what day do you CHECK OUT and why?

[Lew]

Just a little random curioustiy as to why you plan the days you check in and check out!

This trip we are flying out on a Friday. Never done it before, but it is July 3rd, and we both have a holiday, so we thought we'd give it a try.

Usually flying in on Saturday. Curious to see diiference. Sure it'll be busy in the Houston airport, due to July 4 holiday, but curious to see how MBJ will be.

Any benefits/downsides to arriving or leaving on certain days. Interested to hear experiences!

[L&L]

We used to travel Saturday to Saturday. Now we come and go on Wednesday. Not only are there fewer people at the airports, the price is quite a bit less for us. It is worth checking into if your schedule permits. Just my opinion.

[Hutdog]

Lew,

We don"t have any previous experience, but I'll tell you when and why anyway. We are getting married Sat. Oct. 17. We decided to arrive on Mon. Oct. 19. We were going to leave after our wedding, but decided on Mon, to go to CSS. I hope it will be less travel and check in crowd. We are only going for a week, and I also wanted a full weekend at the resort. You have a great time this weekend. Jonathan&Nikki (Martinsburg, WV)

[Sun_princess]

Hi Lew, I'll tell you what I know from our experiences. NEVER TRAVEL HOME ON A SATURDAY. We have done this twice, and I can tell you it is very hectic. We go in February, and last time, there were probably a couple of hundred people in the first line. After we got through that, it wasn't too bad getting through security. On the up side, we didn't have any extra time to blow off at the airport! Next year, we go and come home on Tuesdays. Week days seem to be calmer in my experience.

[Coloradojuli]

I agree with not flying on weekend days. It is mass ciaos. We usually fly in on Friday and out on Monday. The airport is still busy flying in, but not bad at all for flying out. This year we are going in and out on Thursday. Basically decided on this day as we couldn't get a decent flight out on Wednesday so we decided on Thursday. I have to work my vacation around payroll days so the 2nd would have been the earliest I could leave, but that was Wednesday so we are headed out on the 3rd (December).

Boy did I ramble or what? LOL

[Blondie]

The day we travel to Jamaica really depends on how long we are staying. this year we are staying for 8 days so we are leaving on a Thursday. We use to travel home on Saturday's but then Sunday was very busy trying to get unpacked and washed for Monday work. So this year we have decided to come home on Friday.

[yazmon]

Our first trip to CSA was Saturday to Saturday. The MoBay airport was a mess. The entire lower level was jammed full of people. The lines were out to the doors for the airline counters. Then the securtiy line was running the entire length of the building. When we finally got to the security lady I asked her what days were the least busy. She said any day BUT Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We now fly Thursday to Thursday and don't have a problem.

[izzyandbella]

We have flown on Fri. Sat. Sun. and Mon. We think we like Sunday to Sunday the best. We fly out early in the morning and usually have no line when we land in Jamaica. Coming home is not busy either. Just the usual wait. Just works for us. After booking this year tho, I had this bright idea that we should have stayed a day or two longer. Don't want to change trip this time but for sure will do longer days next time and then who knows what days we will fly on.

[BobandJudy]

I redeem my frequent flyer miles, so we are totally at the mercy of USAirways and what they will give us. If I had my way, I would fly in on a Friday, and back out on a Monday. However, it's never worked out that way. I agree that flying out on a Saturday is crazy. We did that once. The shuttle bus to the airport from CSA was very crowded. The airport was a zoo. Usually we fly in on a weekday (this past January, we arrived on a Tuesday, which was nice and quiet), but next year we fly in on a Sunday. We'll see what that's like, since we've never flown in on a Sunday before.

[Maxernie]

We have flown in & out of Mobay on Saturdays & Sundays which are WAY BUSY & it takes forever for immigration & customs. It used to anyway - haven't flown on the weekend for awhile so since the airport has been updated, it may not be as bad now but it used to be AWFUL coming in on the weekend & was not much better leaving.

We have flown in/out on Mondays, Wednesdays, & the last trip in May on Friday. They were all pretty much the same at the airport. Not much hassle with long lines in immigration or customs. SO MUCH BETTER than the weekend. It went very fast this past trip when we went on Friday. Now with the 4th of July holiday & a lot of other folks having the same idea that you had, I would guess it's gonna be more like a weekend day but that is just a guess.

One tip I will pass along that I got off this message board before we went in May that sped us along was to make sure to fill out both sides of both forms that they give you & your spouse on the plane for customs & immigration. (They have changed the forms since we went last.) They told us on the plane that just the head of HH had to fill out the back but someone on here had said that they were making folks fill out the back on both forms so they were making them get out of line to do this. Sure enough, when they checked our forms as we were getting in line, we were sent on ahead & others were being sent to finish their forms.

[IsagenixFreak]

2-3 weeks after we arrive... and why?? because they don't let us stay for free....
the day doesnt matter to us as much as the time of the flight... Since we are on the west coast, we like to take a red eye out so we have a "full" first day in JAI...

[IsagenixFreak]

oops.... I misread the thread topic... nevermind...

[Bkhiattky]

We always travel out on a Saturday, then we travel home on a Saturday. We expect the lines and we are fine with it. Once we leave the house we are on vacation, no stress no worries

[Jimnmariann]

This year we are also flying out on Friday July
3rd. Saturdays are too hectic. It is also a good idea to fly early in the day. Last year we left out of Jamaica late Saturday afternoon and it was crazy.

[jcjcnj]

We do not like to fly on the weekends, but Continental (& our frequent flyer miles) only flies one plane a week on Sat out of Newark and one plane out of Mo Bay to Newark. No choice, if we want to fly free. We used to be able to leave at 7:15, then at 8:15, now the flight is at 10. Not good for being able to have any of a first day!

[giffie]

I always leave a day between travel home and work, hoping I can get bumped from the plane and get free tickets

[ElainePoole]

We always travel on a Tuesday, we have the Monday at home to pack and travel to an airport hotel to stay the night (we are flying from the UK) the flight is always early next morning and it is a 10 hour flight.Tuesdays just seem to be right and I would feel strange travelling on another day.

[Tupperitaville]

We go for two weeks - we travel for two days each way and that gives us 11 nights in Jamaica. We travel mid-week to mid-week. I find that is better for work as well so then I only miss one full week.

[Vickyj]

Depends on air prices, so usually NOT the weekend. Are you packed yet? I have to do that today. Right now everything is in a Kohl's bag!

[Shari and James]

Hey Lew. We have come and gone on almost every day of the week. The only thing that seemed to make a difference on arrival is the how many planes were landing at once. We've breezed through on a Saturday when Delta used to have a direct early flight out of CVG that got in before all the rest and been on the Couples bus 20 minutes from stepping off the plane and came in on a weekday with three big plane loads and had it take over an hour. Departing always seems to be the same zoo but not to bad weekdays definately better for that.

[Buster1330]

Hi Lew,

Last year we went Saturday to Saturday and it was a complete mess. The lines were so long and our friends didn't fill out the entire forms so they were sent to the very back of the line to fill them out, so we ended up waiting for them.
Since our schedule is flexible this year so we decided to leave on a Monday and return on a Wednesday, I don't think it will be as busy during the week as it is on the weekend.

Have a great flight tomorrow and we'll see at the swim up bar next week!

[Allans_Angel]

I ususally like to go on Friday and return the following sunday. You get two Saturday nights at the resort, and those are so nice at CTI. This year, however, we are scheduled in early Saturday morning, and depart the following Sunday. Still get two saturday nights.

[Lew]

Those darn immigration forms!!! Mike always has a few cocktails, then pretends to be asleep to trick me into filling his out! Not falling for it this time!!!!

[Bkhiattky]

Lew- That is SOOO what I did to my husband this year LMAO

[JohnAndCindy]

I work every other Saturday so it's always worked out best for us to go Sunday to Sunday, leaving the day after I work. Never really thought about going midweek to mid week.