Anyone familiar with Hong Kong airport?

[diane.in.ny]

We are thiinking of flying into Hong Kong from Thailand on one airline and then flying out to the US that same night on another airline to the US.

 

Flight from Thailand arrives around 4. Flight to US leaves around midnight.

 

Considering we will probably have to go through immigration, pick up our suitcases, go through customs, then check into flight for US and go through security, do we have enough time?

 

And if the recommendation is to not try this and stay overnight in Hong Kong, looking for recommendations for a place to stay that doesn't cost a small fortune. lol

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. visiting Hong Kong pre-trip.

Edited July 23, 2018 by diane.in.ny

[Miaminice]

I think there plenty of time between 4pm to midnight.

 

However, Hong Kong is worth a stay and I can highly recommend The Kowloon Hotel.

Price is affordable and the location unbeatable.

[diane.in.ny]

I think there plenty of time between 4pm to midnight.

 

However, Hong Kong is worth a stay and I can highly recommend The Kowloon Hotel.

Price is affordable and the location unbeatable.

 

Guess I should have included that we are visiting Hong Kong pretrip. ... And I've edited my original post.

 

But thank you for the hotel recommendation as we haven't booked one yet.

 

And for the opinion that the flight arrangement is doable.

[loeb]

Check out youtube, there are a number of videos on transferring in Hong Kong. You will have plenty of time to transfer.

 

 

 

Another recommendation for a hotel is the YMCA Salisbury (also do a search on this forum, this has been discussed before)

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-s1-g294217-d305913-Reviews-The_Salisbury_YMCA_of_Hong_Kong-Hong_Kong.html

[mking8288]

Depending on your choice of airlines from Thailand to HKG and transfer for the flight back to the US, there is a good chance of interline luggage transfer arrangement, meaning that there is no need to claim luggage & go thru border immigration & custom, and then drop them off again, etc.

 

I am not sure if you are flying home to JFK in NY via YVR on Cathy Pacific, as CX probably can take care of luggage transfer - check with the airline you are using from Thailand and be sure to show them your onward e/Ticket so that they can properly tag it for transfer at HKIA direct to CX, and you won't have to reclaim the bags.

 

If you are flying home on CX via YVR, however, you might want to price out & look for a non-stop flight to NY's JFK, it's a pain to go thru immigration in Canada. There should be a 7 PM (6:55 PM) non-stop out of HKG that get into NY about 10 PM local time in the evening - it is a "legal" connection and you should have enough time to do the transfer, without dealing with luggage ...

 

You will still go thru easy "transit security" for all carry-on items only & quick immigration/border control check and then proceed upstairs to departure level to your boarding gate ... 2 hours is sufficient for this. HKIA airport is very efficient, unlike TSA. Early boarding usually start no later than 45 minutes before gate departure, usually 1 hour - and there's still that secondary security check, mostly for liquid 3-1-1 compliance at the gate. For most travelers flying transit thru HKIA, luggage are usually directly transferred - efficiently and bags are seldom lost or mis-connected, etc.

 

There are hundreds of hotels in HK at all prices, rooms at the Kowloon Hotel (stay there some 35 years ago once, booked by a TA then) are exceptionally small but efficient, and at their given prices for a typical overnight stay, if you decide to stay overnight, look elsewhere as there are plenty others in the price range, on the same complimentary shuttle stop if you take the Airport Express train into town, including the YMCA.

[Miaminice]

There are hundreds of hotels in HK at all prices, rooms at the Kowloon Hotel (stay there some 35 years ago once, booked by a TA then) are exceptionally small but efficient, and at their given prices for a typical overnight stay, if you decide to stay overnight, look elsewhere ...

 

:rolleyes: I don’t know in what kind of room you stayed 35 years ago (!) but when we stayed there this year we stayed in a room with a size not unusual for large cities. Actually it was quite nice.

[mking8288]

:rolleyes: ... when we stayed there this year we stayed in a room with a size not unusual for large cities. Actually it was quite nice.

Location & convenience, then and now, next door to the "Pen" and practically direct access to the MTR (not Airport Express) and on A21's airporter bus stop, etc. - no question about the hotel, and many others within a 5 minute walking distance.

 

I don't have pictures of what they assigned when I checked in then, and, I stayed there for an entire week. Quite a few fellow travelers commented about the small room size on TripAdvisor - I am not alone. I've traveled to HKG for business & leisure over the years and stayed at a variety of hotels, this isn't on my personal list ... the Holiday Inn Golden Mile is priced at just about the same on a random weekday that I just looked up - I would give them my business ... and earn some points too.

 

I am guessing that you booked/got a Superior, Club level room that's roomier and bigger, that's great ... over the years, they've remodeled and converted some of the guest rooms by combining 2 into 1, etc. They carefully designed the property and constructed it with lots of triangle shapes ... like the Nathan Road "city" view that I had, it was nice - and, even in 1985, I was able to check flight status directly from the room's interactive TV, the old Kai Tak A/P (now Int'l Cruise Terminal) was just an easy 20-25 minutes taxi ride away.

[diane.in.ny]

Check out youtube, there are a number of videos on transferring in Hong Kong. You will have plenty of time to transfer.

 

 

 

Another recommendation for a hotel is the YMCA Salisbury (also do a search on this forum, this has been discussed before)

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-s1-g294217-d305913-Reviews-The_Salisbury_YMCA_of_Hong_Kong-Hong_Kong.html

 

Thank you for the info about youtube. Never thought to check there. Did watch the link above and it looks like you don't go through immigration and customs but doesn't show where you pick up your luggage to recheck it with a different airline. I wonder if we can do this trip with just carry on .... boy would that make things easier. :D

 

And, yes, very familiar with the Salisbury and that was my first choice. But we will be there during the New Year and the rates are doubled :(

[diane.in.ny]

Depending on your choice of airlines from Thailand to HKG and transfer for the flight back to the US, there is a good chance of interline luggage transfer arrangement, meaning that there is no need to claim luggage & go thru border immigration & custom, and then drop them off again, etc.

 

We are flying from Koh Samui to HKG and then Oneworld Alliance home. I can certainly ask but don't expect the luggage to be transferred from one airline to the other.

 

I am not sure if you are flying home to JFK in NY via YVR on Cathy Pacific, as CX probably can take care of luggage transfer - check with the airline you are using from Thailand and be sure to show them your onward e/Ticket so that they can properly tag it for transfer at HKIA direct to CX, and you won't have to reclaim the bags.

 

Oneworld Alliance will take us, probably, through LAX and then ORD before our home airport in upstate NY. Flying on miles. If we get REALLY lucky, might be able to fly HKG nonstop to ORD. Have to check AA and CP.

 

 

You will still go thru easy "transit security" for all carry-on items only & quick immigration/border control check and then proceed upstairs to departure level to your boarding gate ... 2 hours is sufficient for this.

 

This sounds great! Looks like we'll plan on traveling with just carry on. A small rolling bag plus a backpack for each of us should work just fine.

 

There are hundreds of hotels in HK at all prices, rooms at the Kowloon Hotel (stay there some 35 years ago once, booked by a TA then) are exceptionally small but efficient, and at their given prices for a typical overnight stay, if you decide to stay overnight, look elsewhere as there are plenty others in the price range, on the same complimentary shuttle stop if you take the Airport Express train into town, including the YMCA.

 

If we can get in and out same day, won't need for a one night stay. But will definitely check options for our pre-trip visit.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Philob]

Passengers on flights bound for the US from HKG will be subject to secondary screening at the gate or on the jet-way.

 

1st time we purchased a couple bottles of water post-security and had to dump them before we could board the plane; it was right on the jet-way in front of the plane's door.

 

2nd time we had a couple cans of unopened herbal tea from the airport lounge, had to drink it all or dump it before entering the jet-way. I had an empty souvenir commuter coffee mug still in the wrapper and was told to get it out and open it for inspection.

 

There was a large family behind us and each kid had a boba drink; could hear them crying as we boarded :(

[diane.in.ny]

Passengers on flights bound for the US from HKG will be subject to secondary screening at the gate or on the jet-way.

 

1st time we purchased a couple bottles of water post-security and had to dump them before we could board the plane; it was right on the jet-way in front of the plane's door.

 

2nd time we had a couple cans of unopened herbal tea from the airport lounge, had to drink it all or dump it before entering the jet-way. I had an empty souvenir commuter coffee mug still in the wrapper and was told to get it out and open it for inspection.

 

There was a large family behind us and each kid had a boba drink; could hear them crying as we boarded :(

 

I've had this happen to me ... kind of. No official secondary screening but as I walked onto the jetway, with a water bottle in a holder on the outside of my backpack, an airline employee stopped me and took the bottle.

 

But thanks for the heads up on the specifics at HKG

[mking8288]

... from Koh Samui to HKG and then Oneworld Alliance home. I can certainly ask but don't expect the luggage to be transferred from one airline to the other ... OA will take us, probably, through LAX and then ORD before our home airport in upstate NY. Flying on miles ... might be able to fly HKG nonstop to ORD. Have to check AA and CP ... plan on traveling with just ... small rolling bag plus a backpack for each of us ...

I see, got a better picture - looked like, on my flight apps, USM isn't served by a variety of airlines, LOL - with 2 daily non-stops by Bangkok Airways, as one-way to the main segment on miles, morning flight with a decent on-time record lately, a little after 2 PM local time - close to 3 PM when it was delayed. Bangkok Airways is a OA partner airline and your checked bags should transfer directly to the flight, just ask & make sure the counter agent are aware/shown them the onward e/Ticket when checking-in .. they should be able to see book PNR at that point.

 

Otherwise, pre-transit immigration/border control & security checkpoint, there is an area - clearly marked with bilingual signage about reclaiming your bags; and, there are airlines reps nearby re-taking the bags in transit for transfer, to resume its continuation flights. Paper BP are re-issued if necessary by airline agents, if there are changes enroute - just check the huge overhead "monitors" for gate boarding info. Checked bags in transit will be held securely for transfer for the next flight, you should not have to worry about taking everything into town or even land-side to find a place to store it (upstairs, above the arrival hall - very reasonable fees ... see the HKIA official website)

 

Flying on miles on CX isn't easy these days but I'm sure you know its metals are superior, especially if you can get confirmed on a non-stop HKG-ORD plus 1 hop to upstate NY, still mucho time in the air ... flying eastbound is always tough.

 

AA's services to/from HKG are code-shared with other OA partner airlines, unless your flights are already booked & ticketed on miles, odds are just as good with the TPAC segment on CX, then, continuing with AA & partners to your hometown.

 

The secondary security screening are mandatory per US-TSA requirement for all US-bound flights, it's annoying and many are surprised by it ... among the reasons that they begin early boarding 1 hour before gate departure, already using 2 jetbridge. Everything done professionally, however, by contracted employees - unlike ...

[Globaliser]

We are thiinking of flying into Hong Kong from Thailand on one airline and then flying out to the US that same night on another airline to the US.

 

Flight from Thailand arrives around 4. Flight to US leaves around midnight.

 

Considering we will probably have to go through immigration, pick up our suitcases, go through customs, then check into flight for US and go through security, do we have enough time?

We are flying from Koh Samui to HKG and then Oneworld Alliance home. I can certainly ask but don't expect the luggage to be transferred from one airline to the other.

 

Oneworld Alliance will take us, probably, through LAX and then ORD before our home airport in upstate NY. Flying on miles. If we get REALLY lucky, might be able to fly HKG nonstop to ORD. Have to check AA and CP.

The precise procedure may depend on which airline you end up flying on from Hong Kong to the US. If you're on separate tickets, which is what it sounds like you're planning, then the question of whether your bags will be through-checked to the onward flight will be a matter for the first airline's policy. Bangkok Airways is not part of oneworld, and even full oneworld alliance member airlines won't necessarily through-check to an onward oneworld flight if separate tickets are involved.

 

However, even if you have to do the whole immigration, baggage, customs, check-in thing, 8 hours will be enough to cover all but the most serious disruption. Immigration will not necessarily be as fast as others suggest, and baggage delivery has, notoriously, often been a struggle over the past two or three years. ("Free port" has absolutely nothing to do with any of this.) But depending on which airline you are flying from Hong Kong, you could even find that despite all of that, you have to wait for some time before you can check-in for your onward flight.

[diane.in.ny]

Wow, lots of super information here. Thank you all so much.

 

I did some additional checking. Cathay Pacific has a flight from USM and yes it is operated by Bangkok Airways. But it does have a Cathay Pacific flight number. So we just might be able to get our luggage routed all the way through.

 

Very aware that Cathay Pacific has superior equipment to American. We are already ticketed for our outbound flights business class on miles, and I specifically requested Cathay Pacific for the international flight.

 

We have enough miles for economy seats on the flight home, but I need to make a phone call and check a few options. At minimum I'd like to be able to upgrade to premium economy.

 

On another airline we've been able to get miles main cabin seats and then paid what I consider a small fee for the upgrade to PE. Don't know if I can do that with American miles on Cathay Pacific equipment. Actually don't even know yet if I can do that on American.

 

Or perhaps the thing to do is buy a main cabin seat and then use miles to upgrade to business class. But I have no idea how many miles are needed for that. Still have some research to do.

 

Will need to check Bangkok Airways carry on policy. That might be the smartest way to tackle this.

 

Unless I can't get PE or higher seats with the help of miles on OA in which case we'll use another airline, ticketed all the way through and therefore no luggage issues, and save the OA miles for the next trip. :D

[MicrostormHK]

4 hours is more than enough time for your connecting flight. As for checked baggage arrangement, it'll depends on how your booking is done. What you can do is to check with your TA to see if you can "check thru" your luggage at the airport in Thailand...

[diane.in.ny]

4 hours is more than enough time for your connecting flight. As for checked baggage arrangement, it'll depends on how your booking is done. What you can do is to check with your TA to see if you can "check thru" your luggage at the airport in Thailand...

 

Thanks for your Reply. The more I think about it, the smartest thing we can probably do is travel with just carry on