Tier Point Run to Hawaii/San Juan in Feb 2014: Day 6 – San Juan SJU to Miami MIA

By Nige on Mon 03 Mar 2014 at 10:36
Type: Post
Story: Tier Point Run to Hawaii/San Juan in Feb 2014
Tags: American Airlines | Hilton | MIA | Miami | San Juan | SJU | Trips | USA

It felt Iike I hadn’t been here very long, before I was already heading back, which of course was factly correct, but I had enjoyed the short time I had had in San Juan.

It was time to head back to my base in Honolulu, in preparation for my long trip home.

Before going to sleep I had worked out the perfect plan last night to get everything I needed sorted this morning:

1. Wake at 4am.
2. Get BPs printed downstairs in the business centre.
3. Hold my teleconference with my team at 5am downstairs so I don’t disturb anyone in the next room (I had an adjoining room and they tend to carry the noise really easily).
4. Head off back to the airport by taxi by 6am and use the Fast Track through security and relax in the lounge ahead of my 7:45am flight to MIA.

Well the first two went according to plan, but no one turned up to my teleconference which I was both surprised at and slightly annoyed about.

It was only when I checked the times that I realised I’d worked out my timezones incorrectly. I’d organised a 1pm telecon based on me being in LA and 8 hours behind.

Now of course I was only 4 hours behind, and since none of my team could read my mind, no one bothered dialling in! Never mind.

Got back to the airport without too many issues. Odd that all the taxis are minibuses, and the cost was relatively high considering the short distance it is ($13-$15 to Isla Verde which is only a mile away as the crow flies).

Got into the Fast Track Security queue (there was a TSA Pre-Check queue but for some reason that didn’t appear on my BP this time – possibly because I printed it at the hotel?).

Anyway, talk about dawdling, the TSA agent after finishing with the pax just before me decided to move every barrier, rearrange her clothes, shuffled her papers, and then by the time she was ready, someone else turned up in the TSA Pre-Check Queue!

Oi! I was next, and I should be in the TSA Pre-Check Queue anyway.

So she finally managed to get herself into action and pre-checked my BP details. I headed down the Security queue – it only took me 5 mins to get to the front, and when I went through the metal detector, I got a beep and I was told to stand in a naughty queue behind someone else (who also had been naughty).

Nothing said – just a point and palm up to say wait.

The other naughty person was called over, and then I waited a further 10 mins before asking how long I would be here for. The guy said one word “soon” – thanks mate!

I was eventually called over for bag check – no one searched me, so I am not sure how the metal detector going off related to me needing a bag check – anyway, nothing was found in my bag (got away with it again!), and I went in search of a Starbucks and the Admiral’s Club.

Found the AC first and the door was locked – you need to press the buzzer and they unlock the door for you.

I realised I was a few mins early for the 6:15am opening time, so I went in search for a Starbucks, which I couldn’t find.

Inside the AC it’s quite nice, airy and quite bright. Miserable choice of free food and the cappuccino was sweet which wasn’t good.

Got to the gate a little late since Priority Boarding had completed and everyone was queueing using the main boarding line, so I went straight up the Priority Boarding line and (politely) pushed in.

No one said anything, so it was obviously just me feeling a bit guilty.

Got on board and was sat in 2A next to a completely normal looking woman – interestingly we both took our bananas at exactly the same time as each other and started eating them – we had a bit of a chuckle at that. The CC came over and asked whether we had a stash somewhere so they could distribute them to the other pax – further laughter. Good start. No further exchanges with my neighbour until we were leaving.

Service on board was pretty good – I had ordered the breakfast quesadilla which was lovely – it came with chorizo sausage so breath issues later!

Flight was very smooth and the view of the islands as we headed back to MIA was amazing. The colours in the sea were also outstanding with blues and greens coming to the fore. Not sure my S4 camera was going to do this justice but it was a pleasure to see.

Arrived at Gate D2 and I’ve never been at that end of the terminal before, so I popped into the AC at D15 to have a look around and visit the loo. And then I headed over to the AC at D30 after popping in to pick up my Venti Caramel Macciato.

Suzzie is obviously not working at the AC nowadays – she helped me a lot on my last TP run, and I wanted to say hello. Never mind.

Follow the whole story here: Tier Point Run to Hawaii/San Juan in Feb 2014