Review: Etihad US Pre-Clearance Lounge Abu Dhabi Airport

Ben Schlappig
January 11, 2016
35

Etihad’s US Pre-Clearance Lounge Abu Dhabi bottom line

While in the past my experiences with Etihad’s Pre-Clearance setup in Abu Dhabi were abysmal, since especially at Abu Dhabi, there are a number of great lounge options available to any passenger with a credit card with lounge access, I was impressed this time around. Now, this might partly have to do with the fact that both of the flights using the facility were really empty, or that we passed through it pretty late in the process. Either way, everything just seemed more functionally set up than last time.

While I prefer airports without Pre-Clearance (since I have Global Entry), this was a facility I was actually fine with.

Given that Etihad uses the Pre-Clearance facility, I was also impressed by the lounge they built for US-bound flights. Previously having to sit in the gate area as a first class passenger for upwards of an hour sucked. This new lounge at least makes that time a bit more enjoyable.

Have you used Etihad’s Pre-Clearance facility lately? What was your experience like?

Conversations (35)

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Write a comment

Salman S Aleemuddin Guest
November 26, 2018, 7:19 am

No, There is no Per-clearance at Jeddah airport yet as i stay in Jeddah since birth.

Helpful

Reply
Jaco Guest
November 25, 2018, 9:36 pm

Hi I was wondering if you know whether or not Saudi Arabia Jeddah airport has pre-clearance yet I know they were supposed to get one?

Helpful

Reply
Grace Guest
October 23, 2018, 6:15 am

was everyone passed the pre clearance in abu dhabi ariport, im afraid for tourist visa they will be plenty of questions and interrogation such as what is the purpose of your trip, how many days you will be staying, how much money do you have. please advise if anyone had rejection of entering?

Helpful

Reply
Grace Guest
October 23, 2018, 6:12 am

does anyone experience of not being approved at the pre clearance in abu dhabi airport? what are the questions during pre clearance in abu dhabi airport, i am planing for 2 weeks holiday on Christmas.

Helpful

Reply
Salman Syed Guest
July 18, 2018, 1:48 am

Yes it is true you cannot purchase any liquor or perfume or any liquid which is more than 100ml as while screening the security personnel will make you throw all the liquid items more then 100ml. They even threw my drinking water bottle before we pass though the pre clearance..

Helpful

Reply
Biplab Mandal Guest
July 17, 2018, 12:00 pm

While traveling to USA via Abu Dhabi on Etihad and using US pre-clearance, is it true that you are not allowed to purchase any duty free liquor or perfume in excess of 100ml on board as carry on luggage, even if they are sealed? Hearing conflicting information around the same, so wondering if someone has had experience traveling with liquor or perfume?

Helpful

Reply
Salman Shahed Guest
March 26, 2018, 6:18 am

Is there priority for business class passenger for US imigration and custom clearence ?
Please advise...

Helpful

Reply
Az Khan Guest
January 4, 2018, 6:36 am

Is the US pre clearance entry @ Abu Dhabi open 24 hours or for some specific hours daytime?

Helpful

Reply
Parveen bhojani Guest
July 8, 2017, 8:10 am

Im planning to visit dallas with two hours lay over at chicago airport.After facing pre clearance process at once on Abu Dhabi airport,do i get my baggage at chicago airport and need to face clearance process again or i get my baggage at my final destination.

Helpful

Reply
Renee Guest
November 24, 2016, 10:28 am

Would it be possible to make use of the regular Premium Lounge at Abu Dhabi instead of the US Pre-clearance Premium Lounge? Seems like there are more services to be had this way.

Helpful

Reply
Sara khan Guest
August 26, 2016, 11:20 am

How long does the entire custom and security process takes at the AbuDhabi Airport? i have a flight to Chicago on Sep 16 at 3:55 AM. Any idea how long will it take me for that? and also once you get done with the entire process can yo go to terminal 1 as my friend will have a flight which is departing from terminal 1 so i would like to say hi to her ?

Helpful

Reply
Gino Guest
January 14, 2016, 5:27 pm

Yes you loved it because flights at that time were empty, but I flew AUH JFK on NOV 30 , and airport was incredibly packed , so seats available on main lounge and even less in the mini lounge where 2 families from india traveling to SFO where using the couches as a bed so the main seating area was totally occupied. The area of the hallway getting to the gate was packed that you...
Yes you loved it because flights at that time were empty, but I flew AUH JFK on NOV 30 , and airport was incredibly packed , so seats available on main lounge and even less in the mini lounge where 2 families from india traveling to SFO where using the couches as a bed so the main seating area was totally occupied. The area of the hallway getting to the gate was packed that you had to ask permission to arrive at the boarding area . That experience was a real nightmare.

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Adi-T Gold
January 13, 2016, 4:44 pm

Re: Dublin airport also has US pre-clearance but they don’t hold up the planes for people stuck in the process.

But for passengers who have already checked in they cannot do that I believe, as the passengers are already technically on US soil once they go through immigration so they can't really just go back out and rebook onto any other flight.... At least at AUH.

Re: How is the arrival experience at JFK?...
Re: Dublin airport also has US pre-clearance but they don’t hold up the planes for people stuck in the process.

But for passengers who have already checked in they cannot do that I believe, as the passengers are already technically on US soil once they go through immigration so they can't really just go back out and rebook onto any other flight.... At least at AUH.

Re: How is the arrival experience at JFK? Do you leave the plane into the airside of the terminal? Any access to the Etihad JFK lounge on arrival?

Not sure about the Etihad JFK lounge. But you get off the plane and walk off using the same route you would use if you were boarding (in reverse). It's different from standard arrivals where once you get off the plane you go through part of the jetway that opens out into the lower (arrivals) floor.

Re: Do our checked bags have to be reclaimed and re-checked (at baggage drop) at JFK, or will they automatically be put on our final leg to SFO?

Nash, yes that is a major plus: you can automatically check your bag in AUH to any US destination.

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Charlie Member
January 12, 2016, 5:53 pm

Just booked an apartment with AA miles JFK-AUH-JFK (then Delhi) for Jan 20 and 28. Looking forward to your flight review!

How is the arrival experience at JFK? Do you leave the plane into the airside of the terminal? Any access to the Etihad JFK lounge on arrival?

Helpful

Reply
Martin Guest
January 12, 2016, 2:10 pm

Dublin airport also has US pre-clearance but they don't hold up the planes for people stuck in the process. They bump them and remove them from the flight. Which is a huge problem for the bumped passenger who then has to go back through processing and re-book another flight. And most US cities just have one flight a day from there.

Moreover the lounge is before pre-clearance and there is nowhere comfortable to wait after....
Dublin airport also has US pre-clearance but they don't hold up the planes for people stuck in the process. They bump them and remove them from the flight. Which is a huge problem for the bumped passenger who then has to go back through processing and re-book another flight. And most US cities just have one flight a day from there.

Moreover the lounge is before pre-clearance and there is nowhere comfortable to wait after. Given you cannot know how long the process will take, it makes for a nervous and uncomfortable experience.

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Nash D New Member
January 12, 2016, 1:39 pm

Question on connecting flights after pre-clearance - we will be flying into JFK pre-cleared from AUH and have to take a connection to SFO. Do our checked bags have to be reclaimed and re-checked (at baggage drop) at JFK, or will they automatically be put on our final leg to SFO?

Thanks,
Nash

Helpful

Reply
Adi-T Gold
January 12, 2016, 10:15 am

I also flew on the Etihad 320 am flight to JFK and had a mixed experience overall w.r.t. pre-flight. When I arrived at the main lounge (around midnight) it was so chockablock full I could barely find a seat. But shortly thereafter it emptied out completely and was desolate. There must have been a large bank of flights leaving around that time. I found the pre-clearance efficient but at the end of the day from...
I also flew on the Etihad 320 am flight to JFK and had a mixed experience overall w.r.t. pre-flight. When I arrived at the main lounge (around midnight) it was so chockablock full I could barely find a seat. But shortly thereafter it emptied out completely and was desolate. There must have been a large bank of flights leaving around that time. I found the pre-clearance efficient but at the end of the day from my passenger perspective, not worth it. First, it's not straightforward - lots of looping around and going up and down. The check is also itself more involved-- even if there aren't lines, you have to empty your liquids, laptops, etc and they search everything more extensively. And regardless of whether you use an automatic kiosk or not you still have to speak with an officer. Yes, the benefit is that you don't have to do any of that once you land. But I usually fly Emirates on the morning DXB-JFK flight and at that time of the day there is never a line at the immigration kiosks, and I have never experienced any delays.

The post-clearance lounge is nice but quite small-- don't know how it would be able to accommodate passengers for multiple flights, especially A380s.

Of course all of this was worth it once I boarded that lovely A380 (I was in the Studio, not, unfortunately either the apartment or residence!)

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Joey Diamond
January 12, 2016, 9:26 am

Yes, I used the US preclearance facility a few weeks ago and had a similar experience. If I weren't a US passport holder, I'd definitely fly EY in most if not all my flights to the USA from the middle east just to avoid the long queues at JFK immigration/customs.
I had a connection from BOM before my flight AUH-JFK and had a similar experience to AVS. Upon arrival in AUH, the transit passenger...
Yes, I used the US preclearance facility a few weeks ago and had a similar experience. If I weren't a US passport holder, I'd definitely fly EY in most if not all my flights to the USA from the middle east just to avoid the long queues at JFK immigration/customs.
I had a connection from BOM before my flight AUH-JFK and had a similar experience to AVS. Upon arrival in AUH, the transit passenger security area was a madhouse since several flights arrived at the same time. The US preclearance area barely had queues by the time I arrived there after briefly stopping by the main lounge.

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Damian Member
January 12, 2016, 3:09 am

Neil,

YVR Pre Clearance facility also requires a chat with an officer for Global Entry / NEXUS members.

Helpful

Reply
Nash D New Member
January 12, 2016, 2:23 am

Lucky,

My wife and I will be flying through AUH tomorrow, and this will be our first time going through pre-clearance. We were lucky (pun intended) to snag 2 seats in A380 F (Apartment) - been watching seats for the last 6+ months. Have been following your blog for a while now, and had to use the AA Australia trick to make this happen. Thanks a ton!

Regarding the lounge, should we spend...
Lucky,

My wife and I will be flying through AUH tomorrow, and this will be our first time going through pre-clearance. We were lucky (pun intended) to snag 2 seats in A380 F (Apartment) - been watching seats for the last 6+ months. Have been following your blog for a while now, and had to use the AA Australia trick to make this happen. Thanks a ton!

Regarding the lounge, should we spend time at the Etihad Lounge prior to pre-clearance (to use the spa / salon for a little bit), then go through pre-clearance, since the post pre-clearance lounge seems pretty bare-bones?

Thanks,
Nash

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Avi Member
January 11, 2016, 11:12 pm

Yep, it's great that they have it, although when I was there last week the lounge was pretty crowded and seats were in short supply!

Helpful

Reply
Cristiano Guest
January 11, 2016, 2:24 pm

Lucky, the champagne is G.H. Mumm! It's not Moët

Helpful

Reply
Chuck Lesker Guest
January 11, 2016, 1:21 pm

Yes, security is BEFORE US immigration/Customs, not after. There is no easy way to change that at AUH, so I attribute the above report to jet lag or too much champagne.

Also, re. a comment above, even with GE one has to interact with a Homeland Security official at ANY airport, not just preclearance airports. That's because GE is for immigration; you still have to go through Customs. This may be no more than someone...
Yes, security is BEFORE US immigration/Customs, not after. There is no easy way to change that at AUH, so I attribute the above report to jet lag or too much champagne.

Also, re. a comment above, even with GE one has to interact with a Homeland Security official at ANY airport, not just preclearance airports. That's because GE is for immigration; you still have to go through Customs. This may be no more than someone taking your form and waiving you through, but it is still an interaction with a government employee. The only difference is that at AUH this person is sitting at a desk.

Read more

Helpful

Reply
tara Guest
January 11, 2016, 12:51 pm

Great article! This is very helpful to those of us who have not yet taken our Etihad trips.

Helpful

Reply
John Harding Guest
January 11, 2016, 12:44 pm

Hey Ben:

Saw you on XRay Mega Airport on the Smithsonian Channel. Awesome! Also wanted to let you know that I just used PointsPros.com for the first time. Another Awesome! Alex went above and beyond the call of duty to get my wife and me two biz suits on Swiss and two First Class trips on Emirates (do the showers have rubber duckies?). I don't know why I have not been using the PointsPros service...
Hey Ben:

Saw you on XRay Mega Airport on the Smithsonian Channel. Awesome! Also wanted to let you know that I just used PointsPros.com for the first time. Another Awesome! Alex went above and beyond the call of duty to get my wife and me two biz suits on Swiss and two First Class trips on Emirates (do the showers have rubber duckies?). I don't know why I have not been using the PointsPros service for years? No more futile efforts for me. I will leave it to the Points Pros!

That's three exclamation points for you in one comment. That's awesome!

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Randy Guest
January 11, 2016, 12:12 pm

Lucky, I'm finding that your recent trip through Pre-Clearance wasn't really 'out-of-the-new-norm'. I've been through twice in the last 3 months, and that without GE, still breezed through without anyone in front of me. And my flight to LA was 90%+ full, with J and F at 100%. So it seems like they have it staffed up to par now. But the post-clearance lounge was a bit full, however I was only there for 20-30...
Lucky, I'm finding that your recent trip through Pre-Clearance wasn't really 'out-of-the-new-norm'. I've been through twice in the last 3 months, and that without GE, still breezed through without anyone in front of me. And my flight to LA was 90%+ full, with J and F at 100%. So it seems like they have it staffed up to par now. But the post-clearance lounge was a bit full, however I was only there for 20-30 minutes so I could linger at the gate for 10-15 prior to boarding call. I only comment because I was dreading the Pre-Clearance facility due to your reviews, but perhaps they read OMAAT too, and whipped it in to shape!!

Read more

Helpful

Reply
Stuart Member
January 11, 2016, 11:55 am

That lounge looks quite similar to what I experienced in Dublin. About the same size and features. If anything, Dublin is a bit more over the top given that they only have 2 flights a day departing.

Helpful

Reply
QQ Guest
January 11, 2016, 11:10 am

In YYZ T1, the only time i stop to talk to someone at the desk (rather than at the exit to get my BP stamped) is if I get a O or X on the receipt. Otherwise keep on walking to the exit!

Helpful

Reply
AVS New Member
January 11, 2016, 11:04 am

Its all about when you use the facility. I flew through AUH as a business passenger a few weeks back, and was on the AUH-IAD flight in the morning. As soon as I landed in AUH from BOM, I encountered a number of gate agents prompting all the passengers bound for the US to proceed to preclearance immediately, including First and Business passengers. I appreciate that this is to prevent delays, but I chose to...
Its all about when you use the facility. I flew through AUH as a business passenger a few weeks back, and was on the AUH-IAD flight in the morning. As soon as I landed in AUH from BOM, I encountered a number of gate agents prompting all the passengers bound for the US to proceed to preclearance immediately, including First and Business passengers. I appreciate that this is to prevent delays, but I chose to go to the main lounge instead, and wait until 1.5 hours before the flight to proceed to preclearance, where it was just as empty as you described it. Had I gone soon after I landed, the queues would have been horrendous (given how many flights land at the same time). If flying in economy, there isn't much to do other than duty free shopping, but as a premium flyer, its best just to wait until shortly before the flight to go through immigration.

Read more

Helpful

Reply
iv Guest
January 11, 2016, 10:55 am

I was there last week same flight in Apt. 4A ;)

The lounge post pre-clearance can get really crowded. There is only one computer station and the internet was horrible.

The flight was good but I did comment they should include complimentary onboard internet for First Class. Especially when their competition Qatar does.

Helpful

Reply
David Guest
January 11, 2016, 10:29 am

Since there is pre-clearance at AUH, what happens at JFK? Do one have to go through TSA security again if transfering to a domestic flight?

Helpful

Reply
Michael Guest
January 11, 2016, 10:18 am

Pretty sure i went through security first then customs when I went through in December.

Helpful

Reply
R B Guest
January 11, 2016, 10:05 am

Good to know, thanks for the advice. Hope to make use of that lounge if I try the A380 AUH-JFK one day.

Helpful

Reply
Paul Rowland Guest
January 11, 2016, 9:53 am

Good review, look forward to the flight review even more!

Helpful

Reply
Neil S. Guest
January 11, 2016, 9:51 am

I've been finding that the Global Entry printout also requires a conversation at YYZ and YUL. Anyone else?

Helpful

Reply

Featured Comments

View all comments (35)

Write a comment

Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

Salman S Aleemuddin Guest

November 26, 2018, 7:19 am

No, There is no Per-clearance at Jeddah airport yet as i stay in Jeddah since birth.

Jaco Guest

November 25, 2018, 9:36 pm

Hi I was wondering if you know whether or not Saudi Arabia Jeddah airport has pre-clearance yet I know they were supposed to get one?

Grace Guest

October 23, 2018, 6:15 am

was everyone passed the pre clearance in abu dhabi ariport, im afraid for tourist visa they will be plenty of questions and interrogation such as what is the purpose of your trip, how many days you will be staying, how much money do you have. please advise if anyone had rejection of entering?