ) in one day.
Furthermore, the 9:15am departure Sat. morning from GCM doesn't work with the earliest flight out of LYB. Even if you were staying in Grand Cayman, SCUBA diving would be an issue the previous day due to the early flight.
Hopefully, it is a start to better flights to come.
However, the 8:30pm arrival into Grand Cayman ( GCM ) on Sat. night doesn't allow us to get Little Cayman ( LYB ) in one day.
Furthermore, the 9:15am departure Sat. morning from GCM doesn't work with the earliest flight out of LYB. Even if you were staying in Grand Cayman, SCUBA diving would be an issue the previous day due to the early flight.
Hopefully, it is a start to better flights to come.
OP
I thought that some of you Colorado divers might enjoy this cartoon:
Denver connection | Cayman Compass
EastEndDiver
Contributor
OP
On another forum there are questions about whether CAY will continue offering nonstop flights from Denver to GCM on Wednesdays and Saturdays from December to August in 2020 - has anyone heard any updates?
morecowbells
Contributor
Sorry if this is somewhat off topic, but I couldn't find an answer while searching other threads. So here is my dilemma: We are flying St. Louis to Miami on AA, then flying Cayman Air directly into Cayman Brac. On return flight, we will be flying Southwest from Grand Cayman, to Fort Lauderdale, to St. Louis. The only ticket we have yet to purchase, is the Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman. I have no idea how much time to allow for this stop over. Will we have to go through customs and re-check our bags since switching airlines? Sorry to be so confusing. Thanks in advance for any input
OP
Sorry if this is somewhat off topic, but I couldn't find an answer while searching other threads. So here is my dilemma: We are flying St. Louis to Miami on AA, then flying Cayman Air directly into Cayman Brac. On return flight, we will be flying Southwest from Grand Cayman, to Fort Lauderdale, to St. Louis. The only ticket we have yet to purchase, is the Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman. I have no idea how much time to allow for this stop over. Will we have to go through customs and re-check our bags since switching airlines? Sorry to be so confusing. Thanks in advance for any input
You will go through Customs and Immigration when you originally arrive on Cayman Brac. When you fly to Grand Cayman from Brac - you don't have to go through Immigration and Custom again - and don't let anyone try to herd you into the incoming I&C lines. When there are several planes landing around the same time the airport staff tends to assume that everyone is newly arrived in Cayman and they try to direct you to Immigrations. Tell them that you are in-transit and just arrived from Brac.
You do have to collect your bags and go through Security at GCM to check your luggage and access the departure lounge to board your flight to Fort Lauderdale.
How much connection time you need will vary with the day of the week and the time of day you are traveling. Sometimes you sail right through and sometimes there is standing room only in the departure lounge.
On the weekends things tend to be much busier, especially between around 11:30 am to 3:30 pm. They have recently installed kiosks for automated baggage checking and they have added new Security lanes to make it easier to get to the departure lounge and that helps. I would figure 2 hours for the connection to be safe.
But we usually try to give ourselves a few hours and then we head over to the George Town Yacht Club on Grand Cayman for a nice meal, rather than dealing with the limited comforts and choices of the GCM departure lounge.
The GTYC is only about 3 minutes away and they run a free shuttle from the airport, and they will stash your carry-on luggage while you eat. It is a lovely location on the marina and they are open at 8:30 am for breakfast on weekends and at 11 am for lunch everyday. You can eat inside or outdoors. The shuttle runs about every 15 minutes but we usually just call them and they come quickly. Tell the driver when you want to head back to the airport and she will be waiting for you, see the links below:
George Town Yacht Club
https://www.facebook.com/GTYachtclub/posts/dont-forget-that-we-have-a-shuttle-bus-running-from-the-airport-to-the-restauran/669303533175409/
morecowbells
Contributor
You are awesome KathyV! This is exactly the information I needed. One flight would have left us with a 1 hour 45 minute layover in Grand Cayman. The other flight would leave us with 3 1/2 hours. I will book the flight with the longer layover and go to the GTYC. I have never booked a vacation with so many different flights/variables.
OP
We usually stay at the Clearly Cayman resorts in the Sister Islands and I let their Reef Fantaseas booking agents book all of our flights. They charge a fee but it's not bad and they really know all the nuances for the flights to/from the Caymans and the quirks of Cayman Airways.
Plus they can put all my flights on one ticket. I have never been able to do that when flying outside the US. We once learned the hard way that if you book on separate tickets and one of your flights is delayed, the other airlines don't know anything about it and they don't care what happens to your luggage. When all your flights are booked on one ticket, the other airlines are notified if you are delayed and your luggage should get routed properly.
Here's another tip for Brac. If you enjoy alcoholic beverages on vacation then be aware that liquor is expensive in the Caymans. The Clearly Cayman resorts like CBBR offer a drinks package that will include 3 "house brand" drinks per day at a very reasonable price. If you prefer your own brand then I suggest buying a bottle at the duty-free shop in Miami and carrying it onboard before flying to Brac. Each adult is allowed 1 liter hard liquor duty free, see the link below:
Travelers
This will be easy for you because you are flying directly to Brac, but when someone flies to Grand Cayman first and then connects to Brac or Little Cayman, they have to carefully pack the bottle inside their checked luggage before rechecking because they will have to go through Security at GCM to access the departure lounge, and bottle of liquor won't fit inside a quart zip-lock bag!
There is an ice machine for guest use near the bar at CBBR, and you can buy bottles of soft drinks at the hotel gift shop to use as mixers. If you buy a bottle of Coke from the bar they will add a 15% gratuity. You can also buy bottles of soft drinks at the dive shop but I don't remember if they will add the gratuity.
You will pass a small liquor store and a grocery store on the way to CBBR from the airport. You can borrow a bicycle from the resort for free and peddle over there to purchase items - but remember to bring water and wear a hat. Also, keep in mind that the stores on Brac are closed on Sundays.
We enjoy the conversation and atmosphere of ordering a drink from the bar, but mixing our own and sitting in a lounge chair on our balcony or out by the beach isn't too bad either!
Have fun on the Brac!
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