Passport control JFK airport

[eric4395]

My wife & I are flying from Edinburgh to Miami via New York with delta airlines on a regent cruise in November. I noticed the we have 2 hrs 45 mins to change over at JFK. to Miami flight

Anyone had recent experience flying from UK if this  should be enough time to clear passport control . The flights have been arranged by Regent Cruises

[KforKitty]

From my experience at JFK 2 years ago the answer would be an emphatic ‘no’.  It took us 2 hours just to clear immigration alone, never mind collecting bags and re-checking in.  However, I don’t know if there’s any immigration priority for transiting passengers as NY was our destination.  Things may have improved recently but it was the worst airport experience I’ve ever experienced.

 

Catherine

[edinburgher]

35 minutes ago, eric4395 said:

Anyone had recent experience flying from UK if this  should be enough time to clear passport control

Sorry, no, not recent experience,  but unless there has been a very recent change, timing could be tighter than you expect as it was until recently at least, the norm to have to collect your hold luggage on arrival at your connecting airport, (for you JFK) then recheck it for the next flight.

[navybankerteacher]

Unless your TA leg arrives early, I think you run a real risk.  It recently took me over an hour and a half from on-time T/A arrival at JFK to be cleared of immigration with luggage in hand.  When you add getting to likely other terminal, and clearing TSA for next flight, you will have  pretty well used up another hour - and remember: you need to be ready to board that flight 30 minutes before scheduled departure.  Have you TSA Pre-check? 

[eric4395]

4 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Unless your TA leg arrives early, I think you run a real risk.  It recently took me over an hour and a half from on-time T/A arrival at JFK to be cleared of immigration with luggage in hand.  When you add getting to likely other terminal, and clearing TSA for next flight, you will have  pretty well used up another hour - and remember: you need to be ready to board that flight 30 minutes before scheduled departure.  Have you TSA Pre-check? 

Both flights with Delta and arriving and departing  at terminal 4

Spoke to TA today and she  doesnt seem duly worried. Regent cruises arranged the flights with Delta  who allocated them as we are staying in a hotel in miami for 1 night  pre cruise. It is Delta one class not sure if that makes any difference or not

[Thejuggler]

7 hours ago, KforKitty said:

From my experience at JFK 2 years ago the answer would be an emphatic ‘no’.  It took us 2 hours just to clear immigration alone, never mind collecting bags and re-checking in.  However, I don’t know if there’s any immigration priority for transiting passengers as NY was our destination.  Things may have improved recently but it was the worst airport experience I’ve ever experienced.

 

Catherine

Always a lottery in the US, which is why we prefer Dublin pre clearance.

 

The US has no transit system.  You arrive in the US and that's the end of your flight.  You join the queue for immigration and then check in for your next flight.

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 hours ago, eric4395 said:

My wife & I are flying from Edinburgh to Miami via New York with delta airlines on a regent cruise in November. I noticed the we have 2 hrs 45 mins to change over at JFK. to Miami flight

Anyone had recent experience flying from UK if this  should be enough time to clear passport control . The flights have been arranged by Regent Cruises

Our basic layover rule for intercontinental connections was minimum of 3 hours for many years. Due to several recent close calls with ultra busy Star Alliance hubs (e.g., FRA) and our equally busy SFO originating flights, we have increased the layover buffer to a minimum of 4 hours (fully expecting at least an hour lost to delayed starts and connection congestion). 

I suggest you do the same. I also caution you to reconsider using the cruise line for air. If you accept their bulk rate fare, only that ticket seller can make ticket adjustments necessitated by a bad connection situation. So, while you’re on the phone trying to get to Your cruise line’s air department in the middle of the night at home. DIYers are grabbing the last replacement flight seats thanks to gate agents at the connecting airport.

[eric4395]

13 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Our basic layover rule for intercontinental connections was minimum of 3 hours for many years. Due to several recent close calls with ultra busy Star Alliance hubs (e.g., FRA) and our equally busy SFO originating flights, we have increased the layover buffer to a minimum of 4 hours (fully expecting at least an hour lost to delayed starts and connection congestion). 

I suggest you do the same. I also caution you to reconsider using the cruise line for air. If you accept their bulk rate fare, only that ticket seller can make ticket adjustments necessitated by a bad connection situation. So, while you’re on the phone trying to get to Your cruise line’s air department in the middle of the night at home. DIYers are grabbing the last replacement flight seats thanks to gate agents at the connecting airport.

The deal we got  with Regent Seven Seas cruises from the UK to Miami included return business class flights where we have already reserved our seats on all flights with Delta.

It's on a new ship Grandeur of the seas. This includes  pre night hotel in Miami, great cabin , drinks package  wifi, all excursions, gratuities etc

The actual price of business class flights for both of us is about the same total as we payed for the whole package!🤔 so we are definitely not giving that up. Probably never get a deal like it again. TA said it's Regents responsibility as a package holiday to get us there & back if anything goes wrong it's them that have to sort it out. It's  all in the t&c's.

[Flatbush Flyer]

33 minutes ago, eric4395 said:

The deal we got  with Regent Seven Seas cruises from the UK to Miami included return business class flights where we have already reserved our seats on all flights with Delta.

It's on a new ship Grandeur of the seas. This includes  pre night hotel in Miami, great cabin , drinks package  wifi, all excursions, gratuities etc

The actual price of business class flights for both of us is about the same total as we payed for the whole package!🤔 so we are definitely not giving that up. Probably never get a deal like it again. TA said it's Regents responsibility as a package holiday to get us there & back if anything goes wrong it's them that have to sort it out. It's  all in the t&c's.

Here in the US, O’s (and Regent’s) T&Cs are not as kind. O assumes zero liability for the performance of its contracted services (eg., air, tours, etc). Of course, they’ll do their best to accommodate folks who purchase air and tours from O. But there’s no guarantees on anything related to stuff like missed air connections that keep you from. making your embarkation. BTW: Unless O’s chartered a flight, the ship will not wait for late comers.

 

That said, how good a “deal” you got has zip to do with my point about adequate layover times. A 3 hour layover buffer can quickly be diminished by a 1 hour delay at your point of origin flight. And all sorts of other things can chip away at what remains. Ever been through  passport control in major hubs during the summer? On one occasion for us at FRA, the line to get into the passport line was an hour in and of itself (plus twenty minutes to go through the passport control)! And we had already experienced a one hour delay at the start of our flight from SFO. We used the resulting approx one half hour (not the original three!) layover for a bathroom break and the sprint across FRA to the new gate. And what I am describing is not unusual.

 

So despite your “great” deal, I’d still be thinking about altering your flights to add adequate layover time. But, be prepared to live with your decision.

Edited May 6 by Flatbush Flyer

[eric4395]

47 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Here in the US, O’s (and Regent’s) T&Cs are not as kind. O assumes zero liability for the performance of its contracted services (eg., air, tours, etc). Of course, they’ll do their best to accommodate folks who purchase air and tours from O. But there’s no guarantees on anything related to stuff like missed air connections that keep you from. making your embarkation. BTW: Unless O’s chartered a flight, the ship will not wait for late comers.

 

That said, how good a “deal” you got has zip to do with my point about adequate layover times. A 3 hour layover buffer can quickly be diminished by a 1 hour delay at your point of origin flight. And all sorts of other things can chip away at what remains. Ever been through  passport control in major hubs during the summer? On one occasion for us at FRA, the line to get into the passport line was an hour in and of itself (plus twenty minutes to go through the passport control)! And we had already experienced a one hour delay at the start of our flight from SFO. We used the resulting approx one half hour (not the original three!) layover for a bathroom break and the sprint across FRA to the new gate. And what I am describing is not unusual.

 

So despite your “great” deal, I’d still be thinking about altering your flights to add adequate layover time. But, be prepared to live with your decision.

Understood Flatbush flyer and many thanks for your help. Meanwhile will keep in contact with our  TA and Regent cruises. Our flight arrives in JFK at 2:40 pm and our flight to Miami departs at 5:25pm (Both at terminal 4) . I note on the Delta website there is another delta flight departing for  Miami at 7:45 pm. I am surprised they haven't booked us on that flight just to give us more leeway. Our TA says if we missed our connecting flight they would prob arrange to try & get us on this one.

Failing that they would have to put us up in an airport hotel at JFK and fly us out early morning to Miami either with Delta or another airline to meet our cruise ship.

Obviously we would rather not have all this hassle if possible.

 

 

 

 

 

[ChristopherTracy]

Sometimes your flight crew on the transatlantic leg will let you off the plan first if you ask them nicely. make sure your cabin luggage is next to your seats so you dont have to go backwards for it down the plan iyswim. I really move quickly to get to immigration - do not stop for a loo break or anything else!