You know when they say get to the airport three hours early? You know how we all laugh and think ‘yeah sure?’ If you’re going to visit Aruba, they really mean it at Queen Beatrix International Airport, which is Queen Beatrix International Airport.
If your flight is during peak hours, usually between 11 am and 4 pm, or during holidays, the official recommendation is three hours and you should heed the warning. Really. I’d probably add half an hour, I know we’ll do that next time.
The first row you’ll find in a long row of lines will be your airline’s check-in line, this can be an almost manual process or a long tedious wait while your boarding passes are issued and your checked bags are taken (don’t worry, you will meet soon with your bags). If you can register online, I highly recommend this. If you can travel light and just carry on, this will also save you time (we don’t because my husband refuses).
I can’t stress this enough. There were very unhappy people who arrived at the airport two hours before their flight and had no chance to do so. One family paid another family $100 to take their place in line. It is not a joke. Hey, a way to make money if you don’t have a budget!
After completing your airline check-in, you’ll meet all of your fellow travelers in an even longer line, sometimes winding around the airport terminal, to have your passport and boarding passes checked by Aruban Security. This line can take over an hour.
From this point, you are approved for processing through Aruba Immigration (Departamento di Integracion, Maneho y Admision di Stranhero or DIMAS). After DIMAS, you will go through Aruba security and arrive at the terminal.
In the terminal you will find duty-free shops and food courts. I found them expensive, expensive even in Aruban terms and definitely for any other airport. We went to Sbarro and spent $40 on pizza for three people.
You will also find more lines. Oh, you just completed Aruba processing and now you’re in the hands of US Customs. You’ll need to find your checked luggage, each airline is kept separate so there should be no problem. You and your bags will then join a line for US customs processing. The best thing about this is that there are no customs once you return to the United States.
After clearing customs, you, your carry-on baggage, and your checked baggage will proceed down a corridor, at which point you will deposit your checked baggage onto a carousel to meet you at your plane. The conveyor belt has, you guessed it, a line!
Your lines are not ready because you then have to go through the US security check. This is your final processing line.
So to check you have the following lines:
* Air billing for you and your baggage
* Aruba passport and boarding pass check
* Aruba Immigration
* Aruba security check
* United States Customs
* US security review
I’m tired of writing it.