1 hour at SXM Immigration today

[Amery]

Just to be sure I understand: there is no way to avoid the immigration lines as I arrive in SXM from SBH on my homeward journey?

No matter, I'll be always returning no matter these challenges!

If you have checked bags all the way through (from SBH) to final destination or have carryon only you will avoid immigration in SXM b/c you will go "in transit" which has it's own separate security. It usually moves quickly. On return 2 weeks ago, after going through with no line (around noon on a Friday) 90 minues or so later I noticed the line was significantly longer. It depends upon when flights come in but generally speaking the new "in transit" is much improved.

 

[erikb923]

If you have checked bags all the way through (from SBH) to final destination or have carryon only you will avoid immigration in SXM b/c you will go "in transit" which has it's own separate security. It usually moves quickly. On return 2 weeks ago, after going through with no line (around noon on a Friday) 90 minues or so later I noticed the line was significantly longer. It depends upon when flights come in but generally speaking the new "in transit" is much improved.

What airline lets you check a bag from SBH all the way to final destination when transiting from SXM? Do they have some codeshare partners?

 

[Amery]

What airline lets you check a bag from SBH all the way to final destination when transiting from SXM? Do they have some codeshare partners?

We use United, I don't know if there are others.

 

[erikb923]

We use United, I don't know if there are others.

So you can check your bag in SBH and use either SBC or Winair and you don't touch your bag until arriving at say EWR or ORD?

 

[Amery]

So you can check your bag in SBH and use either SBC or Winair and you don't touch your bag until arriving at say EWR or ORD?

Only Winair. We check SBH-EWR.

 

[erikb923]

Okay, that's actually pretty great!

 

[KevinS]

Winair also has an interline agreement with JetBlue.

Note that US airlines often require that both the US airline and Winair flights be booked on the same reservation. That’s best done by booking the entire reservation through the US airline website/app, and not one reservation for the US airline and a different one for Winair. I no longer live in a JetBlue city, and I cant remember the last time that I flew United, so I haven’t looked to see if that applies here. (If you do have different reservations for the US airlines then you can try asking the checkin agent if they can help you, which sometimes works. No guarantees though.)

Tradewind has interline agreements with American, JetBlue, and United. That may not have much value on the way home, as you have to recheck your bags after clearing Customs in SJU, but it could be helpful on your way to SBH.

 

[erikb923]

Winair also has an interline agreement with JetBlue.

Note that US airlines often require that both the US airline and Winair flights be booked on the same reservation. That’s best done by booking the entire reservation through the US airline website/app, and not one reservation for the US airline and a different one for Winair. I no longer live in a JetBlue city, and I cant remember the last time that I flew United, so I haven’t looked to see if that applies here. (If you do have different reservations for the US airlines then you can try asking the checking agent if they can help you, which sometimes works. No guarantees though.)

Tradewind has interline agreements with American, JetBlue, and United. That may not have much value on the way home, as you have to recheck your bags after clearing Customs in SJU, but it could be helpful on your way to SBH.

That's good to know, we always spend some time in Grand Case or Orient before St Barth, Bacchus in Hope Estate is the best lunch on either island IMHO. Flying home it's through SJU so having to get the bags kills the "checked through" vibe.

 

[cassidain]

. Flying home it's through SJU

Ditto

 

[dadto6]

When I check in at SBH heading back to Washington through SXM, Winair prints my United boarding pass which I use to go through transit line only security which is typically very quick and easy therefore skipping the long line immigration and long line security. Carry on baggage only.

 

[davesmom]

There are no interline transfers anymore in my experience with DL

 

[KevinS]

There are no interline transfers anymore in my experience with DL

Correct, not with regional Caribbean airlines (other than the now-defunct Silver Airways) but they should still have interline agreements with larger international airlines.