Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - 3 Hours at IAD - Time to clear immigration/get on domestic flight?

Hi all, I'd love the advice of any locals (or any expert) on this :)

I'm flying on a UA redemption ticket from Brazil in to IAD. From there I will need to buy a domestic revenue ticket to get down to Florida.

My flight is due to arrive at Dulles at 6.30am. I am looking at catching a US Air flight out of Dulles at 9.18am. Would I have time to clear immigration/customs, pick up my bag and check in again? Note: I hold a US passport, if that makes any difference.

In my mind I worry I'm cutting it a bit fine. There is a slightly later flight available on ebookers, but I have this United voucher to use so feel like I may as well spend it. Frustratingly, the slightly later flight doesn't appear on united.com

How much time should one allow to enter the USA from abroad at Dulles? I'm guessing if I miss my connection, I'll have to buy a rather pricey one there and then. But it wouldn't automatically cancel my return flight right?

I'm starting to think maybe I should just fly with carry on, maybe it'll give me more chance!

Thanks! :D

If your flight is on-time you'll be fine. There are fewer international arrivals in the early hours (vs. late afternoon when many European arrivals show up) so getting through i/c and re-clearing should be OK.

can he go through mid field terminal?

Thanks, this good to know there aren't too many that early in the morning (though I see some arrivals from Dakar, Kuwait, Sao Paulo)...hopefully I can zip through!

I'll book this unless I find a better option. I'm trying to look at a gate map to figure out how far International Arrivals are from checking in for US Air, hmmm

Thanks, this good to know there aren't too many that early in the morning (though I see some arrivals from Dakar, Kuwait, Sao Paulo)...hopefully I can zip through!

I'll book this unless I find a better option. I'm trying to look at a gate map to figure out how far International Arrivals are from checking in for US Air, hmmm

The US Airways gates are at the "Z" gates which are attached to the main terminal. The US Airways ticket counters are in Zone 2 (which is more or less the middle of the ticketing area. They face the access road.

Thanks, this is good info :). I guess if I fly with just carry-on and check-in online, I'd be able to go straight to the US Air gate?

I don't recall seeing US Airways flights on www.ual.com

There are flights from South America at that hour (e.g., United non-stop arrives about 6:30 a.m.; is that the flight you're on?). It's not just the # of flights but also # of agents on duty when you arrive.

You have separate tickets. Will your bags be tagged through to Florida when you check-in overseas? Will you get your boarding pass for all flights when you first check in? If not, and you need to go to the US Airways counters to check-in for your second flight, with your bags, you need to take that into account. If no bags to check, you may be able to check-in online. You will have to go through TSA security to get to your next flight, of course.

Also, if you somehow miss that second flight, will US Airways put you on another flight at no charge (of course, even then it would be the next flight with available seats) or would you need to pay a fee, maybe even a new ticket? I think 3 hours will be enough, as long as that first flight is on time but if you need to be sure you may want more time. What are your other options?

yes, these are the questions I need to ask myself :)

There are flights from South America at that hour (e.g., United non-stop arrives about 6:30 a.m.; is that the flight you're on?). It's not just the # of flights but also # of agents on duty when you arrive.

Yes. Well, I'm flying on United from Rio, which stops in Sao Paulo before continuing to IAD. This is a concern for me too: more stops = more potential for problems. Not sure how the weather is in September, but last time I flew in to GRU, fog had closed the airport and I spent 4 hours sitting on the tarmac at VCP instead.

You have separate tickets. Will your bags be tagged through to Florida when you check-in overseas?

As they're separate tickets (one redemption, one revenue) I doubt it :confused:

Will you get your boarding pass for all flights when you first check in?

Probably not. Couldn't I check in for the US Air domestic flight before I leave Brazil, and I'll already have the boarding pass?

I won't need much stuff so I'm increasingly tempted to get on at GIG with just a carry on. That should save me time in IAD (and also mean I don't have to pay to check a bag)

Also, if you somehow miss that second flight, will US Airways put you on another flight at no charge (of course, even then it would be the next flight with available seats) or would you need to pay a fee, maybe even a new ticket?

I'd assume they'd make me pay for a whole new flight? :confused: I live in the UK, and am used to dealing with our less than generous budget airlines


If I search on united.com for the dates and cities I want, and click on "our lowest fares - with stops" it gives the option of a couple of flights "Operated by - US Airways". One of those leaves IAD at 9.18am. Other sites show another flight that leaves IAD at just after 1pm. That may be a safer option, but it doesn't show up on united.com

Who knows, I haven't attempted to use the voucher yet, perhaps if I try to with a US Air flight, it'll reject it anyway. Another option could be to trek to DCA, but I'd probably get to my final destination at the same time if I caught a flight from IAD

US and UA are very likely to have an interline baggage agreement since both are * alliance.

I am not sure of the mechanics of international security at IAD arrivals as I am always getting off of a IAD international and then going home rather than connecting to another flight.

could anyone remind me of the rules for flying Stand By with US?

There's a flight that departs at 4pm. I could book that, just on the off chance something goes badly wrong with my flight to IAD from Brazil.

If I get there on time, can I be put on standby for earlier flights? I'll be changing planes at CLT, is it $50 per sector or for the reservation as a whole to go on standby?

US and UA are very likely to have an interline baggage agreement since both are * alliance.

I am not sure of the mechanics of international security at IAD arrivals as I am always getting off of a IAD international and then going home rather than connecting to another flight.

I've been doing the GIG-GRU-IAD trip every month for over 4 years. As a "terminating" passenger at IAD one follows the purple signs and gets on the mobile lounge after walking down the sterile corridor and going down the first escalator. The mobile lounge then takes one to the main terminal to clear immigration and customs and that is where the Z gates and check-in counters are for US Air according to a post above. That whole process has never taken me more than 45 minutes as a U.S. Citizen with just carry on bags and usually less. Have arrived on time at 6:35 and gotten the Washington Flyer bus which leaves at 7:15. So if the flight is on time there should be no problem.