Hi,

My friend will be arrived on a Lufthansa flight to IAD on Dec 17th. She will then connect to MSY. She thinks that 2 hours is insufficient time for Dulles customs (she is American), and that she should allow 6 hours to be safe.

I told her that 2 hours should be enough, and in case that her flight from MUC is delayed, UA would transfer her to the next available flight.

Is two hours reasonable for IAD immigration, pending is X-mas season and all?

Many thanks!

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Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

I wouldn't worry about a two-hour connection. If something happens and she's on a single UA ticket, they'll take care of her, but two hours should be plenty of time.

Hi,

My friend will be arrived on a Lufthansa flight to IAD on Dec 17th. She will then connect to MSY. She thinks that 2 hours is insufficient time for Dulles customs (she is American), and that she should allow 6 hours to be safe.

I told her that 2 hours should be enough, and in case that her flight from MUC is delayed, UA would transfer her to the next available flight.

Is two hours reasonable for IAD immigration, pending is X-mas season and all?

Many thanks!

If travelling on one ticket, then I'd be fine with two hours. Maybe if the IAD-MSY flight was the last flight of the night then I might pad in a bit more time. Six hours at IAD is ridiculous unless she has some desire to head into downtown DC for an hour or three.

In other words, two hours is generally reasonable even with slow people involved. Worst case scenario on one ticket, UA will reaccomodate her.

As for IAD is very high-volume passengers during rush hour at security checkpoint. You should be just fine when you arrived from countries. You have extra times when you get through checkpoint. IAD is very badly because it was heavily passengers was trying to get through IAD. You probably will skip the lines to reduce wait times to gets more entire times.

2 hours will likely be okay, and as other posters said you have another flight to fall back on if you're delayed. Two comments to share with your friend. First, make sure she takes the route for connecting passengers. MUC flights usually come into terminal B, so folks are bused from there over to the basement of terminal C for connecting customs/immigrations as opposed to going to the main terminal for those terminating at IAD.

Next, I believe her MSY flight is a UAX one. If she misses the flight, go to a customer service desk in Terminal C/D do not go over to Terminal A to be re-booked, she will not enjoy the experience. Terminal C/D are connected; Terminal A will require a short trip in a people mover.

As others have said make sure your friend keeps infield for connecting passengers.

Unlike most other arriving carriers on UA you park at a gate and go into a terminal, from here they'd follow the corridors until they get to either a mobile lounge which goes to the immigration and customs or follow signs for connecting passengers. In Concourse C this takes you into a midfield area to clear customs and immigration.

Make sure they follow the signs for connections or else they could be in trouble. It seems as though the MUC-IAD flight arrives at peak arrival at Dulles with plenty of European arrivals. BA, UA, VS, LH and I think Ethiopian. I've arrived on the BA217 which gets into IAD right at this time at his taken over an hour to get through immigration :(