When you need to return home, do folks typically follow the "2 hour" rule? After our honeymoon in 06, seemed like an hour was more like it!

-k

k, i can tell you that we were there on a friday this time and it took every bit of 90 minutes. it is worse on saturday and sunday. that isn't to say that sometimes it isn't faster but why take the chance.

i will tell you that every airline now has a sign stating that they will not do boarding passes within 60 minutes of a flight. since american for one and sometimes the other airlines have a line that takes an hour or more, you risk not making your flight to extend your vacation by an hour.

when we entered the airport 2 weeks ago the lines for american and delta were long. it took us 40 minutes if i recall to get thru delta. the aruban side of security was quick because they had more than one lane open. however, for some reason the us side had one line going and the line was long and slow.

again, don't risk it for 60 extra minutes of vacation. it really isn't worth it.

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Yikes! thanks for setting me straight! 2 hours it is! (with pre-printed boarding passes *grin*)

one other thing, so far i haven't been able to preprint boarding passes at bwi or dulles for aruba. they tell me when i try to print that they don't accept international boarding pass requests. each time it was american airlines.

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Delta does not allow international pre-printed passes either, or they didn't last year anyway!

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My guideline for international flights LEAVING a foreign country has always been 3 hours (even if I dont need it). It just isnt worth taking the chance.....In Cancun the lines are HORRENDOUS, especially for American - I get THERE 3 hours and even if it takes an hour on the line, I still have time to grab something to eat and shop.

I am hopeful that since I am flying Jet Blue to/from Aruba later this month I may not have such long lines.

keep us informed karen. i expected a quicker run thru the line since it was delta and the line was less than half that of american. ironically, for the first time, american had more than two reps taking care of people and delta didn't so american won the race, lol.

the aruban security line is much improved from our last visit in may. they moved it and added lines. i wish they would do that on the american side.

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>>> "seemed like an hour was more like it!"
----- Week days in Aruba it might take only a hour but weekends better allow 3 hours.
United takes a hour just to get to the ticket counter on a Saturday in Aruba.

>>> "or dulles for aruba."
---- For United at Dulles I can pre print my boarding pass but still have to go to the International Ticket Counter for United to present Passport and check luggage. Guess I saved a few minutes with the Boarding Pass.

We leave next Saturday for our annual trip...now 3 weeks.

I pray we do NOT have another outgoing experience like we had last October...the worst in 20+ trips to Aruba.

It took us over 2.5 hours from curb to boarding gate...we were about 15 minutes beyond the scheduled boarding time when we got to the gate. The flight (on Delta) was delayed about 45 minutes, so we were still OK. I think it was delayed because they knew there were still a number of passengers in the queue...too many to ignore.

Since the airport was renovated, the lines for American have been ridiculously long...just to check in. In our case, the initial check in was fairly quick, but every other line was incredibly long. The line out of the luggage pickup room to US Customs was a complete ZOO. Luggage kept coming down the chutes, piles of luggage were stacked around the room...lines were formed in all directions waiting to get into the next area.

Well, this year, we are flying Spirit (for the first time). As I say, I hoping for a better experience than the first Saturday of October last year.

Strange thing is that our friends left on the previous Thursday and they said it was under an hour from curb to gate. They were flying USAir.

While my initial Jet Blue line might be shorter than other airlines, I foresee the co-mingling of the masses for the rest of the departure procedure. On a Sunday I think I might be glad I have 3 hours. (Im going SEpt 20-28 - and hopeful this is a slow season and therefore a little less crowded?)

I found departure procedures at www.arubakid.com/booklet.htm, and I'm going to keep these guidelines with me.

Aruba has a complicated check-in process, because US customs is done in Aruba, not in the US. US security is done in Aruba, not in the US. So this is the process:

1) Check your luggage with your airline and get your boarding pass and US customs form.

2) Complete your US customs declaration form in that same building. Look for some tables. Bring your own pen.

3) Go outside the building to the left where your boarding pass, passport and the bottom part of your immigration card are checked.

4) Go inside the next building where the same things are checked (again).

5) Go through Aruba security (placing your stuff on the X-ray machine roller, etc).

6) RECLAIM YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE at a carrousel, and go through US customs with all your luggage and carry ons.

7) Deposit your luggage on another roller. You are now done with it in Aruba.

8) Go through US security (placing your stuff on the X-ray machine roller, etc.)

9) Go to your gate and wait for your plane. (my note: at which point I will need a serious drink)

don't forget that you may be picked by american customs to have your luggage searched or the agriculture search. that means that every piece of luggage is opened, checked, and then finally deposited on that last conveyor belt. been there and done both types of luggage searches.

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The nine steps that were documented in Karen's above message (from Arubakid) were the best description I have seen about the outgoing procedure.

What I was trying to describe about our experience last October was that steps 3, 4, 5, and 6 were unbelievably long with 6 being the worst part. And if you were flying on American, step 1 was also a bummer.

Praying for a better experience this year when we head back on October 4th.

We have not had the serious, lengthy USDA examination. For better or worse, we usually state that we are bringing back Dutch coffee and Dutch cheese...allowable and common.

To be fair, sometimes all this has taken 1 hour or less. It is just that our worst experience last year was over 2.5 hours. I'm not sure if there is a good explanation for the difference.

We came home from Aruba last Thursday. We allowed 3 hours and ended up taking an hour to get to the airport (heavy flooding). JetBlue was very crowded but AA was not. If you give yourself the extra time you are less likely to stand in interminable lines.