Nassau Travel Forum

If we fly into NAS on US Airways from Charlotte, NC, how much time should we allow to get to get through customs to catch the Cat Island Air flight to Cat Island? We have never been to the Bahamas before, so we don't know the airport or area at all. The flight I'm thinking of booking lands at NAS at 1:42 pm, and the Cat Island Air flight leaves NAS at 3:00pm.
Thanks for any help!
Michelle

Michelle, you should just barely be OK, but here's what you will want to do. Call the Nassau phone number for Cat Island Air using your cell phone the MINUTE you are allowed to use your cell phone on the ground. here's why: the inter-island air carriers usually expect you to check in for your flight an hour before they take off, and there is NO WAY you will make a 2 pm check-in for your 3 pm flight. But call them and tell them you have landed and are in the airport and on your way.

The time it takes to clear immigration, get your luggage, and then clear customs (in that order) can vary widely. If a large plane comes in when you do, it can take an hour to clear immigration. So I would say, hot foot it as fast as you can to the immigration area, get in the shortest, fastest moving line (there are usually several lines open), and make sure you have your immigration form filled out and passport out and ready before you get there; the USAir folk should have given the Bahamian form to you on the plane. Get in the immigration lines for "visitors" not the one for Bahamians (nor the one that says Family Island in-transit, that's not you). Say hello and smile at the immigration agent.

After you clear immigration you proceed to the "baggage hall" to get your bags. Usually not a huge wait but it depends on the load. (Holidays are excruciating!) If you have many bags get a baggage cart operator to help you, you'll find out why below; tip him about a dollar a bag and tell him you are going to cat Island Air.

Customs inspection for tourists is usually a cursory rather than lengthy process; most of the time if they think you are a tourist they just wave you through and ignore your bags. So look touristy. They may ask you where you are going, say Cat Island and give them a hotel name.

You then have to exit the international section of the airport and walk down a long hallway to get to the inter-island air desks where you should find Cat Island Air. That's why if you have lots of bags you'll want that baggage cart handler.

Good luck.

We gave ourselves approximately 2 hours, and had plenty of time to catch the afternoon flight to Cat Island. However, we found out that you have to stay close to the departure lounge - boarding times are very vague. We really enjoyed our stay on Cat Island.