MIAMI Airport - international arrival - how much time to get through Customs/Immigration

[tkaelin]

Booked a flight on AA a while back from Grand Cayman to Bozeman. The original booking had a 2:45 window from the arrival from GCM in MIA to the next flight out on the way to BZN. I was comfortable with the window of time as same airline in and out and no checked bags. Just received notice from AA changing flight times that reduces the window/lay over to just an 1:45. The arrival time in MIA is in the morning on Friday. Anyone with experience traveling into MIA on international flights with any ideas as to whether this new timeframe (1:45) is likely to be sufficient? I am guessing the AA international arrival and AA domestic departure for the next flight is in the same terminal but don't know. Will I also have to go through security again once through customs and immigration? Thanks in advance. TK

 

[Wookie]

Miami is a goat rope. You have to claim your bag, clear customs, and recheck your bag. If no other planes are inbound, no sweat. And that never happens. I think you have every right to be nervous. If you get caught in the goat rope (and by rope, I mean another 4 letter word) is there a later combo of flights getting you into Bozo?

And no. Nothing is in the same terminal. The only thing that makes it at all decent is that the bag recheck is right next to customs, so if you come in terminal J and clear customs and go out A, you have a long long walk. The skytrain sucks.

International Arrivals at Customs “D” -

After exiting U.S. Customs, you will be on 1st level of the North Terminal D. Here passengers will find ground transportation. To connect to other airlines, take the elevator to 2nd level. View U.S. Customs areas. Use Skyride on the 3rd level to connect between terminals, parking garages and MIA Mover Station to Rental Car Center, Rail and Bus services.

International Arrivals at Customs “J” -

After exiting U.S. Customs, passengers will be on 3rd level of the South Terminal J. To find ground transportation, take the elevator to 1st level. To find other airlines take the elevator to 2nd level. Parking garages can be accessed thru the second Level of the terminal. View U.S. Customs areas. Use Skyride on the 3rd level to connect between terminals, parking garages and MIA Mover Station to Rental Car Center, Rail and Bus services.

 

[tkaelin]

Thanks. No checked bags. Will that speed things up?

Based upon current information from MIA website, the flight from GCM arrives Terminal D international, Concourse D and the next flight leaves from Terminal D, Concourse D. All flights on AA. If I am reading this right then the arrival and departure should take place in the same Terminal. Does that sound right?

Yes, there is a back up option if the connection is missed in MIA but requires a night somewhere and arrival 1 PM the next day. There is no good option presently that is worth rebooking unless I hear from others that there is no way I will make the flight. Bozeman is a tough place to get in and out of. Not a lot of options there.

Thanks.

PS Do you miss your boat?

 

[Tool Belt]

It will help immensely not having a checked bag. And before the next trip get Global Entry.....you go through customs like a rock star. At a couple airports GE people followed the same signs as "crew only".

 

[Wookie]

Thanks. No checked bags. Will that speed things up?

Based upon current information from MIA website, the flight from GCM arrives Terminal D international, Concourse D and the next flight leaves from Terminal D, Concourse D. All flights on AA. If I am reading this right then the arrival and departure should take place in the same Terminal. Does that sound right?

Yes, there is a back up option if the connection is missed in MIA but requires a night somewhere and arrival 1 PM the next day. There is no good option presently that is worth rebooking unless I hear from others that there is no way I will make the flight. Bozeman is a tough place to get in and out of. Not a lot of options there.

Thanks.

PS Do you miss your boat?

You still have time to get Global Entry unless your flight is next week. Yes, arriving in D and leaving from D and no bags will be a huge relief. You should be fine on time. Dad lived in MSO for the past 30 years. I know how hard it is to get to Bozo.

I miss the boat, but not dive chartering. So I bought a new boat.

 

[tkaelin]

Wow. Nice Boat.

Thanks for all the help.

Yes when it is time to renew the TSA precheck I will upgrade to Global Entry. Although last time in JFK arriving from CUR the customs immigration hall was literally empty and we sailed through. I rare exception.

 

[MaxE]

I got mobile passport app. I have made it through customs faster than buddy who has global entry and was free. I do not get through screening as fast as pre check so trade offs. With no bags you should get through passport control and customs at MIA pretty fast. The lines for American security re screen at MIA look long but my experience is they move pretty fast. As to how far you gate is who knows. I have had some close and some not so close. I would think 1:45 will work if your arriving plane is on time.

 

[tkaelin]

Thanks. I think I am all set. Was able to find another AA flight that gives me 2:45 minutes which should be plenty. If I sail through I can always try to grab the earlier flight.

 

[2airishuman]

If you travel internationally with any regularity at all, it would be well worth your while to enroll in Global Entry unless the logistics of getting to an enrollment center are a huge problem for you. Between the TSA lines and customs, it saved us over an hour of standing in line on our trip to Aruba and back. That maybe wasn't worth $100 by itself, but it was close.

 

[Steve_C]

I have flown in and out of MIA a number of times going to Key Largo to dive. I have permanent gold status on American and TSA precheck. Having said that if you happen to be there at the same time as several cruise ships are unloading it can be a total zoo. Saw a fellow yelling in the security line that they had gotten to the airport 3 hours early and his flight was now taking off. I would definitely go with the 2:45 time instead of the 1:45. The 1:45 might be fine but why worry. Flights can arrive late, etc.