travel time?

[BStar69]

Can anyone tell me how long it takes to clear customs and get from the airport to the high rise section? I understand that customs depends on how many people are going thru the same time you are, but I've seen places where it was handled very efficiently, and some places not so much. We arrive Friday the 18th at 1:45pm and I am trying to plan for that afternoon.

Thanks!

[sunnysmiles]

It took us less than an hour from getting off the plane to getting to the high rise area. The longest part for us really was waiting for our luggage.
And that was on a Saturday.

[Shnyda]

It has taken us anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hr to clear customs.

Baggage is usually 15 - 20 minutes.

Trip to the high rises is about 10 - 15 minutes depending on downtown traffic.

If your plane lands at 1:45.... figure on arriving at the hotel sometime around 3:00 - 3:30.

[paulmorin]

I've always done it in less than an hr.

[Kenny Maine]

Same here - less than one hour!

[JRosco]

So what all goes down in customs? I've been to Mexico, but I pretty much forgot that part of the trip! lol

[Arubalisa]

I believe entering Aruba you are referring to Aruban Immigrations. This is where the lines are the longest while waiting for each person's passport to be processed. The length of time varies greatly depending upon whether or not the arriving flights are full and how many flights are arriving at the same time. How many officers are at lunch or on break? There are a number of different factors.

Once through Aruba Immigrations you will proceed to baggage claim. Once you have claimed your bags, you will pass by Aruba Customs officers. They seem to randomly pull people out of line to question and or inspect. In all of our trips we have never been stopped or questioned, just waved straight through.

http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/aruba%20customs.html

[Shnyda]

Lisa is correct - It is "Immigration" that the lines form at.

Customs is usually a breeze after you get your bags. They stopped me once and asked me a couple questions about what I had and I was through in about 30 seconds. Every other time they havent even looked at me.

[Shnyda]

Kenny and Paul - You guys have made it from the door of the plane to Eagle/Palm beach hotels in less than one hour?

That's impressive - you have given me a goal!

I think our trip in a few weeks we land around 1:30. I want to be poolside by 2:40!!!


US Air lost our bags the last trip so we got held up at the baggage counter for an hour. I've never had a problem with Continental and my bags - so I will cross my fingers.

[jeffnev]

Arriving in Aruba is a breeze compared to other islands and Mexico. Immigration is usually efficient upon arrival unless a few flights have landed at the same time and it gets a bit crowded...and it is air conditioned. Anyone who has gone to Mexico can attest to the chaos and their "red light/ green light" system where you literally push a button and if the light is green you go thru, red you get stopped.

We always take the direct Continental flight from Newark which lands at 1:30 and we are always in Palm Beach by 3 with picking up a car.