Phoenix - Cancun DL & AA
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 1:41 am
For spring break, I had plans to go CUN. After looking around at some flights I eventually settled on AA on the way there, and DL for the return. I was taking a redeye to MIA, and then to CUN. My flight was scheduled to leave at 1:20am. Being one of the last flights out for the night, most of the airport is closed. Only one place with food open, and there is never a long line for precheck at security. Having flown out of T4 at PHX many times late at night, I knew what to expect. I got to the airport later then I normally would have. There was no line at check in. After quickly dropping my bag and going through security, I got to the gate 5 minutes before they started boarding, just as I had planned.
March 8, 2019
American 291
PHX-MIA
N898NN
Boeing 737-800
Scheduled Departure 1:20am
Actual Departure 1:30am
Scheduled Arrival 7:30am
Actual Arrival 7:04am
Flight Time- 3 hours 34 minutes
It was a full flight, and it seemed like everyone had a bag to gate check. By the time everyone was finally onboard, the door was closed 2 minutes early. The CA made an announcement letting us know the flight time, and that due to winds we were going to be staying pretty low on this flight. We ended up cruising at FL250. He also mentioned the possibility of some turbulence as we were climbing out of PHX, due to some scattered cloud layers. Following his announcement, the safety video was played as we pushed back.
Boarding
We had a quick taxi to runway 26. It was a long takeoff roll, using most of the runway before we were airborne, followed by a quick left turn to the south and eventually to the east.
Shortly after leveling off, the flight attendants came through the cabin with drinks and snacks. Most people on this flight were sleeping, and they made it through the cabin pretty quickly. After this I didn’t see any of the flight attendants until we stared our final descent into MIA, and they came through the cabin to collect trash.
Descending into MIA
We touched down on 8L at 7:04am. After waiting for 2 737’s to takeoff we taxied across 8R, and parked at gate D24 a few minutes later.
N898NN waiting for it’s next flight to SDQ
I had a few hours until my flight to CUN. After walking around the airport for a little while, I headed to my gate. The flight to CUN was full, and they started boarding about 40 minutes prior to departure. This was my first time on an AA 767. The plane was 20 years old and looked it. It had overhead TV’s, and dated overhead bins. Once everyone was on board, the flight attendants handed out customs forms. They ran out a few rows ahead of me, and did not come back through with them until our final descent.
March 8, 2019
American 1321
MIA-CUN
N394AN
Boeing 767-300
Scheduled Departure 10:30am
Actual Departure 10:40am
Scheduled Arrival 12:25pm
Actual Arrival 12:03pm
Flight Time- 1 hour 23 minutes
We taxied to runway 8R and were in line behind several airplanes. After about a 10-15 minute wait it was our turn. We took off and climbed up to FL360. Shortly after leveling off, the flight attendants came through with drinks and snacks. The flight went by really fast and as soon as the service was done, we were on initial descent into CUN.
Descending into CUN
Final 12L
Touchdown
After deplaning we had to wait on a long line at immigration before we could get our bags, and go to our hotel. It was a fun few days in CUN. For the flight back, it was scheduled to depart at 3:11pm. Our hotel shuttle left at noon. We got to the airport and were checked in, and through security with plenty of time to spare.
March 12, 2019
Delta 424
CUN-MSP
N898DN
Boeing 737-900
Scheduled Departure 3:11pm
Actual Departure 3:23pm
Scheduled Arrival 7:40pm
Actual Arrival 7:15pm
Flight Time- 3 hours 52 minutes
Check in
N898DN arriving from MSP
Boarding began right on schedule. As we were about to pushback an AC 737 MAX pulled up next to us. The next day the MAX was grounded in Canada. Once the door was closed we sat for several minutes, before we ended up pushing back. Once the engines were started we had a pretty quick taxi to 12R were we were cleared for takeoff. Once we were in the air, we made a left turn over the water and climbed up to FL320. The flight attendants came through with drinks and snacks. When we left CUN the CA, made an announcement that there were low ceilings with rain and gusty winds in MSP. As we got closer to MSP, the CA made an announcement that ATC needed to put us in a holding pattern due to congestion. He said we could expect a 15 to 20 minute delay. However we only ended up doing a lap in the hold, before continuing on the arrival.
My friend took these of my flight taking off
Climbing out of CUN
In the hold
It started to get pretty bumpy as we started our final descent. We descended through multiple cloud layers, before breaking out a few miles from the runway.
Touchdown
N898DN after arriving from CUN, it went to BWI later that night.
After we got to the gate and deplaned, and I headed to immigration. There were no other flights arriving, so it was not a long wait. I had over 3 hours until my flight was leaving for PHX. So I walked around the terminal for a while, and got some dinner before going to my gate.
March 12, 2019
Delta 719
MSP-PHX
N346DN
Airbus A321
Scheduled Departure 10:45pm
Actual Departure 10:57pm
Scheduled Arrival 12:13am
Actual Arrival 11:54pm
Flight Time- 2 hours 57 minutes
N346DN
View from 5A
It wasn’t a full flight and we pushed back about 5 minutes early. The engines were started, and a few minutes later we started our very slow taxi to 12R. Soon after takeoff we flew into the clouds, and encountered the same turbulence that we did on the way in to MSP. It was an uneventful flight, and before long we were on final descent into PHX.
Final for 26
Overall the flights to and from CUN were good. I prefer DL over AA, but on these flights AA was decent and I did not have any problems. The 767-300 was definitely dated though, and I would try to avoid one on long flights.
March 8, 2019
American 291
PHX-MIA
N898NN
Boeing 737-800
Scheduled Departure 1:20am
Actual Departure 1:30am
Scheduled Arrival 7:30am
Actual Arrival 7:04am
Flight Time- 3 hours 34 minutes
It was a full flight, and it seemed like everyone had a bag to gate check. By the time everyone was finally onboard, the door was closed 2 minutes early. The CA made an announcement letting us know the flight time, and that due to winds we were going to be staying pretty low on this flight. We ended up cruising at FL250. He also mentioned the possibility of some turbulence as we were climbing out of PHX, due to some scattered cloud layers. Following his announcement, the safety video was played as we pushed back.
Boarding
We had a quick taxi to runway 26. It was a long takeoff roll, using most of the runway before we were airborne, followed by a quick left turn to the south and eventually to the east.
Shortly after leveling off, the flight attendants came through the cabin with drinks and snacks. Most people on this flight were sleeping, and they made it through the cabin pretty quickly. After this I didn’t see any of the flight attendants until we stared our final descent into MIA, and they came through the cabin to collect trash.
Descending into MIA
We touched down on 8L at 7:04am. After waiting for 2 737’s to takeoff we taxied across 8R, and parked at gate D24 a few minutes later.
N898NN waiting for it’s next flight to SDQ
I had a few hours until my flight to CUN. After walking around the airport for a little while, I headed to my gate. The flight to CUN was full, and they started boarding about 40 minutes prior to departure. This was my first time on an AA 767. The plane was 20 years old and looked it. It had overhead TV’s, and dated overhead bins. Once everyone was on board, the flight attendants handed out customs forms. They ran out a few rows ahead of me, and did not come back through with them until our final descent.
March 8, 2019
American 1321
MIA-CUN
N394AN
Boeing 767-300
Scheduled Departure 10:30am
Actual Departure 10:40am
Scheduled Arrival 12:25pm
Actual Arrival 12:03pm
Flight Time- 1 hour 23 minutes
We taxied to runway 8R and were in line behind several airplanes. After about a 10-15 minute wait it was our turn. We took off and climbed up to FL360. Shortly after leveling off, the flight attendants came through with drinks and snacks. The flight went by really fast and as soon as the service was done, we were on initial descent into CUN.
Descending into CUN
Final 12L
Touchdown
After deplaning we had to wait on a long line at immigration before we could get our bags, and go to our hotel. It was a fun few days in CUN. For the flight back, it was scheduled to depart at 3:11pm. Our hotel shuttle left at noon. We got to the airport and were checked in, and through security with plenty of time to spare.
March 12, 2019
Delta 424
CUN-MSP
N898DN
Boeing 737-900
Scheduled Departure 3:11pm
Actual Departure 3:23pm
Scheduled Arrival 7:40pm
Actual Arrival 7:15pm
Flight Time- 3 hours 52 minutes
Check in
N898DN arriving from MSP
Boarding began right on schedule. As we were about to pushback an AC 737 MAX pulled up next to us. The next day the MAX was grounded in Canada. Once the door was closed we sat for several minutes, before we ended up pushing back. Once the engines were started we had a pretty quick taxi to 12R were we were cleared for takeoff. Once we were in the air, we made a left turn over the water and climbed up to FL320. The flight attendants came through with drinks and snacks. When we left CUN the CA, made an announcement that there were low ceilings with rain and gusty winds in MSP. As we got closer to MSP, the CA made an announcement that ATC needed to put us in a holding pattern due to congestion. He said we could expect a 15 to 20 minute delay. However we only ended up doing a lap in the hold, before continuing on the arrival.
My friend took these of my flight taking off
Climbing out of CUN
In the hold
It started to get pretty bumpy as we started our final descent. We descended through multiple cloud layers, before breaking out a few miles from the runway.
Touchdown
N898DN after arriving from CUN, it went to BWI later that night.
After we got to the gate and deplaned, and I headed to immigration. There were no other flights arriving, so it was not a long wait. I had over 3 hours until my flight was leaving for PHX. So I walked around the terminal for a while, and got some dinner before going to my gate.
March 12, 2019
Delta 719
MSP-PHX
N346DN
Airbus A321
Scheduled Departure 10:45pm
Actual Departure 10:57pm
Scheduled Arrival 12:13am
Actual Arrival 11:54pm
Flight Time- 2 hours 57 minutes
N346DN
View from 5A
It wasn’t a full flight and we pushed back about 5 minutes early. The engines were started, and a few minutes later we started our very slow taxi to 12R. Soon after takeoff we flew into the clouds, and encountered the same turbulence that we did on the way in to MSP. It was an uneventful flight, and before long we were on final descent into PHX.
Final for 26
Overall the flights to and from CUN were good. I prefer DL over AA, but on these flights AA was decent and I did not have any problems. The 767-300 was definitely dated though, and I would try to avoid one on long flights.
