FindAWay

Yes, I was noting my positive experience using this exception (and avoiding paying a fare difference); but, I generally fly carry-on only. Does this exception to paying the fare difference evaporate if one has checked luggage?

rove312

Not sure why it would. It's common for checked bags to be put on the first flight to the destination regardless of what flight you're booked on. My girlfriend had this happen going MCI-SMF, a route with no non-stops, but there were 1-stops an hour apart and her bag got put on the earlier one; it took time for her to figure out that her bag wasn't lost.

jamesteroh

I had that happen once but it was in 99. My friend and I went to MDW and I got there early since his flight was 2 hours before mine and they put my bag on the earlier MDW/DTW flight. It was nice, but it was an afterenoon flight. Now I wouldn't want my bags going on an earlier flight if I was on the last flight of the night. If you get stuck in an irrops situation and are stuck spending the night you are screwed without your luggage. That is just one of the reasons I try to carry on

tusphotog

Worth every penny, IMO. I used mine in YYZ last week and customs took exactly 2 minutes. The line was about 20-30 minutes long, give or take. I wouldn't consider clearing customs at LAX or ATL without GE. Especially if you land during a rush when a lot of people have to play 20 questions with the CBP folks.

jamesteroh

And if you fly out of DTW, ATL, or DFW and can be part of American or Deltas trusted traveller program it is REALLY worth it. If you are lucky enough to be part of it no more taking off your shoes and removing your laptop and liquids to go through TSA screening.

toomanybooks

And sometimes if weather threatens for the later flight.

buylowsellhigh

Got it! I just applied, thanks for the advice. I'm sure I'll figure this out, but I'm lazy so I'll ask... So there are specialized line for clearing immigration and clearing customs and do I still need to fill out the customs forms?

tusphotog

According to the CBP person when I got mine, you don't need to fill the form out. Of course, at YYZ I had to.

You'll follow the line to the GE kiosk, insert your passport, scan your finger prints, answer a few questions--you do your customs forms on the kiosk--and print a receipt. If there's no X, you just walk out. If there's an X, they'll do a secondary search.

sdsearch

Canadian airports use a separate (though related) system called NEXUS. I'm not sure what implications that has for Canada->US transit for people who have GE but don't have NEXUS.

(In general, I've been told I don't need to fill out the physical form if the GE terminal works and gives me my receipt, but I do need it fill it out if I don't have the receipt.)

In fact, if you apply for NEXUS (which works both ways US<->Canada) for $50, you get Global Entry included free (because Global Entry only works elsewhere->US). But if you apply for Global Entry first, it's $100, and you still need to pay $50 to add NEXUS (because you haven't yet been cleared by Canada).

The downside: You can only do a NEXUS interview at locations (airport and otherwise) near the Canadian / US border. So if you're rarely anywhere near (and only a fraction of the NEXUS locations have weekend interviews possible, by the way), it may be easier (even if more costly) to apply for Global Entry first.

(I did my interview at YVR on a Sunday morning, after a Saturday spent visiting Vancouver with NEXUS/GE as the excuse. I wasn't able to use NEXUS on that return into the US, since it takes a day or two to activate, and I haven't gone back to Canada yet since.)

shoreline

no, if you have checked bags this exception still remains. If your flight is delayed for any reason you are not charged to switch flights. However, when you switch flights it is by standbye, so there is no guarantee your bags will make the flights. In most cases your bags will NOT make the flight as you are the last to board, directly before take off.

Your bags will make the original flight, they can have them delivered to you at the hotel or you can pick them up at the airport (most people have them delivered to their hotel room, but if it's a connecting flight it's best to just stay with your bags and wait for the delayed flight, although the delivery thing still applies).

I try to always fly with just a carry on as well. It's a much more time efficient way to travel.

tusphotog

You're correct w/r/t US-->Canada. However, at YYZ and a few other large Canadian airports, there are GE kiosks. Trust me. I used the silver GE kiosk last weekend at YYZ in T3. It's sitting between two NEXUS kiosks.

I applied for GE first because I wasn't sure I would get approved for NEXUS in time for my trip and I had a pretty tight schedule leaving YYZ. Sitting at customs on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend wasn't my idea of fun.

lougord99

They will not deliver your bags in this situation.

nsx

IIRC the delay needs to be 30 minutes or more. The gate agent knows that a 15 minute posted delay equals >30 minutes actual delay, so 15 is the normal cutoff.

jamesteroh

I am pretty sure it is 30 also, but I think most GA's will work with getting you on an earlier flight if there is room. When I fly DTW/LAX on the last flight out of DTW I only have a 35 minute connect time in DEN, so if a plane is delayed 25 minutes I would probably miss my connection unless that was delayed as well.

Bushwacker

I have attempted it numerous times without success. They always want to increase the fare. Last time out of DEN the earlier flights I inquired about had plenty of room. My scheduled flight was overbooked and they denied passengers from boarding. What idiocy. They could have had room for at least 3 additional passengers had they let us on the earlier flight. Probably part of the reasons that airlines are not very profitable. STUPID!