Saturday Departure Question

[nothintolose]

We are going to do a Saturday departure in late June and have heard that the STT airport is the worst on Saturdays.

I don't know that we have ever left on a Saturday, but we have always just zipped right through customs. Our flights have always left in the afternoon.

For those of you who have left on a Saturday, have you left in the morning or in the afternoon? Did you find it to be more crowded or difficult than other trips? We are trying to figure which would be less troublesome.

Thanks in advance,
nothintolose

[waterguy]

sat afternoon give yourself at least 2 hours

[Jumbiegirl]

I've usually left on Saturday mornings and it's a bear. If your flight leave later than 8:30 it'll be a zoo.

[Tracy in WI]

We left on a Saturday in June this year and it was a real bear. Lines all over and quite a bit of confusion. So much so that we plan to stay an extra night in St. Thomas and leave on a Sunday instead this coming June! It was also our first trip with kids, so that made it a bit worse.

[ATG]

We came home this past Saturday, 12/2. Our flight was at 1:30 with USAirways, one of the earliest big jet flights. Got there around 11:20 am. Check in took 5 minutes. No one in customs line, breezed through. Security another 5 minutes. In the terminal by quarter to 12. HOWEVER, by the time we got something that resembled food to eat at the restaurant there, we came out into the seating area and the place was jammed! By the time we boarded, every seat area was packed. And of course they were ready to close the plane doors when the last straggler sauntered in (happened to be sitting in the row in front of us) complaining about being stuck in the customs line (um, should have arrived earlier then?). So, give yourself about 2 hours and you should be OK.

[nothintolose]

Tracy in WI - what time was your flight out this past June?

We always get to the airport 2 hours in advance - just habit - even though I hate it. I wonder if in doing that, we will be okay on a Saturday.

Am tempted to spend last night in STT but we wait as long as possible to leave STJ because we think of STT more as "the real world" as opposed to paradise

nothintolose

[California Girl]

We fly out at noon on a Saturday, too, so I'm watching all these postings! Next time (if I'm lucky enough for there to be a "next time") I will certainly plan some things differently. Like the days I fly in and out of STT, for instance!

[Tracy in WI]

Nothintolose - we had an early afternoon flight - I believe it was about 2:00pm. It was really a zoo at the airport. We had a hard time finding which line to get in for check-in. Once that was done, we were in another huge line for customs which wrapped all around by the rum punch stand and back outside. Then, once through customs, the line for luggage was just as long. We gave ourselves over 2 hours to check-in and still barely made it in time to catch our plane.

As I said, it was more difficult with our kids than it would have been alone, but still not enjoyable.

We figured we try one of the Best Western properties near the ariport for one night before take-off this June. We too prefer St. John, but one more beach day isn't bad either!