airport processing times

[gtigiant 0]

I too have had it take 25 to 30 minutes to clear the plane and then stood in line for baggage another 30 to 40 minutes. I have flown domestically through almost every major airport in the US at one point or another and have to say that just for a domestic flight change, give yourself at least 2 hours. International that is the minimum, so when you add in the potential of having 1 to 2 hours to clear immigration...... just something to consider.

[meauxna 15]

thanks meauxna... i took your advice!

Lucky damn baaastad you are, too!

[zyggy 9]

People need to remember that your luggage goes through Customs Inspection between the time it is offloaded from the Plane to the time that it goes on the carrosel. If there's a lot of luggage, more than one international flight at the same time, or something else that is holding up the customs check it may take longer to get your luggage. If you think the first time CBP takes a good look at your luggage is when you're walking through the checkpoints.. well I've got swampland to sell you in Florida.

You luggage is put through X-rays and other devices and sometimes even hand checked to see if you're smuggling things that are not permitted in the US before it ever his the conveyor in the terminal.

[meauxna 15]

People need to remember that your luggage goes through Customs Inspection between the time it is offloaded from the Plane to the time that it goes on the carrosel. If there's a lot of luggage, more than one international flight at the same time, or something else that is holding up the customs check it may take longer to get your luggage. If you think the first time CBP takes a good look at your luggage is when you're walking through the checkpoints.. well I've got swampland to sell you in Florida.

You luggage is put through X-rays and other devices and sometimes even hand checked to see if you're smuggling things that are not permitted in the US before it ever his the conveyor in the terminal.

d'oh!

I did not know that/consider it! (no swampland, please.. I'm doing the dry landscaping thing)

Warning: I do know that at some airports, luggage will be searched *after* you clear Customs and have re-checked to your connecting flight.

I bought a couple of those TSA approved padlocks for our last trip---they worked out well. Supposedly a little sensor will change color if the locks were opened by TSA, but ours showed no change through this trip. At $7-10 each, they were a good investment!

[Kajikit 65]

If you're coming through LAX, you need to allow at least twice as much time as you think you'll need - they stack up the incoming planes so there are three or four different loads of people coming through customs at the same time, and even though there are about a dozen different immigration officials working, you can expect to spend at LEAST an hour standing in the line before you get to the front... (not to mention the 30 minutes of walking it takes to get to the immigration center from the gate your plane arrives at)

Last time I came through there were a bunch of people trying to get a connecting flight to the West coast some place, and the airport people came through and gathered them up and took them to the front of the line because otherwise they'd never have made their flight. They came through a few times calling people out for different flights, so they're at least partially aware of who has to go where...

[john_and_marlene 162]

For some reason my luggage seems to invite inspection. I get love letters from TSA quite frequently letting me know they hand searched my bags.

Edited August 14, 2006 by john_and_marlene

[*Robert* 2]

For some reason my luggage seems to invite inspection. I get love letters from TSA quite frequently letting me know they hand searched my bags.

LOL

I've gotten those before!

The only time I had problems with customs, was one trip back from Thailand I didn't list anyting on the customs declaration form. They did everything short of strip searching me!!! Always be sure to list something on the customs form, even if its just a T-shirt or some other clothes. Tends to raise less suspicion.

I go through LAX all the time, but luckily only on domestic flights. Sounds like their international flights suck. I'll keep that in mind now that I'm having to move back to the mailand.

[John and Anna 0]

Just my 2 cents.

Since December 2005

5 trips to St Petersburg (1 on time)

2 to Paris (1 on time)

1 to Punta Cana (on time)

6 round trip domestic flights from/ to PHL 1 on time

All bets are off into philly

my last 3 flights to St Petersburg (2 x May,1 x June)from Philly were delayed 1.5~2.5 hours.

Arriving 1~2 hrs late

1 thru frankfort (lufthansa) 2 thru Paris (Air France missed connections)

JUST made my connection in Frankfort.

Pilots all tried to make up the time jet stream and all.

Last flight to Paris (April) 1.5 hrs late. (1 before right on time)

ALL Paris to PHL flights were late up two 2 hours.

Usually wait time thru IMS 20-30 min.

Luggage - Up to 25 min

Customs - walk thru hand card

Remember SO has to get processed

How good is SO english?

My SO speaks pretty good english/french/spanish and I would still meet her at POE

Imagine no language skills, new country, at least 10 hours flying and making a connection?

Or a missed connection.

Am I not feeling the love?

Edited August 17, 2006 by John and Anna

[Teachers 12]

I have flown back into the US about 13 times in the last 4 years. My times:

Get off plane 5-15 minutes. (It often seems like forever if you're in the back of a 747. Try to be on a smaller plane like an A330 if time matters to you.)

Passport check (not immigrating) - extremely variable - 5 to 45 min.

Luggage - If a long immigration line, then there when I get there. If immigration is fast, then usually no more than 15-20 minutes.

To this point - ususally about an hour.

Customs - never more than 3 minutes. (Maybe I just look honest? I've never been checked.)

Recheck luggage (at International terminal) - extremely variable, depending on the airport. Chicago used to be bad, but is now MUCH better. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon) all under 10 minutes.

International to Domestic - Chicago - fast, frequent monorail; Portland - no delay at all! Los Angeles can be bad because of different terminals. But if you're going from International (about terminal 4) to a higher numbered terminal, you can get on any of the car rental shuttles, and just get off at the right terminal. Backtracking to terminals 1-3 is 10 minutes max. if you walk fast.

Domestic check in - you should not have to do this. Get your domestic boarding pass when you check in for your international flight.

Domestic security line - use the following web site to check the security time for your terminal based on time of day, day of week. Then add 10-15 minutes, just in case. With people checking more bags these days, it may go even faster.

http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/stateResolver?...p;submit=SUBMIT

Bottom line: I may allow a 2.5-3.0 hour connect time. But I usually make it in under 1.5 hours, and sometimes get on an earlier flight if there is frequent service.

[John and Anna 0]

I have flown back into the US about 13 times in the last 4 years. My times:

Get off plane 5-15 minutes. (It often seems like forever if you're in the back of a 747. Try to be on a smaller plane like an A330 if time matters to you.)

Passport check (not immigrating) - extremely variable - 5 to 45 min.

Luggage - If a long immigration line, then there when I get there. If immigration is fast, then usually no more than 15-20 minutes.

To this point - ususally about an hour.

Customs - never more than 3 minutes. (Maybe I just look honest? I've never been checked.)

Recheck luggage (at International terminal) - extremely variable, depending on the airport. Chicago used to be bad, but is now MUCH better. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon) all under 10 minutes.

International to Domestic - Chicago - fast, frequent monorail; Portland - no delay at all! Los Angeles can be bad because of different terminals. But if you're going from International (about terminal 4) to a higher numbered terminal, you can get on any of the car rental shuttles, and just get off at the right terminal. Backtracking to terminals 1-3 is 10 minutes max. if you walk fast.

Domestic check in - you should not have to do this. Get your domestic boarding pass when you check in for your international flight.

Domestic security line - use the following web site to check the security time for your terminal based on time of day, day of week. Then add 10-15 minutes, just in case. With people checking more bags these days, it may go even faster.

http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/stateResolver?...p;submit=SUBMIT

Bottom line: I may allow a 2.5-3.0 hour connect time. But I usually make it in under 1.5 hours, and sometimes get on an earlier flight if there is frequent service.

Great web site!!

I will add one on flight delays

http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp

[almaty 19]

We will need another genius to add up the times.

Time to go to the beach, roi.

time to do some laundry brother...

[gym 0]

Has anybody been through JFK on a Saturday afternoon? I have 3 hours between my flights, do you think this is enough?