Help!! Lima -> Cusco Connection--2 Hours enough?
 

Hello,

Our international flight (American Airlines) coming from Miami to Lima arrives at around 4 a.m.

Do we have enough time to catch a 6 a.m. flight from Lima to Cusco on LAN Peru? 2 hours.

How long does it take to clear custom and switch to the domestic terminal?

A guidebook said if you don't show up 45 min before departure, your seat will be taken away. That leaves us just 1 hour to clear custom and check in to LAN.

Should we take a later flight on LAN just to be safe?

Please share your experiences. Thanks.

Need to book our tix soon!
Thanks!

I haven't been yet, I'm still in the planning stages of my Peru adventure but I would like to suggest the following: Book the later flight because you can never be sure your flight from MIA won't be delayed and you would miss your flight to Cusco. Then if you do arrive in time for the earlier flight, ask if you can go standby for that.

PS American Airlines and Lan are code-share partners, maybe your luggage can be checked through to Cusco? And perhaps they can also give you a boarding pass to Cusco? I assume you still have to clear customs in Lima. But if your bag already has the bar code sending it all the way to Cusco, you s/b able to drop off the bag after clearing customs and not have to check in again.

I have no direct experience but these are questions I would ask of AA.

I've done exactly this itinerary a few times. As long as your AA flight isn't delayed too much, you'll be fine. Everything is in one terminal.

Arrive. Go through passport control. Pass to baggage claim. Collect your bags. Go through customs, usually waved through if you're a tourist. Exit customs. Airline counters are right there. Domestic check-in counters are just beyond the bank of international counters. Drop your bags off at LAN counter and get boarding pass. That's like a two-minute walk from the customs exit, if even that. Take escalator up to security. Pay the small domestic airline tax. Go through security. Go to your gate.

I take it your flights are all on one ticket? If your incoming flight is delayed, there are many more LAN flights to Cusco as the morning progresses. They'll put you on another one if you miss your first one because of a misconnect.

It works. :)

Thanks for all your quick response!

I need to print out the detailed instructions here and take them with me to Lima. :)


Thanks again!

It sounds like this airport is much more user-friendly than most, good info Jeff. :-)

I remember the days when I thought Lima was a terrible place to connect. They've completely overhauled the airport and it's one of my favorite now. Plus, LAN always does things efficiently. They are a great airline.

Thanks, Jeff! That's great to know. I've also heard that Lima is not too bad a place to see for a few days.

We have 2 full days there. Anything you would highly recommend?

Thanks!

Jeff, on this trip I will have the rare privelege of flying business class. Do you know if the airport has a biz/first class lounge?

Yes, P_M. It's called the Sumaq Lounge. ("Sumaq" = "beautiful" in Quechua.) It's an airport lounge, rather than one affiliated with any one airline. As long as you are flying out internationally biz or first with your airline, you have access. Just having elite status with an airline isn´t enough. You have to have the person who checks you in give you a pass. Ask if they don't offer.

You have access to the lounge only from the international gates, not the domestic ones. You have access to it only when you leave, not when you arrive.

Don't quote me on this, but I think it's open 24 hours, since most of the big international flights leave Lima in the overnight hours.

Thanks again Jeff. I googled the Sumaq Lounge and it does sound nice. I'll be sure to ask for a pass.

Jeff, do you have to pay the domestic airline tax in Soles? Or US dollars are ok? Where to withdraw money if Soles are required?

Thanks

Dollars are fine for paying the airport tax, JC98. When you leave Peru, American Airlines already include the international airport tax in the ticket price. No other airline does that yet.

Most ATMs give you the choice of withdrawing dollars or soles.