OO, I'm curious about your comment in Miami of your bags not making it to the connecting flight. I've always thought that in Miami coming in from an International flight YOU must collect your own bags and then pass them on to a connecting flight baggage area --even when sticking with the same airline. No?

We were terminating one time in Miami and waited over 3 hours for our bags. Many people were missing their connecting flights because their bags were not coming in and they had to claim them before checking in for their connecting flight. There was almost a revolt going on. It ended up the little luggage "train" had been taken to the wrong place and left. They finally found it.

Oh my gosh... I've had some of the *worst* experiences at MIA. On a recent flight back to NY, the security line was beyond belief, seriously almost 2 hours.

I was recently at MIA and the traffic due to construction in and around the airport was awful! I hate MIA just as much as the next guy, but anytime I travel to the caribbean, I can bet on being routed through there by AA.

I wouldn't leave...there are lots of shops and restaurants that aren't great, but beats sitting around. I would also check into the Admirals Club.

My worst MIA story was a layover on the way to St. Kitts, it was raining outside like cats and dogs. Then, every single flight was delayed for hours. However, we found out it wasn't due to rain, it was due to (then) President Clinton's plane landing for some event in Miami. We finally boarded our plane for SJU about 5 hours late and of course, missed our connection to St. Kitts. Not the airports fault, but when I think of MIA, I think of that!

And if you are staying in the airport, whatever you do, make sure you don't leave the secured area. There is nothing in the main part of the airport worth having to do that.

Wow! All of this makes me shudder at the thought of laying over in Miami! Actually I'm thinking about calling AA to see if we can reverse our itinerary (flying into Venice instead of out) because our flight to Geneva was just changed and now there is a six hour layover. I'm hoping that reversing the itinerary will allow better flight options. We shall see!

Tracy

I am assuming that you are connecting to a domestic flight? Therefore, as soon as you clear customs, you can check in your bagage.

IF AND IF you can get into a cab by say no later then 5:30, then I see no problem going to South Beach. It is a straight shot all the way...lets say 30 - 40 minutes.

I would go to the Delano Hotel or the Shore Club and have Sushi (it is fast in other words). Then you can enjoy the beautiful grounds of the hotel, step out he back onto the boardwalk and walk the beach.

As an alternative, there is a pretty good old cuban restaurant right across the road from the Delano you could eat quickly at and then go to the Delano.

Since rush hour will be over on your trip back, it should be quick to the airport.

Both of those hotels are located in convenient locations where traffic back will not be an issue and both have cabs at all times.

Check your gate on the way to the airport, and have the cab drop you right at your gate, and then it is just a matter of going through security.

Since your leaving so late, the airport is not as busy that time of the night, so the lines will not be too bad.

It will be tight, but if you plan it, it should go smooth.

Another alternative, if you have the budget, would be to hire a Limo to meet you at the airport and then wait in South Beach at the hotel for you to take you back to MIA....might be fun.

And NeoPatrick please dont tell anyone about the service road...the fewer that know about it the better!!!

But Mark, did you read the above posts? Apparently that service road is now closed! Boo-hoo.

I think the south exit is closed, but the remainder is open? Been a while since I used it, since I left my job in Doral. That road was such a godsend!

Patrick, picked up our bags, went through customs, dropped them off again for the next flight and they never once made it to the next plane. 3 trips coming back through Miami and each time, bags had to be left in an area full of bags going any and everywhere(at their direction). We waved good-bye after the first experience, hoping to see them again, and they they did catch up with us a day later in Tampa. We never had less than 3 hours between connecting flights coming back, yet our luggage never made the 2nd flight. Yours does??

My bags have always made it on American.

Which airline did you take?

Ah, OO, now I get it. I thought you just meant that they never transferred the bags from one flight to the other and missed the part where you claimed the bags and dropped them off for the new flight. So it was AFTER that they didn't get them to the flight.
That "room" is the most disorganized mess. I've stood there and wondered how any bags get where they're going.
The missed flights I was talking about was from the people who kept waiting and waiting to claim their bags at all from their incoming international flight. That can be one long wait. On our last flight in from Paris, we all didn't know whether to laugh or cry. We'd all stand there and wait and then one bag would come down the chute onto the carousel. Then we'd wait and finally another would come. We all had visions of them sorting through every suitcase before they loaded it onto the chute. I've never been in another airport like Miami.

hills...American too, both flights into Miami and connecting flights out. Three shots at it and 3 misses. That room is as Patrick describes...total chaos. They make it a day later, and considering the chaos we left them in, we are grateful for even that small favor!!

I'm just fascinated that markd says its 30-40 minutes to South Beach at 5:30! I'm from Chicago, and used to bad traffic, but Miami was still challenging during the 4 years daughter attended UM and we were regular visitors. You could easily spend that amount of time just getting to Coral Gables at 5:30, depending on day and traffic. I agree with the people advocating the Admirals Club, especially if they say it is nice--a recent article in either the WSJ or NYT comparing facilities of different airlines in different cities found wildly varying services and conditions.

Hmm...wonder if it is the time of day. I'm always connecting back from South America, so it's early am. That room has never appeared chaotic to me. My bags always got right onto the belt.

Next time, I might try slipping the guy some cash.

I will say that I avoid South Florida airports like the plague on Saturdays and Sundays. Way too many clueless Midwesterners going to or coming back from their Disney-esque tour of the Caribbean. Ugh. There's nothing worse than an airport or plane full of them.

Otherwise, I enjoy the Miami airport, if only for the great Cuban coffee and pastries.

We are arriving on a Thursday evening so I'm assuming I should expect the worse!

And hills, as a midwesterner myself (I've lived in St. Louis my entire life until last October when we relocated to Charlotte) I'm rather offended! I don't understand why midwesterners would be worse than anyone else coming back from the Caribbean. Many people are clueless when conneccting or flying out of any airport they are not used to. I would certainly hope that nobody in MIA finds me clueless and offending when I fly into that airport.

Tracy

It's not a comment on all midwesterners, just a certain breed...cornrows with a sunburnt scalp is a common identifying train. ;-)

By the way, I live in the Midwest BECAUSE I love midwesterners.

Btw, a Thursday afternoon in May shouldn't be bad. The airport won't be overrun by cruise ship people, the snowbirds have already left by then, and the afternoon rains haven't started yet. You should be fine.

Landing and Departing at MIA is about the worst experience I've had in Florida. Don't even get me going on CDG!

And the traffic in and around Miami is truly an awful experience. Being the idiot tourist I was at the time, My Husband and I were stuck going to and from South Beach forever.

But I have liced and learned. I will be in Miami in late November. If I were at MIA airport for 5 hour delay, I'd stay putt.

Our flights were from Europe, arriving late afternoon/early evening with connecting flight to Tampa. We could almost grab a car and be home in the time it took us to get through Miami, with way less aggravation to boot!

OO, I know what you mean. In Naples, Ft. Myers is even closer. We've turned to flying out of Miami (horrible) or Ft. Lauderdale (wonderful) when we can. But often we have to take the puddle jumper from Ft. Myers to Miami rather than just do the drive to Miami. Why? I just looked at flight from Ft. Myers to New Orleans on American. All flights are Ft. Myers to Miami then non stop to New Orleans. They cost around $138 round trip. If we drive to Miami and just take that part of the flight, the price goes to about $269. Go figure.