Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2014

ferf1223

Cornwall_Girl wrote: »

We have a short connection in Seattle on the way to Las Vegas, it's only 1 hour 10 minutes. Could anyone who has had a connecting flight on the way to Vegas let me know what security/immigration requirements there are for connecting flights?

as martmonk says you will have to clear immigration, collect your bags, clear customs and recheck your bags (not at a desk or anything, just usually need to drop them on the recheck belt which will be clearly marked).

You may be able to get a general idea immigration wait times here, though obviously there are factors that might make it quicker or longer than average.

http://awt.cbp.gov/

If you are not already near to the front of the plane I would see if you could move closer to the front.

John259

Cornwall_Girl wrote: »

Flight question for you all, if you wouldn't mind helping me.

We have a short connection in Seattle on the way to Las Vegas, it's only 1 hour 10 minutes. Could anyone who has had a connecting flight on the way to Vegas let me know what security/immigration requirements there are for connecting flights?

Thanks

That's very tight indeed, so much so that IMHO you need to try to get it changed.

In that time you need to:
Retrieve your checked baggage because you'll need it for US customs.
Clear US immigration (probably the longest time) because SeaTac is your port of entry.
Clear US customs (usually just a matter of showing the form issued by the immigration officer to the customs officer).
Re-check your baggage for the internal flight (sometimes it's tricky to discover where you do that).
Get to the gate for the internal flight.

There's always a chance that the transatlantic flight will be delayed. Also, in my experience the stated arrival time tends to be at best the landing time and not the time you actually get off the plane.

SeaTac has an underground subway transit system between terminals which you might need to use, so possibly a bit more time will be lost there.

If the two flights are booked as a single journey then the airline that runs the internal flight has to get you to Vegas even if you miss the flight you're booked on through no fault of your own. So it would be worth checking their schedule for subsequent flights on that route, just in case. If there are no more flights that day, they have to put you up for the night (I've had that happen once at Dallas). Obviously it helps if both flights are with the same airline otherwise each might try to pass responsibility to the other. On the other hand, if the two flights are separate bookings then I suspect none of that will apply and you might have to book and pay for a replacement internal flight.

Sorry to be the moon-faced assassin of joy.

Wikipedia SeaTac article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle%E2%80%93Tacoma_International_Airport

SeaTac official web site:
http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Pages/default.aspx

ferf1223

John259 wrote: »

Clear US customs (usually just a matter of showing the form issued by the immigration officer to the customs officer).

Just clarify the form is one passengers will have received on the plane (or maybe at check-in) and it needs to be completed before they go through immigration...the immigration officer will probably stamp it or mark it but it isn't a form that they will provide.

There was a thread awhile back about someone who decided that they didn't need to complete the form since they had an ESTA (someone who did not understand the difference between immigration and customs) so didn't bother to fill it out and then became quite upset about being sent to the back of the very long immigration queue, if memory serves.

Moral of the story is - if someone gives you a form to fill in, just fill it in on the plane...you've little else to do for 10+ hours.

John259

ferf1223 wrote: »

Just clarify the form is one passengers will have received on the plane (or maybe at check-in) and it needs to be completed before they go through immigration...the immigration officer will probably stamp it or mark it but it isn't a form that they will provide.

Agreed 100%, and apologies for not making that clear in my post.

photome

Cornwall_Girl wrote: »

Flight question for you all, if you wouldn't mind helping me.

We have a short connection in Seattle on the way to Las Vegas, it's only 1 hour 10 minutes. Could anyone who has had a connecting flight on the way to Vegas let me know what security/immigration requirements there are for connecting flights?

Thanks

I have connected at Seattle, I dont remember any hold ups at immigration, in fact if my memory is correct it was a breeze compared to any other airport I have arrived in to in the USA, (we did have a few hours so wasnt really counting the minutes though but I think 70 minutes should be enough, but will be tight. I am guessing you are flying Delta on a through ticket? If so Delta will have given you that connecting time but also be prepared for Delta to change your flight times as you get closer to to the date, they have a habit of doing so

I do remember having to go back through security screening as soon as you drop your bags off (both of which are easy to find). The bag drop is clearly marked after immigration and the security is right next to it.

If you dont make the connection, I believe there are a few flights daily to LAS so you shouldnt have to much problem getting another flight

debsjc

secretmachines wrote: »

looking to buy MJ One tickets - will there be any great benefit on buying them through my MLife account?

prices are the same, there aren't any offers knocking around

Not what you were asking, but we saw this show a couple of weeks ago, and I was really impressed with the seats even though they were towards the back. Usually I go for top price seats, but these were the cheapest in Block 204 Row LL.
In some ways you get a better view of everything happening there, and that particular row (or at least that part of it) has no one in front of you.

secretmachines

debsjc wrote: »

Not what you were asking, but we saw this show a couple of weeks ago, and I was really impressed with the seats even though they were towards the back. Usually I go for top price seats, but these were the cheapest in Block 204 Row LL.
In some ways you get a better view of everything happening there, and that particular row (or at least that part of it) has no one in front of you.

thanks! good to know
have been reading on the best seat locations, and somewhere near the front of the back section seems to be most recommended, but a number of reviews saw there isn't really a bad seat to be had.

would buying tickets through MLife count towards my card status/get closer to freebies/comps? We're only casual gambler, so won't be spending $1000s on the tables/machines.

John259

Cornwall_Girl wrote: »

We have a short connection in Seattle on the way to Las Vegas, it's only 1 hour 10 minutes.

I found this page on the SeaTac official web site (scroll down for the details regarding international arrivals transferring to domestic flights):
https://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Passenger-Services/Pages/International-Travel.aspx
That page includes this statement:
" It typically takes anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to clear U.S. Customs and Immigration."

debsjc

secretmachines wrote: »

thanks! good to know
have been reading on the best seat locations, and somewhere near the front of the back section seems to be most recommended, but a number of reviews saw there isn't really a bad seat to be had.

would buying tickets through MLife count towards my card status/get closer to freebies/comps? We're only casual gambler, so won't be spending $1000s on the tables/machines.

Sorry I don't know of anything about the MLife system, maybe someone else can help with that one

Cornwall_Girl

Thanks very much for the replies. It is a connecting flight booked as one single flight through Delta. The next flight is less than 3 hours after, so not the end of the world if Delta put us on this one instead.

The website ferf provided: http://awt.cbp.gov/ is going to be handy for picking flight times in the future to make sure we're picking a less busy landing time.