Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - IAD CBP Zoo Makes Other Hubs More Attractive

No wonder UA had the lowest fare bar none for MEX-BTV...because they had to try to encourage some saps to go via their zoo of a hub at IAD. Inbound today (7/10) ex MEX was early...so would have been 1.5hrs+ to connection....and took pax over 2hrs just to get thru Customs/Immigration...and were reprotected on a flight 5hrs later, arriving past Midnight. To top off the insult is the gouging Dulles does on phone calls, blocking access to Bell Canada's 800 number at airport pay-phones so that pax couldn't call home at a reasonable rate (operator quoted $3/minute to Canada...vs $0 on a Bell card)....upon hearing this usurious charge, even UA personnel were embarrassed, and let the client use a UA phone to call home...
I think that the CBP is getting things to be ... Heading down by car via Champlain and Rouses Point,NY on Sunday experienced 90+minute delays at land crossings...and that was just to get the Nexus lane...

Border wait times are often large at certain times of the day - this is true for many other US airports. Booking a short connecton after an international flight is always risky.

If you travel internationally frequently, apply for NEXUS - expedited security in canada, no border waits entering us or canada (by air or land). As a NEXUS holder, you can use global entry kiosks when entering US.

Airport Wait Times: http://apps.cbp.gov/awt/

Of course it doesn't take into account the variance between U.S. Citizens and others.

I agree that IAD has the worst CBP lines that I've experienced in my numerous times re-entering the US through UA's hubs. Can't speak for hubs of other airlines, but in the PMUA system, IAD is the worst in this regard, especially for connecting passengers.

I agree that IAD has the worst CBP lines that I've experienced in my numerous times re-entering the US through UA's hubs. Can't speak for hubs of other airlines, but in the PMUA system, IAD is the worst in this regard, especially for connecting passengers.

I'm flying PEK-IAD nonstop in a week, how's IAD CBP at 8pm for IAD destination passengers at that hour? I know I could go via other hubs but hey, nonstop in Global First Class, can't beat that...

I'm flying PEK-IAD nonstop in a week, how's IAD CBP at 8pm for IAD destination passengers at that hour? I know I could go via other hubs but hey, nonstop in Global First Class, can't beat that...

8pm is about the time that the late LHR and FRA flights arrive.

LHR - 1925
FRA - 1942
PEK - 1953

Hope you're early is all I can say!

What's more, once you finally get through passport control and immigration you get to deal with the TSA. In my repeated experience, the wait times for post-CBP security are well outside what could be reasonably called acceptable.

This was a legal connection as booked...the alternative to the 1hr 40min connect was the 6+ wait that was eventually foisted upon them. Nothing in-between. To add insult to injury, a CSR passed out cards saying that pax could call in and make their re-accommodations...rather than stand in line...and, at first, the agent on the line wanted $70/person for the privilege of rebooking...after the volcano erupted, and she checked with a supervisor, she made the change...the nerve!

When did UA merge with CBP? Was that 3/3 too? Or am I missing something here?

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The problem must be the midfield terminal. I find that the main terminal is generally efficient enough that you are through immigration before your bags show up. Granted, I go through the US citizen/resident line.

When did UA merge with CBP? Was that 3/3 too? Or am I missing something here?

The point is that IAD CBP affects UA pax more than it affects any other airline, so IAD CBP is quite relevant to United...

I agree that IAD passport control can be a nightmare. Sometimes it's fine, but at other times it's far worse than I've experienced anywhere else in the US. Coming back from AMS on UA a few years ago, it took me somewhere in the 30-45 minute range to clear passport control there, as a US citizen. Inexcusable. That's like GIG or MEX territory.

, To top off the insult is the gouging Dulles does on phone calls, blocking access to Bell Canada's 800 number at airport pay-phones so that pax couldn't call home at a reasonable rate (operator quoted $3/minute to Canada...vs $0 on a Bell card)....upon hearing this usurious charge, even UA personnel were embarrassed, and let the client use a UA phone to call home......


i think you're beating the dog. dulles has nothing to do with the pay phone prices. they are privately owned. probably has nothing to do with long distance rate. that is a connection thru las vegas and run by the mafia(for real)

I agree that IAD passport control can be a nightmare. Sometimes it's fine, but at other times it's far worse than I've experienced anywhere else in the US. Coming back from AMS on UA a few years ago, it took me somewhere in the 30-45 minute range to clear passport control there, as a US citizen. Inexcusable. That's like GIG or MEX territory.

Compared to LAX or EWR, IAD CBP is a joy.

I agree that IAD passport control can be a nightmare. Sometimes it's fine, but at other times it's far worse than I've experienced anywhere else in the US. Coming back from AMS on UA a few years ago, it took me somewhere in the 30-45 minute range to clear passport control there, as a US citizen. Inexcusable. That's like GIG or MEX territory.

at LHR, which is considered a major airport by many, i have experienced large delays. of course to consider great britain anything but third world is a big mistake. the last time i entered at lhr, premium passengers were given a special coupon, and allowed to cut the line.

No wonder UA had the lowest fare bar none for MEX-BTV...because they had to try to encourage some saps to go via their zoo of a hub at IAD. Inbound today (7/10) ex MEX was early...so would have been 1.5hrs+ to connection....and took pax over 2hrs just to get thru Customs/Immigration...and were reprotected on a flight 5hrs later, arriving past Midnight. To top off the insult is the gouging Dulles does on phone calls, blocking access to Bell Canada's 800 number at airport pay-phones so that pax couldn't call home at a reasonable rate (operator quoted $3/minute to Canada...vs $0 on a Bell card)....upon hearing this usurious charge, even UA personnel were embarrassed, and let the client use a UA phone to call home...
I think that the CBP is getting things to be <redacted>. Heading down by car via Champlain and Rouses Point,NY on Sunday experienced 90+minute delays at land crossings...and that was just to get the Nexus lane...

UA also has connections from MEX to BTV at ORD and EWR with longer layover times. The fare structure is the same whichever routing one books. Using "legal connection" as the criterion to book a routing, especially on an international itinerary, IMO, is not very reliable - 90 minutes at any major hub is risky. That is not to diminish your justifiable criticism of IAD, but just to point out that there were alternatives.

Actually, the airport authority does have control over the phone policies and charges. After all, the authority contracts with the company for the service (to allow them to provide the service). The airport authority controls the space and grants the access.

So, why so expensive? Because (1) the airport authority does not care to exercise control over price (2) they get commissions, so the higher the price, the more commissions (3) since when are airport authorities interested in reasonable prices and services for pax? Their real customers are the airlines.

It is for the same reason that airport food is so expensive. Captive market, and big concession fees.

Regarding blown connections, europe is no better. Missed a connection at CDG in May, IAD-CDG-FCO on AF, because of customs delays.

I think the bigger problem is booking these connections on the part of the airlines. They can't be that stupid - they have the data about how many are blown, so why do they still do it? don't know.

The problem must be the midfield terminal. I find that the main terminal is generally efficient enough that you are through immigration before your bags show up. Granted, I go through the US citizen/resident line.

Yes, that was my thought too. I'm DC local so never had to connect there. The new CBP hall at IAD is actually quite nice, although I still do everything I can to avoid the mid-afternoon "prime-time" arrivals - when all the flights come in from Europe...

Compared to LAX or EWR, IAD CBP is a joy.

Add both JFK & MIA to that list for me!!

The worst airport for my returns to the US as a US citizen is IAD, based upon greatest variance in time to get to passport control desks and the far longer average wait times I have experienced. For me, IAD is far worse than JFK, EWR, ORD, MIA, DTW, ATL, BOS, MSP, RDU, SFO, DEN, DFW, IAH and LAX. [I don't use PHL and CLT as a port of entry that much compared to all other airports noted in this post of mine.]
IAD and LHR are most frequently hitting me with the longest wait times, with LHR having not been as bad for as long as IAD has been so very bad.

The worst airport for my returns to the US as a US citizen is IAD, based upon greatest variance in time to get to passport control desks and the far longer average wait times I have experienced. For me, IAD is far worse than JFK, EWR, ORD, MIA, DTW, ATL, BOS, MSP, RDU, SFO, DEN, DFW, IAH and LAX. [I don't use PHL and CLT as a port of entry that much compared to all other airports noted in this post of mine.]
IAD and LHR are most frequently hitting me with the longest wait times, with LHR having not been as bad for as long as IAD has been so very bad.

My experience is quite different. I have never had a wait time more than 10 minutes at IAD immigraiton. Do you use midfield terminal or main terminal?

I have certainly waited longer at LFK, ORD, and SFO. I have never used the others.

Waiting for luggage is a different story, however.

My complaint with IAD is that United SUCKS at getting your bags off their planes!!!

We waited almost an hour & our bags were tags *A Gold. As far as CBP, since I am Nexus, it took a whole 30 seconds to go thru Customs & Immigration. TSA did take another 15 minutes or so & we were in the 1st class like too boot )-:

Bottom line, no more Dulles for us!