Advice on Miami Layover

[lindacat]

 

I am traveling from Boston to Nassau Bahamas on american Airlines.  This flight includes a stop in Miami.

I am traveling with my 81 year old mother who has difficulty walking long distances.  When I originally booked my flight I had a 2 1/2 hour layover in Miami.  

I thought this would be sufficient time to travel to the new gate with mom.  A recent change has seen AA change my flights and I now have just under 1 hour.  There are no other flights that we can change to that accomodates our needs.  Our original flight does not exist. 

 

Will i need to change terminals as the flight to the Bahamas is international?  

Would the international terminal be far from the AA Domestic terminals?

 

My mother usually resists wheelchair assistance,  but I did request it for this flight. 

 

[Zach1213]

Would you be willing to share your date? I find it surprising that AA only has one connection for BOS-MIA and MIA-NAS...both should have multiple flights each day and I'd be happy to look. 

 

Additionally, I would recommend seeing if AA can route you through another city...Charlotte is a good example of an easy airport with flights to both BOS and NAS on AA. Washington-Reagan may also, depending on the day. 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, lindacat said:

My mother usually resists wheelchair assistance,  but I did request it for this flight. 

 

I am a bit younger than your Mother.  My ability to walk long distances in airports or at cruise terminals has diminished.  I also used to think I would never want wheelchair assistance.  Well, reality set in during my 2019 cruises to/from Alaska.  When I deplaned in Vancouver and realized the distance I would have to walk to get to Customs/Immigration and Baggage Claim, I was able to have a Delta agent get me the assistance I required.  

 

I would inquire from your cruise line the distances involved in getting from wherever you arrive at the port in Nassau and where you will embark.  You may want to request wheelchair assistance in Nassau as well.  

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, lindacat said:

I am traveling from Boston to Nassau Bahamas on american Airlines.  This flight includes a stop in Miami.  I am traveling with my 81 year old mother who has difficulty walking long distances.  When I originally booked my flight I had a 2 1/2 hour layover in Miami.  

I thought this would be sufficient time to travel to the new gate with mom.  A recent change has seen AA change my flights and I now have just under 1 hour.  There are no other flights that we can change to that accomodates our needs.  Our original flight does not exist. 

 

Like Zach, I wonder about the lack of flight options.  Dates, times, flight numbers are always appreciated here.

 

2 hours ago, lindacat said:

Will i need to change terminals as the flight to the Bahamas is international?

 

All of MIA is one big terminal, but with separate concourses.  Most AA flights operate from the D concourse, but some operate from E.  D is long and sprawling, with a train system to get from one end to the other.  I suggest a look at the Miami airport website for details on the airport layout.

 

http://www.miami-airport.com/

 

There isn't a distinction between domestic and international for your departure.  For the return, you will have already gone through CBP procedures in Nassau at the pre-clearance facility there.  So your flight will be treated as a "domestic" arrival - no additional security screening, just a standard connection to BOS.

 

2 hours ago, lindacat said:

My mother usually resists wheelchair assistance,  but I did request it for this flight.

 

Good choice.  Unless you get the luck of the draw with close connecting gates (unlikely), you would be doing a lot of walking.  And when you do get those far apart gates, gently remind her afterwards "Wasn't it a good idea to get the wheelchair, Mom?"  🙂

[kokopelli-az]

3 hours ago, lindacat said:

 

A recent change has seen AA change my flights and I now have just under 1 hour. 

 

Will i need to change terminals as the flight to the Bahamas is international?  

Would the international terminal be far from the AA Domestic terminals?

 

My mother usually resists wheelchair assistance,  but I did request it for this flight. 

 

Absolutely, positively request wheelchair assistance.   (Even if you still had your 2-1/2 layover.)  

 

You would do this through your airline. 

 

The wheelchair pushers know exactly where your connecting flight is located and will practically run to get there, if necessary.  

They can even push her from the ticket counter in Boston to your gate there.  

Edited June 21, 2021 by kokopelli-az

[lindacat]

I am booked on AA on 9/9 from Boston to Nassau for cruise on the Adventure of the Seas. Flight 0747/connecting flight 4022.   I went against my own best judgement and booked the flights through Air2Sea as they were offering a discount on the airfare. Complicating the matter is that I booked First/business class as an enticement to get mom on the flight as she hates flying.

 

I spoke to the Air2Sea department and she told me that she really couldnt offer anything else.  If I cancel and book on my own.  The flights would be over twice what I am now paying

 

[Zach1213]

10 minutes ago, lindacat said:

I am booked on AA on 9/9 from Boston to Nassau for cruise on the Adventure of the Seas. Flight 0747/connecting flight 4022.   I went against my own best judgement and booked the flights through Air2Sea as they were offering a discount on the airfare. Complicating the matter is that I booked First/business class as an enticement to get mom on the flight as she hates flying.

 

I spoke to the Air2Sea department and she told me that she really couldnt offer anything else.  If I cancel and book on my own.  The flights would be over twice what I am now paying

 

 

Ah, so we're looking at Air2Sea? Perhaps it's a situation where flights are not changeable or even re-routable. I will say, on September 9, there are many options for BOS-MIA-NAS or BOS-CLT-NAS with layovers from one hour to four hours or even more. So it's not for AA having a lack of options. 

[lindacat]

No  i should have been clearer it is the restrictions through Air2Sea.  I am paying only 600 for the round trip first class, and the upcharge to change is high as the cost of the flights has risen since I originally booked.  

Although when I checked just now the layover time is now a little over an hour.  I think it changes everytime I look at it.

 

[FlyerTalker]

4 hours ago, lindacat said:

Although when I checked just now the layover time is now a little over an hour.  I think it changes everytime I look at it.

 

Seems that the connection time is now 1 hour and 23 minutes.  With wheelchair assistance, that should be quite doable at MIA assuming no significant delays on your BOS-MIA segment.

 

One nice side benefit is that your BOS-MIA flight is currently scheduled to be on a 777-200, which is configured for international business class.  You'll get flat-bed seats, which should thrill your mom, even if you will only get domestic F service.  The bad news is that she might now get spoiled and you will have to spring for tickets in the pointy end of the airplane from now on.

 

 

[Zach1213]

10 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Seems that the connection time is now 1 hour and 23 minutes.  With wheelchair assistance, that should be quite doable at MIA assuming no significant delays on your BOS-MIA segment.

 

 

Oh yeah, that should be good. MIA get a bad rap, but it's not that bad. My worst experiences have been clearing immigration coming back IN to MIA, which as you mentioned isn't an issue in this case. Oh, and a fun JAX-MIA flight on an ERJ where one of the tires popped on landing...but hey, it happens 🙂

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

One nice side benefit is that your BOS-MIA flight is currently scheduled to be on a 777-200, which is configured for international business class.  You'll get flat-bed seats, which should thrill your mom, even if you will only get domestic F service.  The bad news is that she might now get spoiled and you will have to spring for tickets in the pointy end of the airplane from now on

 

My personal experience supports your thinking!  

[Joseph2017China]

At JFK, got off Jet Blue, got my gate checked scooter for my wife.  she turned it up to high speed, I walked really fast.....went from domestic terminal, got on the airtrain to international terminal, went to ticket counter to get other boarding pass (international trips now required proof of testing), than TSA again, off to the gate, in 1 hour and 20 minutes.....barely made it.  All because of a 30 minute late flight

 

I would not want the short time or ever book it.  Try everything possible to change it......but whatever you do, make sure you use the wheelchair service!!!!!!