If you’re an American and are a frequent international traveler, or if you’ve visited the United States many times before, then by all means skip this post. However, there are also plenty of people who haven’t been to the United States or who aren’t familiar with United States immigration procedures, so I’d like to talk…
Continue reading: Clearing Immigration At US Airports: How It Works & How Much Time You Need
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Just to note, if you’re connecting internationally eg. Europe to Mexico/Carribean, your bags usually get checked through with a tag on them to say “International Transit do not give to traveller within the US” so you dont need to collect them.
While not yet widespread, Korean Air and Delta have launched "Remote Baggage Screening" where you avoid having to claim your bags and recheck it again.
https://www.koreanair.com/contents/footer/about-us/newsroom/list/250813-Incheon-Atlanta-Route
Isn't AA/BA doing something similar?
Did you miss anything, asks Ben.
1. What if the plane has an unscheduled landing in Bangor, Maine? Do the passengers and luggage need customs and immigration clearance or the involved passenger is either arrested or sent to the hospital and the plane continues to JFK, ATL, ORD or other planned US destination?
2. Which airports would benefit from legislation if sterile transit were allowed? My guess would be SFO, LAX, JFK, ATL, ORD, DFW, IAH, MIA. Smaller stations might not go through the trouble, such as SLC, DEN, SEA.
Two weeks ago returning from Prague to LAX on a full to the gills Austrian 777-200 it took my wife and I about 20 seconds to clear with Global Entry. On our way to GE we could see the snaking lines that we missed. We were the first to clear.
A very important factor on "how long of a connection you need after an international flight" is which airport are you landing in the US. For example, if you land at JFK, MIA, ATL, ORD or any other large airport, you better plan for a long time to get the plane to the gate, walk all the way to immigration, clear immigration and customs and go through TSA. Now, if you land at MSP for example, you will probably be out of the plane and through immigration in less than 10 minutes as the airport gets fewer international flights, planes arrive at gates that are next to immigration and rarely you will see more than 2 international flights arrive at the same time.
Should install and use the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app if you do not have global entry. Super easy to use.
Most airports support MPC now and there will be a seperate line that brings you right to the front of the immigration officers. Just avoid the dirty looks from the other passengers not using MPC.
You're forgetting about CBP's EPP (Enhanced Passenger Processing), for US citizens at select international airports (ORD, ATL, MCO, SEA, CLT, DEN, LAX, BNA, HNL, DFW, MSP, JFK, and MOST Preclearance Facilities - excluding Abu Dhabi) you just need to do facial recognition and you're in. I'd say the value of getting Global Entry for US citizens kinda diminishes after this process has been introduced.
What would be the point of connecting via a US airport if you are not staying in the US?
Not a rhetorical question. So many other options..
Just to note, not all airports are eligible to do that and not all handlers are aware of that little tag.
Best not to leave the outcome of your checked bags with people in a broken system.
Like all things, it's cost.
US airlines siphon a ton of traffic between Canada/South America to other international destinations.
In addition, Australians often transit via the US to go to Europe as well.
Thank you Ben, the information which you have provided will be very useful to those of us who have little or no experience of the U.S. airport transit system.
However, the information provided by the Eskimo character, a known troll who has commented on your site using various login details, can anything which is published herein from that source ever be taken seriously?
yoloswag420, we always travel from LHR to Oz via the Far East. We have never contemplated travelling there via the U.S. Would you care to elaborate further on that route please? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
According to industry and govt figures, the vast overwhelming majority of aussies travel to Europe via (a.) South-East Asia (Singapore, Bangkok and KL. being the biggest transit points) and (b.) the Gulf States (Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi being the three biggest transit points). It's really not the case that aussies "often transit" via the U.S. to Europe. I don't know where you got that from. Oh yes, I'm sure a few do transit via U.S. But the transit figures are tiny. Travelling via Asia and the Middle East is both quicker and cheaper.
There are thousands of Ozzies and Kiwis that do it every month, I think that constitutes often.
I didn't say majority, you all are unable to process the distinction between the two and coming up with false conclusions all on your own.
Air New Zealand literally used to operate a fifth freedom LAX-LHR specifically for this purpose. You guys are so funny. AKL-LAX-LHR vs LAX-SIN-LHR are basically the same distance.
Take into account as well that at some airports (SEA, MCO) they have implemented the "luggage first" policy. Meaning you first need to get your luggage from the belt and only afterwards clear immigration. Personally, I like this way of working. Obviously, not everyone gets their luggage at the same time, meaning not everybody de-planing will move immediately in the immigration queue. In my experience, this makes the waiting time for immigration less long.
I can confirm AeroB13a is full of shyte.
And shyte like you is probably the one impersonating me.
Therefore all the trolling under this name is done by AeroB13a or other alter ego of Tim.
Yes, I was a bit confused when I read that as I went to Mexico two years ago via Houston and didn't need to get my bags.
But I've have some horrific storys about going through US immigration, including a back and forth in Atlanta when one of my checked bags was a sleeping bag and the guy coudln't get why I had three bags for a two week stay.
Anyway, I don't have any plans on going back for the next few years.
What if you are transiting from an airport that has pre-clearance, say, using a routing such as DUB-IAD-CHO? What is the experience like then? How much transit time should be booked then?
I know of some British people who fly to Australia and New Zealand via the US (specifically LAX).
Dear, dear me! Eskimo remains incapable of logical reasoning or an ability to comprehend the English language without the use of profanities. Has mummy locked you in your bedroom again and taken away your PlayStation? Mason tried in vein to convince the readers that you are capable of telling the truth …. you have just confirmed how wrong he is …. Xxxxx
@Ben
The collecting bag and rechecking part is no longer 100%. Since 13AUG25, a few DL flights into ATL (first batch being ICN and LHR) no longer requires that manual Customs clearance process. This is rolling out to more flights.
Source: https://news.delta.com/fly-smarter-faster-bag-drop-security-and-connections
Up to an hour at immigration? What a boundless optimist you are! Try 90 minutes, as I experienced flying into EWR from Toronto Billy Bishop (YYZ-LGA was cancelled, hence the reroute).
We get great business class fares from SE Asia to Canada with a stop in the US. Certainly worth saving $1000-1500 per person for us and going thru the US. Two of us, 4 trips per year, that’s $8000-$12000 savings.
Up to 2 hours in the queue at LAX on a weekday afternoon. There must be 25+ customs desks there, never seem more than 10 manned at any one time.
Is there a reason US carriers don't pass along the US customs and int'l arrival taxes/fees? Foreign carriers often do, and then many people complain that these carriers have huge surcharges. Yes, they have huge carrier surcharges, but that isn't 100% of the difference in fees from the $5.60 in fees charged by US carriers.
The other taxes and fees charged by the US govt on an int'l arrival are:
Transportation tax $22.90 (also charged on an int'l departure)
Customs User Fee $7.20
Immigration User Fee $7.00
APHIS fee $3.71
Thats effectively a domestic arrival. So arriving from DUB into IAD is just like arriving from BOS.
You initially stated that “Australians often” fly through the U.S. to reach Europe, and only added Kiwis when challenged. You also referenced the long-defunct AKL–LAX–LHR fifth freedom route, which is no longer relevant.
Moreover, the comparison between SYD–LAX–LHR and SYD–SIN–LHR is not equivalent — routing through LAX adds approximately 1,500 miles. That doesn’t account for the additional layover time and complexities involved in transiting the U.S., especially compared to more efficient hubs like SIN, DOH, DXB, or HKG.
I’m not disputing the overall conclusion due to lack of concrete data, but the argument as presented is misleading.
Also, AustraliaUK is called the Kangaroo Route for a reason. No one refers to AustraliaUK as the Kangaroo Route.
FYI: If you're arriving from LHR to DFW and connecting many of the steps here aren't necessary due to the new One Stop Security program.
Ok but people might also want to know about their checked luggage if they have any, and would they have to reclear security, or if they can just walk straight from arrival gate to departure gate.
Usually thanks to Global Entry, I clear Customs in less than a few minutes. Before, it would take me anywhere between 10 and 25 minutes on average.
What part of
"Thats effectively a domestic arrival. So arriving from DUB into IAD is just like arriving from BOS."
doesn't answer your follow up question?
Had an interesting experience recently when flying LHR-DFW on BA and then onward DFW-MEX on AA. All passengers where advised to collect luggage but after waiting for all bags to come off I checked with the luggage people and they confirmed since my bag was transiting to another international flight that it was checked through. It arrived at MEX with no issue.
"Luggage first" wastes everyone's time.
Going through Immigration can happen whilst bags are being unloaded from the aircraft and routed to baggage claim under the existing system, "luggage first" results in these happening in series, slowing everyone down.
Further, this increases the amount of space required per person in the immigration queues due to the floor space bags/carts take up and slows down rate of movement for those with mobility challenges who are also moving their bags.
For travellers, there is nothing in the way of upside to "luggage first".
"Also, AustraliaUK is called the Kangaroo Route for a reason. No one refers to AustraliaUK as the Kangaroo Route."
Re-read what you just typed and understand why no one takes you seriously.
I flew DUB-EWR-DEN a few months ago and if I remember correctly since you arrive as a domestic passenger and are released straight into the concourse you don't have to collect your bags either.
Technically speaking, flying from Auckland (although not anywhere in Australia) it is a little shorter to fly to far northwest European airports like London or Dublin by going east rather than west. That said, if I were going to do that I'd much prefer to go through Vancouver than anywhere in the US.
Might have something to do with the one stop security program they're specifically implementing at DFW. Do you remember if there was an option for connecting pax to go out the arrival gate door for immigration? Either way sounds like either there wasn't or you didn't see it if you wound up at the baggage hall.
Lately I've been finding myself getting through immigrations before my bags arrive on the belt to pick up for the customs step. This is definitely better than having to wait even before I get through step 1 to get in the country.
No mention at all about the CBP MPC app? I use it all the time, and the Mobile Passport Queue is always empty...
Could anyone comment on why the process is differing across US airports? I flew into SAN last month (non-USC), and had to collect baggage first, then go thru Immigration and then Customs before exiting the airport. Was this because SAN was my terminating airport or is it just SAN that has this process, whereas all other US airports need pax to go thru Immigration first and THEN pick up baggage for Customs exam?
The SAN process was different from SFO where in 2024 I went thru Immigration first to pick up baggage.