TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Tip for St. Thomas Airport

Transiting the St. Thomas Airport from Flight check in to US Customs and Immigration, agriculture, etc. can take well over 2 hours even on a non-busy day. There is a trick which many of the TTOLers probably know but I'll share. When you arrive ask your cab driver to find a redcap type person (often a female, so don't be thrown by that).

Even if you have only a carry-on this works quite well.

The expediter will get you to the front of your airline check-in counter, get you a US Customs and Immigration form and then move you to the front of that line. Then once through that line, you need to pick up your bags and they move them to the recheck zone and finally get you on the fast lane for security. The usually baksheesh for this is $20 for only a bag or two, more for a substantial collection of bags. Once again, this has nothing to do with your bags; it's a form of a local custom to promote full employment. Further, since many folks do it, if you play it straight and don't tip a "helper" , you will be on a line that gets LONGER by the minute as others move to the front.

Here's the trick that we use: carryon only, pre-printed boarding passes and pre-filled C&I forms. No need to visit the airline counter, skip the checked bag line for customs. We got through security in less than 30 minutes on Easter Sunday. The customs line for checked bags was longer than the line for immigration. There's a separate TSA Pre-check lane once you go through the TSA checkpoint, but the only benefit is keeping your shoes on.

Cheers, RickG

can take well over 2 hours even on a non-busy day

We have never waited anywhere close to 2 hours. We rarely get there 2 hours early. BTW there is an actual charge for the porter, you can tip on top of the charge.

We've had several occasions where we took 2 hours to get to the gate. In fact in 2009 the announcement was made that Delta was about to close the cabin while we were still in security check. It was about 30 minutes early. Also what is the actual charge for the porter as it's always been discussed here as a tip.

of course

Is there a place to get the C&I forms before hitting the airport to fill them out beforehand?

Even on a busy day thru AA we never have more than a 30 minute time from check in to sit down in terminal waiting area. We are there twice a year--August and March and it is never extreme. AA has self check as well as self bag check. However, we are always 1 1/2 hours early. Are we just lucky??

We usually grab extras either from the ferry ticket desk or at C&I at the ferry dock.

Hate to say it but I think you are lucky..get there at lunchtime when many flights seem to leave and you be in long lines before you get through. I would always leave a 2 hour minimum more like 2 and a half..this last time through was a loooong haul. One thing we do to speed things up is get a second c and i form from the ferry company so we are ready to go right through to c and i at the airport..

You also have to fill out the Customs Card at the airport even if you have already filled one out when arriving by ferry from the BVIs. We got sent to the back of the line to fill out the card. Being Canadians we assumed that the USVI was US Territory and, as such, would not require the customs card to be filled out since we were flying back to the U.S. mainland. We also a decent last of the trip Painkiller in the airport bar before we left..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

We use the electronic customs form and have copies printed with our details.

http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP%20Form%206059B%20English%20%28Fillable%29_0.pdf

Otherwise, you need to pick up an extra form on the ferry, at C&I when you leave the ferry or get one from your airline counter.

Cheers, RickG

I think the STT airport operates in its own universe, by its own set of very dysfunctional rules.

Most of our VI vacations are on STJ (with a few trips to the BVIs) and I agree, that does sound like either luck or travel during off peak times.

The peak times can be epic and unless you see the crowds spilling out into the parking area, I can see how someone would think 2+ hours is overkill.

We started getting a porter 10 years ago and haven't looked back. I know that past two times, the self-check in was down so people had no choice but to wait in line.

Next trip, we are flying home on a Monday in July. I'll report back on those crowds. (Or lack of crowds)

Rick, do they actually accept the printed electronic forms??? That just seems way too easy and logical! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I was just gonna ask the same thing <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Very lucky and you are going in August (low season) and March (end of high season); also depends on what time of day. We have seen folks show up 1.5 hrs. in advance and barely make it.

My favorite is the Pre-V line....you get to wait in the line (with everyone else)...and keep your shoes on...after they spend 5 minutes telling you that you can do so...unless you wear birkenstocks because the brass buckle will set off the electromometerthingamagingthing.. as you watch everyone else go by. And by the way, if you bought one of those clasp bracelets with the anchor/dolphin on them...un clasp it...because it will set off the magnitomitorthingamagingnything. and at the end...you wait for you Pre-V wifey for an additional 15 minutes and end up saving the table at the bar while she gets numificated by the TSA. And she meets you with a beer in your hand.

http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2015/02/18/tsa-precheckR-expands-cyril-e-king-airport

and what is the actual charge prior to a tip please since many have posted that a 2 hour clearance isn't unusual after all and a porter would help?

Yep, printed forms are no problem. They come right off the CBP web site. We've never even had a question.

Cheers, RickG

Rick, I think it is $3.00 per bag. That of course, may be subject to change, as is the whole procedure with the porters. It has never gone the same once since we started using them several years ago. Always a good deal though, that's for sure!

Thanks for the clarification Deb <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Great, I have saved a filled out copy on my computer so it's there to print out and use.

Thanks for posting the link. Saving that one for sure.

We give the porter $20 regardless of how many bags. Anyone that says that they can get though STT in 30 minutes must be traveling on Tuesday in August. For the weekend fall/winter/spring traveler 2 hours is the norm. Pay the $20 and you wait on no line whatsoever until the security checkpoint. That's three lines you skip.

trawler_kid, we did it in under 30 minutes Easter morning and about 30 minutes in January. Pre-printed boarding pass, pre-printed C&I form, carryon only - that's three lines you skip. Carryon only means you skip the line for the checked bagged scanners where the cruise ship people stack up.

Not everyone can go carryon only and the porter is a great resource for them.

Cheers, RickG

I flew home on Good Friday, and there were maybe 30 people in the line for C&I. When we flew home last August, the line was out the door and 3/4 of the way down the terminal. Getting a porter saved our asses.

I recognize many of these posts are based on particular experiences on specific day. However, after many trip in and out of STT and EIS, my best advice is to not reduce your daily rum ration on the day you're heading home - this approach will make all of the unexpected insanity more tolerable.

I love the idea of the red-cap porters and have already printed off my pre-printed US C&I forms for each of us.

What about the trip into BVI from STT via ferry...is there a way to print off some UK C&I forms and have them pre-printed as well to save time/hassle?

We just flew home via STT on Friday. We arrived at 630am for our 8am flight. I used the AA self check-in and was through in 30 minutes. Everyone else in my group (4) used the check-in counters and it took them probably 30 minutes longer.

The kiosks are tricky. They won't read a passport and everyone gave up. I used my record locator number and got through in a couple minutes.

I saw the porters but didn't feel I needed the help. I had one checked bag.

Btw. Trip report soon! We were six ladies on a cat!

It only took a minute to fill out the forms for entry. If you make a mistake use only one line to cross thru the error :-)

What flummoxed our group was only one pen amongst us-- pack a pen!