Connecting flight from New York

[joannie10]

A friend of mine flies into New York with American Airlines at 10.30pm on Friday evening. She then flies with American Airlines to Cancun the following day around 11am. Is she able to leave the airport during this time?
many thanks

[dzug]

Not only can but almost must.

She will have to go through US immigration and customs and go landside. She can go straight back airside, but is free to leave the airport if she wishes.

She will need a US visa or be eligible for a visa waiver.

[joannie10]

thanks dzug - the thing that is confusing us is her luggage. Sorry if this seems daft but we were assuming her luggage would be checked right through - therefore does she just leave her luggage at the airport, is that allowed?

[dzug]

The luggage will not be checked right through even if the connecting flight is virtually immediate. It will be tagged through, but still has to be collected and taken through customs. It's then normally a question of slinging it on a conveyor belt rather than a full checkin.

Don't know what happens for an overnighter - whether the informal checkin is usable - I would guess it is if she is prepared to do without it overnight.

[dzug]

What I've said assumes an internal US flight - for an international connection I'm less sure about what happens to baggage, but the immigration bit is certain. The US just does not have a concept of 'transit'. She will have to enter the US and leave again, both ways.

[joannie10]

thanks dzug you have been really helpful.

[jno]

you used to be able to use transit lounges en route through the USA to somewhere else; I think stopping it was a post-9/11 thing. Crazy, since if you are indeed a terrorist you are now loose in the USA with your deadly luggage. What dzug says applies to international flights, or at least it did last time I stopped in LA en route to Auckland: go through immigration, pick up luggage, rush upstairs, check in luggage, go through immigration. All to re-catch a plane that had merely touched down to swap crews and be hoovered.

[joannie10]

thank you both very much