I'm hoping some fellow Canadians are reading this board, or some observant Americans can give me some info on San Juan Airport.

We're flying in November from Toronto to San Juan on Air Canada, then have 2 hours 20 mins to get on AE to Bonaire at 6:30pm. Is this enough time?
Do we have to pick up bags and pass them back through customs and security, or do we just have to worry about getting to the next plane? Any idea which Terminal Air Canada arrives at and how long it takes to get to the American Eagle gates?

This was our best option - every other flight from Toronto gave us only 1 hour 15 mins to get through Miami, and I knew that would be a mistake.

Looking forward to any feedback you folks might have. I can't wait to go to Bonaire (first trip - Husband and friends are divers, I'm a snorkeller!).

Dawn

Dawn -

I'm not sure where AC arrives in San Juan, but based on several trips with American Eagle through San Juan, I would think 2 hours 20 minutes would easily be adequate time to make your connexion, even if you have to claim and check baggage for the Bonaire leg.

If you will go to the bottom of this page, click o the "keyword search" icon and enter "San Juan Airport" in the search box, I think you will find a world of useful information.

The American Eagle flights go out of gates 1-2 at the far eastern (?) end of the airport. Since American Eagle has many, many flights all over the Caribbean out of these gates, check in early and listen closely for the Bonaire flight.

Bon bini na Bonaire!

Charles Poteet
Dallas

Charles, thanks for the info.

It looks like Air Canada arrives at Gate 34 in the Main Terminal Concourse B (Used to be Terminal B). Does that make any difference?

thanks
Dawn

Dawn -

I'm not familiar with the total airport layout, so perhaps others who are can give us some guidance. Advice from anyone who has flown your particular route would be especially valuable.

It would still seem to me that you would have time, especially if you could check your bags all the way through to Bonaire when you board in Toronto.

Here's a map of Terminal D that American uses at Luis Munoz Marin Airport: http://www.aa.com/content/travelInformation/travelHelp/sjuairportdetails.jhtml#terminalmap. The flights to Bonaire leave from gates 1-2.

I'll be interested in what others have to say.

Charles Poteet
Dallas

P.S. Did you have any luck conducting a keyword search within this newsgroup for "San Juan Airport?"

Yes, thanks. Lots of info on San Juan airport in the newsgroup.

Dawn

Hi Dawn,

We flew from Toronto this past January. We took US Air (Philadelphia - San Juan - Bonaire). We flew into Terminal B and left for Bonaire from Terminal D .. had 4 hours to do this and had plenty of time. I would think you will have enough time as well, just make sure you go straight to the check in counter when you get to San Juan. We had to claim our bags in San Juan, perhaps your travel agent can get in touch with Air Canada to see if your bags can be checked straight through to Bonaire. Is this your first visit to Bonaire? We purchased TSA locks for our luggage at the CAA in Oakville. My recollection is very fuzzy ... if I had taken a picture my memory would have been better LOL.

Cheryl

any suggestions on flying from Seattle to Bonaire?

thanks
Nell

Nell, Continental can get you SEA to IAH to BON but it would have to leave on a Friday. There are about 4 daily flights to Houston where you'll catch the Bonaire redeye arriving 5:30-ish a.m. Saturday.

Well, we finally got our flights booked from Toronto to Bonaire, and let me tell you, it was a very frustrating experience.

We wanted as few stops as possible, long enough layover times to make it to the next plane, and relatively inexpensive. What we got was one stopover in San Juan, with 2 hrs 20 mins layover going and 8 hours coming back, and a lot of hassle from American Airlines to get the tickets.

Our flight to San Juan is on Air Canada, then American Eagle to Bonaire. The first travel agent we used was told by American Airlines that it was too far in advance (of November) and they couldn't sell him the tickets. So he checked with a wholesaler, and they only had 5 to sell him (we needed 6). So we tried a Travel agency chain, and they told us the price, no problems expected. It then took three days to finally get American to admit that their quoting system was broken and the tickets were generated manually. Needless to say, American put up their prices by over $50 CDN over the time they gave us the runaround.

Let's hope this trip will be worth the aggravation so far!

Dawn ...... Bonaire is worth it!! ;o)

Hi Dawn!
I just wanted to be sure to post this for any other Canadians who might have a look. I'm from the Toronto area, and have been living in Bonaire for nearly 7 years now. Every year, at least once, we travel back to Toronto for vacation and go Bonaire-Curacao-Miami-Toronto and have never missed a flight, and we find this route the best as there's the least amount of stopovers, and connection times are sufficient. Additionally, it usually comes out to be the best rate. So, coming from YYZ, you can leave at the 6:59 am flight and be in Bonaire late afternoon/early evening if you fly with Divi Divi Air from Curacao to Bonaire. My parents also visit at least once a year and have tried other routes, but not only does it get them here later, it usually costs more for the ticket.
In any case, we hope you'll have a wonderful vacation on Bonaire.

Nydia Thielman