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The basic premise is that I need to get from Jamaica to the Cayman Is. I will have flown into Montego Bay (MBJ) and likely be staying somewhere relatively close to that airport. Destination Grand Cayman (GCM). Jan 2025 timing = winter in northern USA…
When it comes to the departure from
there are a couple of options:
1. Fly out of MBJ with AA via MIA, but this is the most expensive option and requires an overnight at a hotel near MIA. It is however the easiest option as I’ll return a hire car to the same collection point - MBJ.
MBJ-MIA-GCM (~22 hours total trip time with 19 hours transit in MIA)
Approx spend AUD820.
2. Fly out of MBJ with AA via a cheaper (AUD200 cheaper than going via MIA) but a longer set of flights.
MBJ-JFK-CLT-GCM (~24 hours), with an overnight (~14 hours) at a hotel near JFK. Remember that winter
thing… the way my flying luck has been recently there will be the mother of all polar vortexes blizzarding snow all over New York!
Approx spend AUD650.
3. Drive my hire car from Montego Bay down to Kingston, a trip of about three hours and return it there for a one-way fee of USD90. Then fly on the direct Cayman Airlines flight KIN-GCM (1hr 15min scheduled flight!) for about the same price as the AA longer journey (don’t you love modern economics where you pay the same for a single one hour flight as for three flights of nearly 9 hours flying time!). Would have to pay about an extra $85 for baggage to fly with KX compared to AA where QF SG would see me get two bags for free.
Approx spend AUD740.
I should just choose option 3 as it gets me to my destination on the same day and doesn’t cost that much more. But there are some people who think even hiring a car in Jamaica is folly and there are some safety concerns on the island, mostly around Kingston.
The points and SC from AA are mostly irrelevant.
What would you do?
When it comes to the departure from
there are a couple of options:1. Fly out of MBJ with AA via MIA, but this is the most expensive option and requires an overnight at a hotel near MIA. It is however the easiest option as I’ll return a hire car to the same collection point - MBJ.
MBJ-MIA-GCM (~22 hours total trip time with 19 hours transit in MIA)
Approx spend AUD820.
2. Fly out of MBJ with AA via a cheaper (AUD200 cheaper than going via MIA) but a longer set of flights.
MBJ-JFK-CLT-GCM (~24 hours), with an overnight (~14 hours) at a hotel near JFK. Remember that winter
thing… the way my flying luck has been recently there will be the mother of all polar vortexes blizzarding snow all over New York!Approx spend AUD650.
3. Drive my hire car from Montego Bay down to Kingston, a trip of about three hours and return it there for a one-way fee of USD90. Then fly on the direct Cayman Airlines flight KIN-GCM (1hr 15min scheduled flight!) for about the same price as the AA longer journey (don’t you love modern economics where you pay the same for a single one hour flight as for three flights of nearly 9 hours flying time!). Would have to pay about an extra $85 for baggage to fly with KX compared to AA where QF SG would see me get two bags for free.
Approx spend AUD740.
I should just choose option 3 as it gets me to my destination on the same day and doesn’t cost that much more. But there are some people who think even hiring a car in Jamaica is folly and there are some safety concerns on the island, mostly around Kingston.
The points and SC from AA are mostly irrelevant.
What would you do?
