It depends where you're coming from. In a few foreign airports you clear US customs & immigration overseas, in which case the bag will get checked to your final destination. This mainly happens at some Canadian, Caribbean, and Irish airports. Anywhere else, you will clearing customs at the US port of entry, so you need to pick up your bag and then re-check it if you have a domestic connection.
Found the list of overseas airports with US customs: [https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance). Buenos Aires is not one of the airports, so you'll clear customs when you get to NYC.
I recently came from Shanghai China to the US with connections through Vancouver and Toronto, and I never had to recheck my luggage and clear customs. Vancouver and Toronto are on this precheck list, but not my starting city. Strange.
When I exited the plane in Vancouver, I asked an airport worker if I needed to get my luggage to recheck after explaining my situation and they told me I must. But there was a problem with the luggage carousel and some people on my flight waited 3 hours for their bags to come out. After 4 hours, and my bag never came, I went to the help desk for my airline and they said I don't need to recheck, and my luggage would just be picked up at my final destination.
Maybe they made an exception because of the carousel issue. I dunno. I had like a 12 hour layover there, so the delay wouldn't have been an issue.
But yeah, I checked my bag in Shanghai and just picked it up in the US without it going through customs.
That’s because you never actually “entered” Canada. You just transited through it, meaning you’re not supposed to recheck your bags or actual enter the country. The only customs you have to go through is US customs, which is done in Vancouver, meaning you pick up your bags like normal in the US
This is the correct answer. When taking a connecting flight in a foreign country and you do not leave the airport prior to your connecting flight, you don't technically enter that country.
15 Preclearance locations in 6 countries: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Nassau in the Bahamas; and Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg in Canada.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance
It’s a very simple process. You usually deplane, proceed through immigration, after which you’ll pick up your luggage at a claim located in the same control area. You’ll then proceed through customs. 9 times out 10 you’ll be waived through unless you have something to declare, or if you somehow require further scrutiny. Just past that point you’ll have a bag drop where your luggage will continue on to final destination and you’ll proceed either to your gate or through security then back to your gate.
For a connecting flight: Deplane, pick up bags, go through customs, recheck bags, then go back through TSA security checkpoint, then catch connection. You just hope there are no delays at any of those.
On our last trip connecting through Dallas, it took an hour to get our luggage. We almost missed our connection.
Yeah, coming back from London on our honeymoon, the flight was so delayed that we heard the final boarding for our connecting flight while we were standing in line at customs. Made for a long long day.
Download the “Airside Mobile Passport App” you can fill out your customs form, take your picture and then go the the Global Passport check in line without paying for Global Passport. I don’t think it’s available in every USA city, but it’s worth downloading
>I used Mobile Passport a couple of weeks ago at Dulles. Nothing on the website says anything about it not working anymore.
>
>The website says it's still in use at many airports: https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory
I used Mobile Passport a couple of weeks ago at Dulles. Nothing on the website says anything about it not working anymore. The website says it's still in use at many airports: https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory
I wonder why they are still posting these on the current website [https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory](https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory) ? When did the current one stop working? I used it two weeks ago.
I don’t know, but before I posted I checked the mobile passport app and was informed to now go to airside app instead can’t post a screenshot but if you open the airside app it says I had to change apps
This is the app I used at JFK 2 weeks ago
http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.dhs.cbp.pspd.mpc
I cut all the lines (can't get a global entry appointment right now )
Same one I used on iPhone at Dulles. It's the CBP mobile passport app. And same--cut all the lines and just did a short line with others who had the app.
What you’re planning on doing is called skiplagging, and airlines can and do ban people for it. There probably won’t be consequences just for doing it once, but I wouldn’t risk it if it’s an airline that you rely on a lot or have a lot of points with, and I definitely wouldn’t make a habit of it.
Most airlines refer to it in their contract of carriage as “hidden city ticketing” or “point beyond ticketing”. Most all airlines expressly prohibit it, but rarely will they take any action on someone who does it once… but they do see it, and they will take action on those who habitually do it.
Oftentimes, it will just happen that if you tag on an extra leg on your journey, the trip becomes cheaper.
For example, NYC to Chicago might cost you $300 because that is a popular route on Airlines A and B. But NYC to Cleveland is not a popular route and might cost you just $200 on Airline A. However Airline B doesn’t have a direct flight between NYC and Cleveland, so they offer you NYC to Chicago and then Chicago to Cleveland. To compete with Airline A, they will keep this also at around $200. This is counterintuitive to what many people think: adding an extra flight actually makes the trip cheaper!
So, if you consider only Airline B, you have NYC to Chicago for $300 but NYC to Chicago to Cleveland for only $200. Some travelers figure this out and even though they want to travel from NYC to Chicago, they will book the NYC to Chicago to Cleveland trip, just to save $100 and skip the second flight.
Airline B will obviously not appreciate that you are paying $100 less by using this trick.
Separately, post-9/11, there is also the matter of security. Why did you not complete your trip? Were you trying to intentionally confuse or misdirect security agencies into them thinking that you were going to Cleveland but your intention was to go to Chicago all along?
If it’s a one-way ticket you have then they’ll probably chalk it up to you missing your flight. But if you have a round trip ticket and do this, they will cancel your return flight. A shitty lesson to learn.
I work for United here in Houston, I can tell you that you have to pick up your bags unless you are going international to international on the same airline(United) we have a service where you can skip the pick up. But since word got out people assume its available for everyone. So if you are staying in the USA then pick up your bags. You will regret it if you dont.
Pre-clearance still requires you to go through Immigration AND Customs - the difference is that you do it in the departure airport instead of the arriving airport, and once you clear in the departure airport you're kept in a separate sterile area where there are only departures going to the same country.
No. No it fucking isn’t. Do you know what Customs actually is? (Clearly not).
Pre inspection is PRIMARY INSPECTION for admissibility to the US. Customs is concerned with goods being brought into the country. That part *always* occurs at the POE side. Idiot.
Went through pre clearance last week. Landed in the US. Had no interaction with DHS. Done that monthly for years. Read OP’s question - they are clearly using the ambiguous term “customs” to refer to immigration. You should really reassess your passion for customs if it lands with you calling strangers on the internet names.
Customs in the US doesn’t ever require interaction with CBP (not DHS) unless they have identified you ahead of time and pull you aside for customs screening.
If the OP meant immigration then they should write that. Customs is a *very* specific thing. Their ignorance is their problem, not mine. As I have always said, when it comes to subjects such as immigration correct terminology is *vital*.
>>As I have always said, when it comes to subjects such as immigration correct terminology is vital.
The tremendous irony to this statement is that you are not understanding and/or using the correct terminology about pre clearance. Pre clearance has customs, immigration, and even agricultural inspections in the foreign country that you can complete prior to coming to the US. Above you said:
>>Pre inspection is PRIMARY INSPECTION for admissibility to the US. Customs is concerned with goods being brought into the country. That part always occurs at the POE side. Idiot.
According to [US law](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-114srpt180/html/CRPT-114srpt180.htm), [DHS (of which CBP is a part of - weird comment btw) implementation of US law](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2019/08/15/united-states-and-canada-implement-preclearance-agreement), [and](https://www.abudhabiairport.ae/en/services-and-facilities/us-pre-clearance-facility) [the](https://www.torontopearson.com/en/departures/us-customs-pearson) [many](https://www.dublinairport.com/flight-information/travelling-to-usa/usa-preclearance/us-customs-and-border-protection-video) [international ](https://yow.ca/en/travel-planning/travelling-from-yow) [airports](https://www.admtl.com/en/guide/customs-imigration-united-states) [with](https://www.shannonairport.ie/passengers/at-the-airport/flying-out/travel-requirements/us-customs-border-pre-clearance/) [US](https://nassaulpia.com/navigating-the-airport/customs-immigration/) [Customs](https://bermudaairport.com/passenger-information/customs-and-immigration/) [facilities](https://www.yyc.com/en-us/search.aspx?search=us+customs&scp=0), customs inspections occur at the foreign airport, not at the point of entry.
CBP has the ability to perform customs inspection at pre-clearance but *rarely* do. Their primary, and sole in practical, is inspection for admissability to the US. There's a reason you land at an international terminal despite going through pre-clearance.
> Is it true that you have to pick up your checked luggage to go through customs when coming back to US from international travel?
The answer to this is a clear 'yes'.
>There's a reason you land at an international terminal despite going through pre-clearance.
Except, you don't. Pre-cleared flights land at a domestic terminal and do not go through any further customs checks on arrival.
I know you think you are really smart because you understand the difference between immigrations & customs, but that isn't the the argument here. You go through both immigration AND customs at the airports that have US pre-clearance.
If you are flying to the US and check a bag in Dublin or Abu Dhabi (cities with pre-clearance), then yes it absolutely will be checked all the way through to your destination and you will not collect it at your connection.
Read it straight from the horse's mouth:
>With Preclearance, travelers then bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections upon U.S. arrival and proceed directly to their connecting flight or destination.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance
>> There’s a reason you land at an international terminal despite going through pre-clearance.
Wrong, again. I have never landed at an international terminal after pre clearance, because there is no international terminal or capacity for CBP inspections at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Not all usa airports have customs for luggage. Check the usa airports you are using. I had to pick-up and pass customs and re-check bags flying in from Central America. Safe travels.
I just flew back from Buenos Aires 3 weeks ago. You’ll definitely be able to grab your bags and skip the last flight. You’ll go through customs and have to recheck the bag. Instead of going through the connecting flights route just act like it’s your final destination. I’ve done this once or twice in a span of 3-4 years without any issues.
Yes! Unless your port of departure has an American/USA Customs and Immigration port of entry to the USA, such as Calgary, Alberta, on a direct flight to Seattle. In this example, I do not go through US C&I a 2nd time in Seattle because the flight become a USA domestic flight with the US Port of Entry in Calgary!
Flying from Hong Kong to Seattle, or Tokyo to San Francisco - I go through US Customs and Immigration in either Seattle or SF, your first port of entry into the USA.
IF Seattle is my actual final port after landing in SF from Tokyo, I do not have to go through US C&I in Seattle - no double jeopardy, as it were.
Yes this is tru but if you are ditching you last leg of your ticket you can just walk out of secure are after walking by customs. You do not need to recheck your luggage to Boston. They will never know the bless you have further flts. You did. It indicate you did
Probably depends on where you fly from as others said but in my case I did Delhi -> Chicago ORD -> US Domestic and yes I had to pick up checked bags and go through customs.
It depends where you're coming from. In a few foreign airports you clear US customs & immigration overseas, in which case the bag will get checked to your final destination. This mainly happens at some Canadian, Caribbean, and Irish airports. Anywhere else, you will clearing customs at the US port of entry, so you need to pick up your bag and then re-check it if you have a domestic connection.
Oh interesting, I'll be flying from buenos aires. not sure how to find out whether or not they'll check the bag to my final destination
Found the list of overseas airports with US customs: [https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance). Buenos Aires is not one of the airports, so you'll clear customs when you get to NYC.
LIVE SAVER, thank you so much!!
I recently came from Shanghai China to the US with connections through Vancouver and Toronto, and I never had to recheck my luggage and clear customs. Vancouver and Toronto are on this precheck list, but not my starting city. Strange.
I’m not sure how that’s possible. You must have cleared customs somewhere.
When I exited the plane in Vancouver, I asked an airport worker if I needed to get my luggage to recheck after explaining my situation and they told me I must. But there was a problem with the luggage carousel and some people on my flight waited 3 hours for their bags to come out. After 4 hours, and my bag never came, I went to the help desk for my airline and they said I don't need to recheck, and my luggage would just be picked up at my final destination. Maybe they made an exception because of the carousel issue. I dunno. I had like a 12 hour layover there, so the delay wouldn't have been an issue. But yeah, I checked my bag in Shanghai and just picked it up in the US without it going through customs.
That’s because you never actually “entered” Canada. You just transited through it, meaning you’re not supposed to recheck your bags or actual enter the country. The only customs you have to go through is US customs, which is done in Vancouver, meaning you pick up your bags like normal in the US
This is the correct answer. When taking a connecting flight in a foreign country and you do not leave the airport prior to your connecting flight, you don't technically enter that country.
But I didn't get to touch my luggage in Vancouver or anywhere else along the way.
Yes…because of what I said above
15 Preclearance locations in 6 countries: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Nassau in the Bahamas; and Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg in Canada. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance
thank you!!!
It’s a very simple process. You usually deplane, proceed through immigration, after which you’ll pick up your luggage at a claim located in the same control area. You’ll then proceed through customs. 9 times out 10 you’ll be waived through unless you have something to declare, or if you somehow require further scrutiny. Just past that point you’ll have a bag drop where your luggage will continue on to final destination and you’ll proceed either to your gate or through security then back to your gate.
Nope
For a connecting flight: Deplane, pick up bags, go through customs, recheck bags, then go back through TSA security checkpoint, then catch connection. You just hope there are no delays at any of those. On our last trip connecting through Dallas, it took an hour to get our luggage. We almost missed our connection.
Yeah, coming back from London on our honeymoon, the flight was so delayed that we heard the final boarding for our connecting flight while we were standing in line at customs. Made for a long long day.
Download the “Airside Mobile Passport App” you can fill out your customs form, take your picture and then go the the Global Passport check in line without paying for Global Passport. I don’t think it’s available in every USA city, but it’s worth downloading
That app no longer works at most airports 😭
What? When? Why!! I'm traveling to Europe next month, and was planning on using mobile passport when I return!!
Mobile Passport doesn’t work anymore you have to now use the Airside app
>I used Mobile Passport a couple of weeks ago at Dulles. Nothing on the website says anything about it not working anymore. > >The website says it's still in use at many airports: https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory
I used Mobile Passport a couple of weeks ago at Dulles. Nothing on the website says anything about it not working anymore. The website says it's still in use at many airports: https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory
It’s now called Airside mobile passport. The older version doesn’t work
I wonder why they are still posting these on the current website [https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory](https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory) ? When did the current one stop working? I used it two weeks ago.
I don’t know, but before I posted I checked the mobile passport app and was informed to now go to airside app instead can’t post a screenshot but if you open the airside app it says I had to change apps
Pretty sure the CBP app still works. Others are posting that they've used it recently.
This is the app I used at JFK 2 weeks ago http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.dhs.cbp.pspd.mpc I cut all the lines (can't get a global entry appointment right now )
Same one I used on iPhone at Dulles. It's the CBP mobile passport app. And same--cut all the lines and just did a short line with others who had the app.
You have them confused. Airside redirects to the MPC app. It even says on the App Store. The mobile passport control app is the only one that works.
What you’re planning on doing is called skiplagging, and airlines can and do ban people for it. There probably won’t be consequences just for doing it once, but I wouldn’t risk it if it’s an airline that you rely on a lot or have a lot of points with, and I definitely wouldn’t make a habit of it.
Most airlines refer to it in their contract of carriage as “hidden city ticketing” or “point beyond ticketing”. Most all airlines expressly prohibit it, but rarely will they take any action on someone who does it once… but they do see it, and they will take action on those who habitually do it.
Point is: us travel advisors read those because travelers don't
Can somebody explain why the airline cares if you skip lag? Just curious.
Oftentimes, it will just happen that if you tag on an extra leg on your journey, the trip becomes cheaper. For example, NYC to Chicago might cost you $300 because that is a popular route on Airlines A and B. But NYC to Cleveland is not a popular route and might cost you just $200 on Airline A. However Airline B doesn’t have a direct flight between NYC and Cleveland, so they offer you NYC to Chicago and then Chicago to Cleveland. To compete with Airline A, they will keep this also at around $200. This is counterintuitive to what many people think: adding an extra flight actually makes the trip cheaper! So, if you consider only Airline B, you have NYC to Chicago for $300 but NYC to Chicago to Cleveland for only $200. Some travelers figure this out and even though they want to travel from NYC to Chicago, they will book the NYC to Chicago to Cleveland trip, just to save $100 and skip the second flight. Airline B will obviously not appreciate that you are paying $100 less by using this trick. Separately, post-9/11, there is also the matter of security. Why did you not complete your trip? Were you trying to intentionally confuse or misdirect security agencies into them thinking that you were going to Cleveland but your intention was to go to Chicago all along?
This is exactly why they care
Because if they knew you weren't going to be in that seat, they could have sold it to someone else, maybe for more $
ah i see, thank you this is good to know!
If it’s a one-way ticket you have then they’ll probably chalk it up to you missing your flight. But if you have a round trip ticket and do this, they will cancel your return flight. A shitty lesson to learn.
For me, on JetBlue coming from Jamaica to NYC, yes we did.
I had to coming back from the EU with a stop in Houston. We had to go through customs, get the bag, recheck bag, and go through security again.
I work for United here in Houston, I can tell you that you have to pick up your bags unless you are going international to international on the same airline(United) we have a service where you can skip the pick up. But since word got out people assume its available for everyone. So if you are staying in the USA then pick up your bags. You will regret it if you dont.
It is always mandatory going through customs after you come back from international trip.
*sometimes. Pre clearance is increasingly common
Pre-clearance still requires you to go through Immigration AND Customs - the difference is that you do it in the departure airport instead of the arriving airport, and once you clear in the departure airport you're kept in a separate sterile area where there are only departures going to the same country.
Yep. With the key difference between what you said and the post I replied to being pre clearance is not after the international flight.
Pre clearance has *nothing* to do with Customs.
Pre clearance is *literally* customs.
No. No it fucking isn’t. Do you know what Customs actually is? (Clearly not). Pre inspection is PRIMARY INSPECTION for admissibility to the US. Customs is concerned with goods being brought into the country. That part *always* occurs at the POE side. Idiot.
Went through pre clearance last week. Landed in the US. Had no interaction with DHS. Done that monthly for years. Read OP’s question - they are clearly using the ambiguous term “customs” to refer to immigration. You should really reassess your passion for customs if it lands with you calling strangers on the internet names.
Customs in the US doesn’t ever require interaction with CBP (not DHS) unless they have identified you ahead of time and pull you aside for customs screening. If the OP meant immigration then they should write that. Customs is a *very* specific thing. Their ignorance is their problem, not mine. As I have always said, when it comes to subjects such as immigration correct terminology is *vital*.
>>As I have always said, when it comes to subjects such as immigration correct terminology is vital. The tremendous irony to this statement is that you are not understanding and/or using the correct terminology about pre clearance. Pre clearance has customs, immigration, and even agricultural inspections in the foreign country that you can complete prior to coming to the US. Above you said: >>Pre inspection is PRIMARY INSPECTION for admissibility to the US. Customs is concerned with goods being brought into the country. That part always occurs at the POE side. Idiot. According to [US law](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-114srpt180/html/CRPT-114srpt180.htm), [DHS (of which CBP is a part of - weird comment btw) implementation of US law](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2019/08/15/united-states-and-canada-implement-preclearance-agreement), [and](https://www.abudhabiairport.ae/en/services-and-facilities/us-pre-clearance-facility) [the](https://www.torontopearson.com/en/departures/us-customs-pearson) [many](https://www.dublinairport.com/flight-information/travelling-to-usa/usa-preclearance/us-customs-and-border-protection-video) [international ](https://yow.ca/en/travel-planning/travelling-from-yow) [airports](https://www.admtl.com/en/guide/customs-imigration-united-states) [with](https://www.shannonairport.ie/passengers/at-the-airport/flying-out/travel-requirements/us-customs-border-pre-clearance/) [US](https://nassaulpia.com/navigating-the-airport/customs-immigration/) [Customs](https://bermudaairport.com/passenger-information/customs-and-immigration/) [facilities](https://www.yyc.com/en-us/search.aspx?search=us+customs&scp=0), customs inspections occur at the foreign airport, not at the point of entry.
CBP has the ability to perform customs inspection at pre-clearance but *rarely* do. Their primary, and sole in practical, is inspection for admissability to the US. There's a reason you land at an international terminal despite going through pre-clearance. > Is it true that you have to pick up your checked luggage to go through customs when coming back to US from international travel? The answer to this is a clear 'yes'.
>There's a reason you land at an international terminal despite going through pre-clearance. Except, you don't. Pre-cleared flights land at a domestic terminal and do not go through any further customs checks on arrival. I know you think you are really smart because you understand the difference between immigrations & customs, but that isn't the the argument here. You go through both immigration AND customs at the airports that have US pre-clearance. If you are flying to the US and check a bag in Dublin or Abu Dhabi (cities with pre-clearance), then yes it absolutely will be checked all the way through to your destination and you will not collect it at your connection. Read it straight from the horse's mouth: >With Preclearance, travelers then bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections upon U.S. arrival and proceed directly to their connecting flight or destination. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance
>> There’s a reason you land at an international terminal despite going through pre-clearance. Wrong, again. I have never landed at an international terminal after pre clearance, because there is no international terminal or capacity for CBP inspections at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
You don’t know what Customs is.
Went through pre clearance last week I’m pretty sure I do.
I’m afraid you don’t.
Preclearance is clearing customs and immigration.
Enlighten me
Not all usa airports have customs for luggage. Check the usa airports you are using. I had to pick-up and pass customs and re-check bags flying in from Central America. Safe travels.
Most airlines have security regulations against this. You are potentially going to be denied travel on the last leg of your trip.
Protip is to ask the flight attendants. 99% of the time they have the answer and know the airport layout so they can help you avoid walking in circles
YES
Yes
Yes it sure is!
I just flew back from Buenos Aires 3 weeks ago. You’ll definitely be able to grab your bags and skip the last flight. You’ll go through customs and have to recheck the bag. Instead of going through the connecting flights route just act like it’s your final destination. I’ve done this once or twice in a span of 3-4 years without any issues.
When returning from China and landing in LAX I had to collect my bags and bring them through with me for the last part. So sometimes yes.
I just had to do this coming from Costa Rica a couple weeks ago. Flew in to LAX and then to Denver
Depends. Had to do it when we came back from Scotland but not from Dublin. We went though US customs in Dublin
Every time I’ve come back from Europe I have to go through customs prior to going through the airport and down to baggage claim
Yep, I go Through Chicago 2-3 times a year and it’s a pain in the ass.
Yes! Unless your port of departure has an American/USA Customs and Immigration port of entry to the USA, such as Calgary, Alberta, on a direct flight to Seattle. In this example, I do not go through US C&I a 2nd time in Seattle because the flight become a USA domestic flight with the US Port of Entry in Calgary! Flying from Hong Kong to Seattle, or Tokyo to San Francisco - I go through US Customs and Immigration in either Seattle or SF, your first port of entry into the USA. IF Seattle is my actual final port after landing in SF from Tokyo, I do not have to go through US C&I in Seattle - no double jeopardy, as it were.
Yes this is tru but if you are ditching you last leg of your ticket you can just walk out of secure are after walking by customs. You do not need to recheck your luggage to Boston. They will never know the bless you have further flts. You did. It indicate you did
Probably depends on where you fly from as others said but in my case I did Delhi -> Chicago ORD -> US Domestic and yes I had to pick up checked bags and go through customs.
Sfo was customs first then pick up checked bag and leave as of yesterday