Flying the friendly skies can some one help me.

[PartyofSix]

My husband and I have decided with enough valum we can take to the skies to for the first time for both of us. We are planning on taking a trip to Anguilla in the Caribbean to stay at Cap Juluca. We will fly out of JAX and there is a stop in Miami then on to SXM which is St. Maarten. Then ferry to the island. My questions are basic and simple but i can't find my answers. Do you still need to be at the airport 2 hrs before the plane leaves? How can i figure out how many points it takes to buy flights using like aa advantge points. I looked all over the sight with no luck. Also I realize we need passports. Is there things that are no no's to take in your checked luggage? Do they sort through you things with those bags to? I mean i know about the guns ects... i just did'nt want my skimpy's on a table you know. If i do a lay over ( is that what you call it when you want to spend the night in a city and board a plane the next day that continues you to your destination) is that gonna cost a lot of extra $$? I can't figure all this out. I have am exp rewards points i can transfer to my continential accout but i don't see where i can on the aa memebership. Also how does buying upgrades work with points and cash? When do you do this? Is it worth it? I mean like from jacksonville to miami i would'nt care about an upgrade it's just a short flight but from mimai to st. maarten it would be a longer flight and i thought it'd be nice. If you can't answer all these questions please just offer me tidbits of advise about this i really need help i know nothing about booking or anything. Thanks

 

[December99]

Tammy - the best place to check is on the JAX airport website if there is one. There will be listings of what can and cannot now be included in your luggage. They do open the luggage and look through and scan the sides. Then it goes through to the plane. The still do random searches as you are going to the gate, they ask you take your shoes off and everything out of your pockets and your coats off (not that you would have one). They do still recommend at least 2 hours before because of the new baggage screenings. But their website should say that.

Depending on when you are going - you better get that passport paperwork moving - it can take up to 3 months to get them. My dd's and mine only took a month.