No. You have to hand carry your luggage through customs before handing it off to be scanned and loaded on the plane and once you pass customs, you won't be let back out without a compelling reason.

If you are coming in form Tortola, the taxi association at the dock has a baggage check. If the downtown ferry from STJ, the taxis there will hold your luggage in their car until you are ready to go to the airport. There is also a place, by the Market Square in town, called the Lucky Iguana that has a baggage check.

RL

We had a taxi hold our luggage, and it worked out quite well. When we were done shopping, we just called his cell phone and he picked us up at the ferry dock.

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I understand the part about your luggage, but what I cannot understand is why you can't go outside after you have gone through all the "stuff".

There is no where in the airport to smoke, so why can't I go outside to smoke and then go thru again. Does it have something to do with customs/immigration? I always go back outside when I'm early for a flight in the domestic US airports.

Thanks,
Lee

St Thomas is not run as a domestic US airport. And it is run quite differently than any airport, as in, you do it their way or, believe me, you don't do it at all.
You stand in a long line to check in. This is done at an open air counter, where you cannot smoke. You can go across the street from the airport for a smoke, and leave your partner with your bags while you are waiting to check in.
And there are no duty free shops inside the airport, so if you want to buy any liquor or cigarettes, you have to do that in the store at the ARRIVALS area BEFORE you get in line to check in. And you had better be checked in at least one hour before your flight it scheduled to leave. They don't just give away your seat--they will not even check you in.
After they check you in, they weigh your luggage, and they give it back to you. Then you push, pull or drag it along another line through customs/immigration and only then do you give your luggage to the people who check it in and put it through the screening process and on to the plane. And then you get on line to go thru the TSA screening stuff with your carry on.
When we came home in August, their rules were stricter than those in the states. You had to take out all cameras, i-pods, CD and DVD players, kids electronic games like game boys ect. and binoculars of ANY SIZE ( not just full screen stuff) in addition to your laptop,. And God forbid you have a baby or toddler or even any younger child that is hot, tired and/or doesn't like to wait in line. The TSA,/miscellaneous airport personnel don't mind telling you, when you are trying to contend with 2 crying twin toddlers who were awakened from napping in their stroller to go thru screening " lady( who is my sister) if you cant control them you shouldn't have them". It took my husband all the nerve he had to keep from slapping the $hit out of this fool. I did write a letter to the VI Port Authority and to the tourist board and did not get a reply from either.
So when they tell you to be there 2 hrs ahead--more on a Saturday--believe them. And it doesn't matter if you think you should be able to go out once you get in--don't even think about it. Sometimes they are already boarding if you only allow yourself 2 hours.
If you are lucky enough to see a poter grab him or her, especially BEFORE YOU CHECK IN OUTSIDE. Its worth the $20 or so to have them help you carry your bags thru customs and immigration. They will then usually bypass the line you wait on to give your bags to the screeners to check in. They put the luggage on their carts in through another doorway.
After 22 trips, and all manner of rudeness, delays, rule changes, bad food and the like, I guess they could still make it worse. We love Paradise but we sure hate going home.

St. Thomas is not a "domestic" airport. It is a port of entry. And, yes, that does complicate things however it is much nicer and easier to clear immigration in St. Thomas rather than in San Juan or your stateside arrival airport as one used to have to do. If you are uncomfortable waiting in line, you can use the self-check in or hail one of the porters who will not only check you in using it but also handle your luggage thru the customs inspections where it is put on the belt.
Upon your arrival while waiting for your luggage, you can go over to the departure desks and ask for the custom form so that you can fill it out before you even get to the airport which makes one less thing to do. And have your documentation ready and available. It is recommended that you be at the airport at least 2 hours before departure and they do close check-in an hour before a flight. If you come through San Juan on the Eagle, they close their flights a half hour before. Long before the TSA, one had to boot up the laptop, cameras were looked thru the viewfinder but now all electronics are checked so be prepared and have them ready as you would at any airport and you most likely did on your way to the island. And place your plastic one-quart bag seperate from your other carryon bag. It is amazing somedays at the delays and confusion caused by passengers despite how many times someone announces what needs to be done to get through security. Imagine the lines if people had to go through them twice because they left the secure area.
No one really wants to be at the airport, getting on a plane and going home. It's not fun. But then spending time under arrest might extend your vacation but not where you'd like to stay.

The STX airport must be more user friendly. The 2-hour rule still stands, except for the early morning flights. The airport doesn't open until 6 am, so even if you have a 7 am flight, there's no use getting there much before 5:45 or 6.

You check in with the airlines and they take your bags, then you go into the customs/immigration area. After you get past the immigration desk, you collect your luggage and take it the few steps to the baggage screeners. They open and check your luggage while you watch and they send it on it's way.

Then you go through security. You do not have an opportunity to leave once you start the process. I have artificial knees so I always have to be "wanded and patted down". Even this doesn't slow down the process too much.

And I agree about clearing customs in San Juan. We traveled to Europe last month and returning through San Juan was the worst airport experience I've ever had.