Hi,

Looking for suggestions regarding our long layover in Aruba coming back from Bonaire. We're having to take the 6am DAE flight from Bon and our USAir flight is at 1:38pm. Does anyone know if we can check our luggage and then leave the airport for a few hours?

Thanks!

What we do is hop in a cab and go to the beach. There are hundreds of resorts on the beach that are glad to take your money for lunch and some drinks. They will also guard your luggage for you. It's $17 to the low rise resorts and $20 to the high risers. The beaches are on the other side of town but it's not a long ride, maybe 15 minutes or so. We asked the cab that brought us to also pick us up at a set time. We used Manchebo Beach coming and going last time. Not a tough way to wait for your plane.

Thanks Cecil :-)

Lisa, here's a trip report from last August with some more info on Aruba.

If you are traveling on a Saturday, you can need up to 2 hours to get through security after you have checked in. The process in Aruba is you (1)check in with your airline (and on Saturdays, those lines can be very long); (2) go through immigration; (3) go through Aruban airport security (this is where the long lines usually form); (4) pick your bags out from the thousands that have been checked from the time you checked in until you arrive in this pickup area (are grouped by airline, but still no real order to it); (5) go through US Customs/paasport control; (6) drop your bags off at another location; and finally (7) go through US airport security. We have heard Aruban hotels suggest allowing 3 hours on Saturdays for this process and 2 hours on other days. Based on our own experience on a Saturday in May (and I used United's priority check-in for high mileage fliers), the process after check-in was a full 2 hours. On our previous trip on a Wednesday in October, we sailed through in under 20 minutes. During check-in in May, the United agent suggested we go directly to/through immigration because they were not allowed to escort people to the front if they were tight on time although some of the airlines were indeed doing that which slowed the process for those who had gotten there with sufficient time. Also once at the gates, the airlines were holding some flights to allow for the long delays. The whole process seems like it could be improved significantly, but don't expect that to happen soon; just plan accordingly and bring a good book to read while you wait after clearing security.

We've not been to Aruba yet, but my present thinking for my next (3rd) Bonaire trip is that we'll fly to Aruba using US Air FF miles and then on to BON via DAE. On the return, I think we'll stay over 2 or 3 DAYS on Aruba, perhaps get a few dives in there, too. Total 12-14 day trip, but we'll see as time gets closer.

Those security lines can be a real pain when the situation is bad, so it's good that we have 1st hand info here...

I think we'll just have to suck it up. We're travelling on a Tuesday, so the wait will probably be minimal (was last time). But I don't want to be waving at the jet leaving without us. So we'll play it safe and stay at the airport.

When I booked the US/Aruba part of the trip DAE had a 10am flight on Tuesdays. Now they've dropped it. Go figure...

Lisa, on Tuesday there are no later flights so yes you will get to Aruba at 7:30AM. You should be able to check your luggage as soon as you get to Aruba. Now the US departure procedure is a pain. We flew in March on a Wednesday and it went very quickly (maybe a half hour). You should have plenty of time to shoot downtown, look around for a bit, buy a teeshirt, get a snack and then catch a cab back by 11:30 (1:15 for me).

Note; You should not listen to me due to my mantra of, if you are not living on the edge you are taking up to much space. On the other hand what happens if you miss your plane, no big deal they put you on the next one (what else they going to do, keep you).

Tom,

That's kind of what we did this year. We flew to Aruba and stayed for 3 days (drove around the island, snorkeled, geo-cached, etc.) then went to Bonaire (via DAE) for a week and then back to Aruba for 3 days. I have to say that for me - Aruba for 3 days was more than enough. The first three days were wonderful. Starting de-stress and relax - the return 3 days were more touristy and I was ready to go back home.

We stayed at a place called MVC Eagle in Aruba - It's in the low-rise section of the island. It's VERY laid back and right across the street from a gorgeous beach - just watch the "sand blasting" if you want to sit on the beach. We spent more time in the water because of that - but that's OK.

Well if you do that - enjoy.

Lisa,
Have you thought about switching your flight to Divi Divi? I'm not sure that you can get your DAE money back, but I would pay the extra money to not get up at 4:30 on the last day of my vacation so that you can spend 6 hours at the airport in Aruba.

Didn't think Divi Divi was flying to Aruba yet, although they had indicated they were planning to do start doing so soon. Any further info?

I had thought of that. But I looked at their website, and there was nothing to Aruba...

I thought Divi had started ... apparently not. I think E-liner does, though.

What is the E-liner?

It's new. I haven't been able to find a trace of them on the web ... I'll try posting under "Getting to Bonaire."

http://www.e-liner.net/

Most of us can forget about E-liner. It's for business people or day-trippers mainly. Planes are too small and luggage is a problem:

"Maximum baggage allowance per passenger 10kg (22lbs)."

http://209.182.51.201/servlet/FareStructureServlet

You can book your luggage as cargo the day before. Since the day before flight is a no-dive day, most of the weight can go on ahead.