Timeline help: SXM to SBH

[davesmom]

Bonjour! It is now time to book SXM to SBH tickets and after looking into SBH Commuter, they only have one flight that would work with our AA flight and Winair has 5, so it looks like it will be Winair again for us. Does anyone have any idea how much time we should leave between landing in SXM and being able to make a flight to SBH with a bunch of luggage (moi) and a husband with a bit less luggage but still checking bags? The odds that our luggage and we would both make the flight are somewhat limited (!) so I figured our chances were better with 5 flights instead of one per day. We were going to engage Vincent and co. from Premium IV but when I wrote him, he suggested SBH Commuter. (I was not totally sure he would do the Winair connect, although I am hoping he will.) I expect the end of January will be a zoo and when I looked at AirSXM charters, I think they were about $3,000 round trip, which was too much for just 2 of us, and a shared charter at $1650 is not guaranteed unless there are 4 people. (Somehow I think we can get over there successfully for less than that.) I assume other charters from SXM are similar. Merci en avance for any time estimates you might be able to provide.ray1: I wish Tradewind would have worked but did not want to spend the night in SJU.

 

[deblollar]

We have used (and very pleased with!) St. Barth's Services to arrange transit from SXM to SBH and back via Winair. They will book either Winair or SBC, depending on your arrival and departure times. They make it very easy!

 

[shihadehs]

Overnighting in San Juan at airport hotel is not that bad if you can find better flights into San Juan..nice simple clean hotel we have used several times and are happily using next week. Early morning flight over and we are on the island at 7:30am.

 

[cec1]

Bonjour! It is now time to book SXM to SBH tickets and after looking into SBH Commuter, they only have one flight that would work with our AA flight and Winair has 5, so it looks like it will be Winair again for us. Does anyone have any idea how much time we should leave between landing in SXM and being able to make a flight to SBH with a bunch of luggage (moi) and a husband with a bit less luggage but still checking bags? The odds that our luggage and we would both make the flight are somewhat limited (!) so I figured our chances were better with 5 flights instead of one per day. We were going to engage Vincent and co. from Premium IV but when I wrote him, he suggested SBH Commuter. (I was not totally sure he would do the Winair connect, although I am hoping he will.) I expect the end of January will be a zoo and when I looked at AirSXM charters, I think they were about $3,000 round trip, which was too much for just 2 of us, and a shared charter at $1650 is not guaranteed unless there are 4 people. (Somehow I think we can get over there successfully for less than that.) I assume other charters from SXM are similar. Merci en avance for any time estimates you might be able to provide.ray1: I wish Tradewind would have worked but did not want to spend the night in SJU.

Your question has a couple of related variables in answering it. One is the matter of being expedited through the arrival / transit process. In this regard, many Forum contributors have attested to having received great "meet-&-greet" services from reps of WinAir and St. Barth Commuter. Personally, I have only passed through SXM once since the pandemic began . . . it was en route from SBH to the US, and I used Premium IV in negotiating the labyrinth of people & "red tape" at SXM (in this regard, upon arrival at SXM, I didn't see any WinAir rep there to help arriving passengers -- maybe someone was there, and I simply didn't see the person). Premium IV, in any event, was outstanding, as its service has been on every occasion that I've used it.

The second variable, I would say, is whether you want your luggage to travel with you from SXM to SBH.

If you're interested in getting to SBH as quickly as possible . . . minimizing your time at SXM . . . I would recommend that you engage Premium IV and have its agent get you on the first available flight. Your luggage, if it doesn't make the plane, will arrive an hour or so later . . . and you could pick it up at the airport or have it delivered by Premium IV to wherever you're staying (Le Guanahani?). In this scenario, I think that from landing at SXM, you can be out of there & on SBH in an hour -- give or take 15 minutes. If you wish to travel with your luggage, on the other hand, I would say that you need a minimum of two hours at SXM in order to assure that you'll be traveling with it . . . even if you have someone expediting you through the arrival "hoops.".

 

[cec1]

Overnighting in San Juan at airport hotel is not that bad if you can find better flights into San Juan..nice simple clean hotel we have used several times and are happily using next week. Early morning flight over and we are on the island at 7:30am.

I agree . . . overnighting in San Juan has been a "piece of cake."

 

[Tiffany]

We always allow 2 hours, then Vincent usually gets us on an earlier flight if space is available. He’ll bring your luggage to your villa if it arrives on a later flight. We do the 2 hour window in case the plane taking us to SXM is delayed. Once you land, PIV gets you through the airport quickly and they handle everything with your luggage.

 

[Hatz]

We have done the SXM to SBH transfer using SBC for years. Upon deplaning at SXM, an SBC representative greets you and escorts you around the main inbound passport control. He will collect your luggage and transfer it to your SBC flight - he’ll ask to see your baggage claim tickets (I always take a picture of our luggage so he can easily identify the bags on the conveyor belt).

You’re then escorted to security screening where you jump the queue and then outbound passport control. On our last trip this past summer, the entire process took less than 15 minutes. The only new wrinkle is the EHAS form and PCR test results, both of which were barely looked at.

 

[Eve]

Bonjour! It is now time to book SXM to SBH tickets and after looking into SBH Commuter, they only have one flight that would work with our AA flight and Winair has 5, so it looks like it will be Winair again for us. Does anyone have any idea how much time we should leave between landing in SXM and being able to make a flight to SBH with a bunch of luggage (moi) and a husband with a bit less luggage but still checking bags? The odds that our luggage and we would both make the flight are somewhat limited (!) so I figured our chances were better with 5 flights instead of one per day. We were going to engage Vincent and co. from Premium IV but when I wrote him, he suggested SBH Commuter. (I was not totally sure he would do the Winair connect, although I am hoping he will.) I expect the end of January will be a zoo and when I looked at AirSXM charters, I think they were about $3,000 round trip, which was too much for just 2 of us, and a shared charter at $1650 is not guaranteed unless there are 4 people. (Somehow I think we can get over there successfully for less than that.) I assume other charters from SXM are similar. Merci en avance for any time estimates you might be able to provide.ray1: I wish Tradewind would have worked but did not want to spend the night in SJU.

Not staying at the Vanderbilt Condado and eating at Condal is a big mistake

 

[KevinS]

(I always take a picture of our luggage so he can easily identify the bags on the conveyor belt).

That’s a great idea, one that I have used for many years. The photo, with easily identifiable features on the luggage (bright colored ribbons, yarns, handles, etc.), has always been appreciated by the people who are fetching the bags at SXM. It is appreciated by their counterparts at SJU too.

 

[LouiseL]

We are overnighting in San Juan at the airport hotel in a few weeks. If anyone has done it recently, how far in advance should I fill out the required health forms. Any other recent info on how long it takes to get through the SJU security lines in the morning would be great. Can’t wait to get there.

 

[Bluemoon]

We have used Winair’s VIP service for many years and have been very pleased. They met us, retrieved our luggage escorted us through security and put us on an earlier flight if available. When our luggage was delayed they delivered it to us where we were staying..
Aimee Greaux their VIP representative has been very helpful in communicating with us by answering any questions with a quick email response. When we had to “ evacuate “ quickly in March 2020 and change plans after the hurricane Aimee was very helpful.
You can access Winair’s VIP on their website. I hope this other option will help you.

 

[davesmom]

I am extremely grateful for all of your thoughtful comments and scenarios. Unfortunately we are locked in to our AA flights, so I guess we will give SJU a go on another trip. I did not know anything about the VIP option at Winair, which is also something I will look into, so thank you to Bluemoon for that novel information. Thank you as well, Kevin, for the reminder to make our luggage distinctive as well as the photo, Hatz! The 2 hour window at SXM for the next flight is very helpful and I will book accordingly, Tiffany. I am hoping that Premium IV will be able to help us through or the VIP Winair people. LouiseL, I know just how you feel..the fact that we are going is very exciting to think about! I'm pretty sure I need a new Briggs & Riley suitcase since I have already trashed 3 of them over the years..:laughing-cry:

 

[Eve]

We are overnighting in San Juan at the airport hotel in a few weeks. If anyone has done it recently, how far in advance should I fill out the required health forms. Any other recent info on how long it takes to get through the SJU security lines in the morning would be great. Can’t wait to get there.

I did it in May. The form is easy. You don’t need to wait until you have your results. I literally got them as I sat on the plane. Just upload and the QR code turns green. And if you don’t have results back because of your timing with SB, there are tons of testers in the airport.
There are so many people to help in PR, so no worries. We passed through Tuesday on our way back and there are so many people in hazmat suits which nothing to do.

 

[marybeth]

HI Bluemoon,
Thanks for the info on Winair VIP services. We usually use SBC but the flight times did not work this trip. Was considering this and see its a different provider. Do you know the costs and is there a benefit to using Five Star over other services like PIV that we have relied upon in the past?

Anyone else use Winair TO the island lately? Wondering if they provide any assistance as SBC is doing or if I have to pay for it?

 

[LouiseL]

Thanks for calming my fears. Delta doesn’t have their early flight out of ATL any more and the TW connection gets us into SBH later than we like. The overnight in SJU will hopefully work well and we can have a long, liquid lunch before checking into our Villa the next day.

 

[cec1]

. . . I'm pretty sure I need a new Briggs & Riley suitcase since I have already trashed 3 of them over the years..:laughing-cry:

I think Briggs & Riley has a “lifetime guarantee” . . . have you ever heard that? I’m not sure what it means, but my old B&R roller bag may soon be put to the test!

 

[24loar]

Briggs and Riley will repair your luggage for free, but you have to pay shipping. They repaired an old bag for me(not anyone you know) a few years ago; cheaper than buying a new one.

 

[cec1]

Briggs and Riley will repair your luggage for free, but you have to pay shipping. They repaired an old bag for me(not anyone you know) a few years ago; cheaper than buying a new one.

I bet the “repair” was like new!

 

[davesmom]

I bet the “repair” was like new!

I have sent one of them back and it was so so..I should definitely send this one back; it would be interesting to see what they could do with a continually overstuffed suitcase! :blush-smile: I keep the old ones packed in case we have to evacuate for fires again...they are still packed with photos.

 

[Bluemoon]

I looked at my old emails and we paid €180 in 2020. Unlike Tradewind VIP., Winair VIP is only one way. SXM to SBH. That was per couple. I don’t know what the charge is now. I also take photos of my luggage so they can see what my luggage looks like.
They have never let us down. Good luck with your travels.