V-Flyer

We're arriving on an AA flight from Jamaica at 5:30pm. Just found out they've changed the time of flight VS006 to 7:55pm. They're arriving and departing from the same concourse, but of course we have to clear immigration and customs. Think we'll be alright for time?

Also, these are separately ticketed itineraries (far far cheaper for some reason!). Is there anywhere immediately after customs to re-check our bags, or do we need to proceed to the actual departures area of the terminal?

If you are on seperately ticketed itineraries presumably you will need to go through the whole check in process again - i.e. a proper check in at the VS desk not just rechecking bags. On a side note even with itineraries ticketed through you would probably need to do this. Recently we flew back from Ecuador via Miami and despite the AA agent in Quito checking us through to LHR the AA recheck agents wouldn't accept the bags ('AA only') and made us go back up to the VS desk to check in.

I have found Miami to be slow but, allowing for delays, 2h30 could be OK - keep a look out for new immigration desks opening particularly on the left hand side of the hall.

hi ambyuk we used miami in feb from mexico and we also flew with AA, we had to go through immigration collect our bags and we dropped them off with the AA baggage drop just after baggage reclaim and then go to check in with VS landside at the normal check in desk. hope this is a help

Great, thanks. Hopefully since we're transitting rather than staying immigration will be straightforward.

John, did you have your flights ticketed separately? If so what did you say to the AA baggage drop, how did they tag your bags?

sorry to say there is no transitting pax you have to complete immigration as if you were staying in the US collect your baggage as usual, and as you exit the baggage hall on the right is a AA baggage desk where you drop off your cases (its a bit hectic) the bags were tagged CUN to LHR via MIA in cancun. and we were ticketed separately VS LHR-MIA-LHR AA MIA-CUN-MIA the good news is on the outbound the luggage is checked through so it's only immigration about 60mins then straight to AA checkin and then back through immigration 30mins to airside. it's a pain in the a***

I used to be a US PR so if I'm coming on the visa waiver it can be somewhat time consuming. I meant hopefully it will be a bit easier from that POV since we're just transitting.

We'll see if we can get our bags tagged through then on the way back.

As I said - don't rely on the transit desk taking the bags. We had our flights ticketed on the same ticket, and checked through, and the transit desk refused to take the bags as it wasn't for an AA flight. The staff in Miami are often not particularly friendly either when you try to explain...

I can count on one hand the amount of friendly staff I've met at airports in the US, don't worry.

I've met lots of friendly staff at US airports.
Even some at Miami immigration!
The only airport I remember for an unfriendly person in the US was Houston.
Must be my happy smiling face
I can never understand the frequent complaints - often I get embarrassed when they continue to chat at immigration when I know there's a long queue behind.

Now UK security & immigration - that can be a very different matter! (particularly since getting their new uniforms)