www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I flew American this last trip with a plane change in Miami. Not a problem on the way to SJO but flying back was a nightmare. The plane landed in MIA on time but had to wait 30 minutes for a gate to unload. I guess they didn't know we were coming. The layover is only 1hour 50 minutes. When arriving in Miami you have to get your luggage and go through immigration and security all over again, since were coming into the country. Well, after the 30 minute gate delay and almost another 30 minutes retrieving my luggage I head to the American Air area to check my bag for the next leg of my journey but there were litrally about 300 people in front of me. After some whinining and complaining to an AA employee, She took me to an express line and had my bag checked and was able to get through imigration in time for my flight. I was almost the last person to board. The flight was only about 15 minutes late landing but my luggage didn't make that flight. But it was on the next one about an hour later. Sorry about the long rant! But I think it's stupid for AA to have such a short layover considering what one has to do when arriving in Miami.

Jet Blue is offering flights to SJ from DCA via FLL for a plane change. Is the Fort Lauderdale airport less busy and easier to negoiate than MIA? I only fly about a half dozen times a year and always avoid Newark, O'hare and Atlanta for plane changes given their very poor on time record. I know many say never check luggage but this the first time ever in my life this has happened to me. I guess I've been lucky. Till now.

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"Guess what?! I've got a fever, and the only prescription... is more cowbell!"
Christopher Walken

If you are looking for better service? FLL will NOT be the answer! Obviously, service is directly related to the individual airlines, but IMO, the airlines @ MIA do a much better job. There are NEVER enough service agents, especially these days.

It really depends on time of day, day of week, etc. I know that really doesn't help much. Sorry.

duplicate...sorry

I would stick with MIA. Tst is right, over all there will be less hassle through MIA.

Man at least you don't get detained by immigration everytime you come back in the country

Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

I'm gonna go the other way, I've flown thru both MIA and FLL, and MIA to me was the biggest pain in the ass ever. It seemed like everything moved really slow. Even with a 2 hour layover, I barely made my flight.

The customs line was from here to Texas, and after taking 45 min to go thru customs, my luggage took, no lie, another hour to make it out. Then another line to go thru security. It was brutal.

I've had a nearly identical experience at MIA flying AA, with the only difference being after standing in line at concourse C for 30 minutes they closed it and told us to walk down to concourse D.

I really like FLL even though it's an old airport. It's much smaller than the major hub MIA, so there are usually only 1 or 2 people in front of me in the security line.

I have been in a lot of airports and MIA is one of the most confusing passenger unfreindly airports I have ever seen. My big problem is that just about everywhere I want to go flies out of MIA. The lines are horrible and if the statistics are kept on such matters I bet that as many or more people that miss thier connecting flights there than in other airports. On top of everything else it seems that everybody exept the ticket agents and homeland security speak spanish and only limited english if you can even find anybody to ask for help. I have been there enough times by now to learn my way around and the biggest tip anybody can give is that when arriving to mia from international flights at the immigration there are probably 20-25 customs booths all with long lines,, but keep going far far right and there are additional booths that cant be seen that have shorter lines. This tip can save you 30 minutes or more. Then you have to retrieve luggage and check back in. Unless one is lucky and hits on a slow day never book a flight with less than 2-2.5 hours minimum lapse time if going thru MIA on the return segment. And 1 time when I was less familiar it took me about 3 hours. Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, ect all have far better systems in place. I wish there was another major hub for latin america. JD