US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - PHL immigration/customs times?

We (GF & I) are scheduled to fly CDG-PHL on a Friday in April. There was only a 1:40 layover between the CDG-PHL and last PHL-SEA flight so we decided to overnight and head to SEA the next day. Is it a mistake or an o.k. decision? There are 5 US int'l flights that are scheduled to arrive between 3:05 and 3:45 and one from MAD the same time as the CDG flight (and an LH flight arrives 15 minutes later).

How bad is the lineup for B/C concourses on a Saturday early AM?

terenz,

You may have made the right decision. After you clear C/I in PHL, you have left the sterile area and have to re-enter through a security checkpoint that has one, count'em one scanner (at least it did last month). It took me 40 minutes get through that checkpoint. Note there is an alternative to using that checkpoint. Go out the front door of the terminal from the International terminal and turn right. Walk down the sidewalk and re-enter through the typical entry closest to "B" concourse using the domestic security check points.

I agree with BillMorrow. Customs/immigration can be a major nightmare at PHL, it all depends on the volume of incoming pax at the time. And I have personally witnessed many international arriving pax miss the last connection to the left coast due to the need to clear immigartion, claim bags, clear agricultural and customs, exit the secure area, recheck the bags across the hall, and then reclear security. However, I have also seen when B/C security lines are no better than A. I have heard F is the way to go and then take the shuttle back to C. Have not tried it yet - I no longer fly out of PHL, I drive to ABE and connect thru PHL if necessary.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BillMorrow:
terenz,

You may have made the right decision. After you clear C/I in PHL, you have left the sterile area and have to re-enter through a security checkpoint that has one, count'em one scanner (at least it did last month). It took me 40 minutes get through that checkpoint. Note there is an alternative to using that checkpoint. Go out the front door of the terminal from the International terminal and turn right. Walk down the sidewalk and re-enter through the typical entry closest to "B" concourse using the domestic security check points.

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To hell with the B/C checkpoint. Get yer tail over to F and take the shuttle back to B/C.