Taking out Shabbat earlier with less Todefet Shabbat

Question:

I will be staying in a hotel in Miami on Shabbat. Shabbat goes out at 6.45 pm. I have an El Al flight from Miami at 8.45 pm, two hours later. The hotel is maybe 20 minutes or 30 minutes away from the airport by taxi depending on the traffic. I have been told that the latest time I can be at the airport is 1.5 hours before the flight. I have the following questions.

1. The official time that Shabbat goes out is 6.45 pm. I intend davening Ma’ariv after Shkiyah and saying Shma later. Should I say Havdalah in the Amidah?
   2. Can I reduce the amount of Tosefet Shabbat and make Havdallah earlier than the official time that Shabbat goes out?
   3. Can I take my suitcase down the stairs from the bedroom to the lobby whilst it is still Shabbat? Am I correct in saying that as long as I make my suitcase a drawer so to speak during Shabbat, that I won’t be considered as preparing for the weekday if I put clothes etc in the suitcase on Shabbat?
2. Am I also correct in saying that anything I fold before putting into the suitcase I should do in an unusual way?

Answer:

Sounds like a tough situation. If possible for the future try not to  book a fight so close to the end of shabbos. Regarding your questions.

1. Being that you are in a very tight situation, although we normally are not allowed to do this, but in your case it would be permitted to daven maariv, and you would say the havdalah in the amida. It is preferable to daven as late as you can after shkiya, when it is closer to nighttime, even though you will say kriyas shema again.
2. Regarding saying havdalah, the halacha would be similar, that since you are in this very tight situation, you may make havdalah even though it is before shabbos officially goes out. However you may still not do any melacha, therefore you will not say “borei meorei haesh”, or light a candle. You may make besamim if you have.
3. Taking your suitcase downstairs is problematic, not necessarily because the suitcase is muktza, (if the non muktza items are more prominent that the muktza items) but because of hachana, from shabbos to motzei shabbos. Therefore wait until 6:45 and then move quickly. Putting your clothes into the suitcase would not be hachana if the suitcase is serving as your drawer for shabbos, you are allowed to put your clothes into the drawer to make the room neat.
4. You are correct that whatever you fold should be done in an unusual way.

IY”H in the zechus of your keeping the halachos, you should make the flight and everything should go well.

Sources:

1. O:CH 293-3, See Mishna Berurah 9, but in this case it is already after shkiya, therefore we can be maikel, Horav Y. Cahen shlit”a, poskim.

2. Same as above.

3. M:B 302-19.

4. O:CH 302-3.