Passmethesickbag

Yes, precisely my point!

darrencobb

Thanks for the replies, I land at 1415 and the connection to Manaus leaves at 1725, best get off quickly then and leg it through to passport control, really don't want to miss it cos I'm heading out for the football, cheers

chris1979

No, I didn't make it but thankfully got the on the next flight not too much later.

chris1979

having seen Express Connections in JFK the week before, I asked the flight crew on the flight to MIA (the one that was 3 hours delayed) about it (they didnt know), I asked the AA person meeting the flight (the one that sometimes does the welcome announcement) and again the next AA person I found at the end of the jet-bridge. They all just shrugged their shoulders and suggested I just keep walking to immigration.

I might have been unlucky (though did it twice and didn't notice any the 2nd time around either - though it didn't matter for me as had more time for the connection and it was earlier in the day when less busy) or that they didn't offer it as was coming from CUN.

Passmethesickbag

Immigration at MIA was a breeze tonight; "the long snakey queue" didn't exist and the individual ones were only three people deep.

Because my luggage was delivered by the far end I discovered something useful: Whilst the queue to clear customs by the higher-numbered gates is always a zoo, there is a second one by carroussel 3 that had no queue at all. And I'm pretty sure the connecting gate checkpoint it leads to is a different one as well; again, no queue.

CMK10

Is it really that bad? I've been through MIA a couple of times, including once last year, and breezed through very quickly both times. Maybe arriving at odd times helped me but last year I think I was back through security 20 minutes after getting off the plane.

bernardd

I breezed through immigration (the citizens line) but got stuck in the customs line for almost an hour on Saturday evening, ending up missing a connection and being forced to pay for a second Hotel room in Miami.

The conditions in the baggage claim area are deplorable. It stuns me that someone paid a fortune to rebuild the terminal but they didn't put in enough Customs inspection area and the line ended up about 3x as long as could be handled in the maze, with the result it stretched round a couple of carousels and at one point I was concerned a fight was going to break out with some line jumpers.

Hit it at the wrong time and it can be very ugly indeed.

LifeontheBeach

Is it a sign in name?

phunc

In my experience there are many variables and it's hard to predict. As suggested, have a back-up plan incase you're stuck there. My longest wait time was been 2:45. Que management from the MIA apt staff was rotten. They were taking latin flights that landed an hour after ours to newly opened lanes which was very unfair. People landing after us were ducking under the ropes and the staff did nothing even though they saw it.

It really depends on who has landed ahead of you. 2/3PM is when the European and a wave of Caribbean & Central American flights get in.

I agree with what someone has already said; pick your line well. DOn't get behind people holding lots of papers and folders...they'll have a story to tell. And do what Frank Abignale did in when choosing a bank teller in 'Catch me if you can' - pick an officer who's quick and friendly!

Having said all that, I once came in from SJO and was through in 10 mins.

chris1979

apologies, dear sir, that should have read "apologies, I know you are looking for hints and tips but all I can share with you is to expect the worst".

I am spending a lot of time up north in Brum at the moment so my standards and English are slipping....

CMK10

I had that problem at IAD back in March. BA 297 came in 45 minutes late right when an Avianca flight had gotten in and I was stuck in the US line with a bunch of people holding folders and papers as they were permanent residents. Then at 2200 there was a shift change and over half the CBP officers just left. It was so unbelievably frustrating