Learn from my mistake. They need you to check in, truly, two hours prior to the flight. I thought as you did earlier this year - - "why waste time at the airport...one hour prior to the flight is plenty of time". Well, it isn't. We checked in one hour prior and they wouldn't let us on the flight - - not enough time for customs and processing of luggage.

So sorry for the bad news, but I would arrive at the airport at 2 pm. Good news is that they have a decent bar with good painkillers and bushwackers.

I found like one poster allow yourself at least 2 hours I always gotten there 3 hours at times but that was for a certain reason. But at least 2 to 2 1/2 hrs before. The lines for the airlines can be long as well as customs & security. I know this is not fun to wait when you could enjoy the island but if you arrive too late you are out of luck.

Here's my story. On a trip a couple of years ago, we bought my wife a ring in Havensight. We needed to stop by Havensight and get the ring adjusted and figured we'd be alright if we arrived about 1.5 hours before the plane left - we weren't.

Leaving St. Thomas you have to clear customs as well as go through all of the security. If you don't arrive about 2 hours before your flight, the airlines won't even try to get you out.

Trip Tip:

However if you decide to cut the time down to say 1 hour, be sure to bring your camera so that you can take a really cool picture of your plane leaving the runway (without you)!!!

St Croix is a little more laid back. I think 1 1/2 hours here is plenty.

Why risk it? Get there early, bring a good book or go to one of the bars. Begin your trip in style with a drink! You can always snooze on the plane and be fresh and bright when you get to paradise. The lines at the airport can be long and frustrating. There are too many last minute arrivals that set everyone's nerves on edge. Don't be one of them.

Thanks everyone. We always get to the airport in PLENTY of time (my fiance is notorious for being well ahead of schedule) and now we know how much time to plan for. Thanks again.

Another reason to maybe arrive early...the power was out (or computers were down at the tix counters) at the STT airport when I went to check in a couple years ago. Ticket agents had to hand write tickets and then change them over to electronic tix when their computers were back up shortly before boarding.

I have flown in and out of STT about a dozen times this year and it has never taken me longer then 20 minutes to get thru customs and security. I travel on Thursdays and Mondays so that makes a difference. I travel on US Air so I always print my boarding pass 24hrs in advance on line. I live here so I feel a little more comfortable arriving 1 1/2 hrs before the flight. If you are trying to get home from a vacation I would take the safe route and show up 2hrs early. If you are flying US Air or American out of STT I would take advantage of printing your boarding pass on line before showing up to the airport. Most hotels have a computer in the business center that you can use.

You have been mighty lucky then! While you use your computer to search for flights and print boarding passes some of the locals don't.

On several occassions I have been stuck behind someone in line booking a complicated future itenerary to some obscure down island destination. They then pay for the ticket in cash. In August I was behind someone doing this and it took fifteen minutes and there was only one agent on duty.

I always shoot for arrival at the airport two hours before departure. The only exception being an early morning flight before 8 AM since the airport doesn't open until 6 AM.

Jim

I think the key at STT is to avoid heavily travelled days ie..Fri-Sat-Sun. With USAir I have shown up 1hr before my flight if I am being dropped off. I have their Signature Visa Card that allows you priority check in. So I just go to the head of the first class line and I am usually thru in a couple minutes.
With American I always see people standing in a long line when they could simply walk over to the Kiosk and do the self check in. Either way almost all airlines offer on line boarding passes 24hrs in advance and if more people used them it would decrease the time in line for all of us. It is very simple and convenient.

We flew from St. Thomas on American this past Monday at 4:30 p.m., and we arrived at the airport (with a rental car to return) at about 2:45 p.m. This allowed more than enough time, and at least on that particular day, we could have arrived at 3:15 p.m. with no problem whatever. I hasten to add, however, that the plane was half full and there were no lines at the airline counter or in customs. During the high season, my recommendation would be to allow the full two hours.

We have been thru STT airport multiple times in the past 9 years. We never had any problems until one year, we got complacent, and decided not to bother getting there 2 hours early. We planned 1 1/2 hrs should be ok. Got dropped off at the airport, and there were about 500 people lined up to get onto 2 AA flights leaving at the same time! Yikes! We were in line forever, and BARELY made it to our flight. They were calling our names when we were going thru customs. Made a mad dash for the plane, and got there but it was a little scary. So now we make sure to get there early. Never had another problem, but don't want to take that chance again.