argueta1

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Hi next week i am flying to el salvador,CA , i have to make a connection at IAD . I have never made a connection before so i am not familiar with process at IAD. It is 4 of us so we will be bringing 8 checked bags. If anyone is familliar with Dulles please let me know how to get around the airport to my connection flight. bought as one ticket with united and will there be enough time,so first leg inbound is united express
YYZ 06:09 AM

Thu, Dec 16, 2010 IAD 07:45 AM

Thu, Dec 16, 2010 Economy (T) Flight: Confirmed 15B, 16B, 16C, 15C

Equipment: Embraer 145 | Duration:1h 36m | Non-stop |
<<< connecting to >>>

United 5314

Operated by: Taca Intl IAD 10:18 AM

Thu, Dec 16, 2010 SAL 01:53 PM
United 5311

Operated by: Taca Intl SAL 02:55 PM

Mon, Jan 3, 2011 IAD 08:15 PM
<<< connecting to >>>

United 8061

Operated by: United Express/trans States Airlines IAD 09:50 PM

Mon, Jan 3, 2011 YYZ 11:26 PM
Thank You

Ocn Vw 1K

argueta1, welcome to FlyerTalk!

The readers of our Travel->Washington D.C. forum should be able to help. I'll move this thread there. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

You want to go where?

I have never transferred at IAD, so will leave the details of that to someone else. I will, however, comment that TACA flies from Terminal B, and United normally arrives at Terminal C so you will probably need to change terminals in Washington.

GoingAway

Welcome to FT! I'll take the other posters information about Terminal B ... here goes.

You clear immigration in Toronto before you leave Canada, so you arrive at IAD the same as any domestic flight. You do not have to reclaim your checked bags, just proceed to the gate.

United Express flights can arrive into Terminal A, C or D.
- If you arrive in Terminal A - you have two choices, you can walk (it's not too bad) as Terminal A and B are connected. Just follow the signs to the higher numbered gates and then follow the signs to Terminal B and your gate, or you can take the train to the main terminal and then a train out to Terminal B.
- If you arrive in Terminal C, follow the signs to Terminal A/Main Terminal. That will lead you to a train. Your choice, you can get off at the Main Terminal, walk across the platform and get on the train for the Terminal B OR you can exit at Terminal A and walk a bit as above.
- If you arrive in Terminal D, you will board a people mover (e.g. bus) that will drive you over to the B gates.

Hope that helps and enjoy your trip.

http://www.metwashairports.com/dulles/815.htm

argueta1

thanks goingaway and you want to go where?
now i need info on the reutrn leg , that one seems way more complicated

GoingAway

The return: If you're flying TACA, you will deplane in Terminal B and be sent to a people mover (the bus type vehicle). The bus will drive you to the main terminal customs/immigration area. You go through immigration, collect your checked luggage, pass through customs and then re-check your luggage. Your luggage should be tagged all the way through to your final destination as long as you show the PNR with all flights on it when you check-in at El Salvador (make sure they check it through to YYZ).

Once you get through customs, look to the right and hand the checked bags over to the UA baggage folks. Then exit and head towards the middle of the baggage claim level concourse, you will see the "Diamond Checkpoint" near baggage claim 7 (there is also security at the level below if you follow the signs). Go through security and follow signs back to the train which will take you to whatever terminal you're leaving from (check the monitors) unless its leaving from D (unlikely), in which case follow the signs to the people mover area, instead of the train.

If for some reason, they couldn't give you the UA boarding pass in El Salvador, you will likely have to go upstairs to the UA ticket counter and check in there -- they might be able to help you in that baggage area just after customs (but before you walk out the door), but I'm not sure about that. The UA ticket counter is at the far end of the terminal from where you will exit customs/immigration. Take an escalator up and keep walking.

In YYZ, you'll go through immigration and collect your luggage before exiting the customs area

You want to go where?

Thanks, GoingAway! I figured with the knowledge that TACA was Terminal B, one of the experienced United flyers could provide the details which I didn't know.

argueta1

thanks both of you , when it comes to the people mover part , does all the people movers take you to the same place?

GoingAway

Not necessarily, where are you coming/going? Coming from terminal B on your TACA flight, I don't believe there is any mid-field terminal immigrations access, so yes everyone would be going to the same place but they'd only load one peoplemover bus at a time (and they pack them full).

In another instance, if you arrived on a Lufthansa flight who is part of the *Alliance and a partner to United, they do have access to the mid-field terminal so there are people there to direct connecting passengers in a different direction than those terminating at Dulles.

I haven't been over at Terminal D for awhile, but there are likely more than one people mover heading out. There would be one going to the main terminal, and likely one going to Terminal B and/or A as there is no train access from Terminal D. (if they don't offer the buses to B/A, then you'd go to the main terminal and get the train from there but that would take more time).

argueta1

is dulles packed around this time (8 ish)

GoingAway

8 am? Likely a bit crowded for the morning flights, but security should be staffed up to minimize the wait (but its TSA, so no guarantee)
8 pm? Not too bad, but TSA reduces staffing so you can still get a backup at security

GoingAway

One correction thanks to Annandaler, the same train will go from Terminal C to A to B -- you don't have to switch trains, should you arrive in Terminal C. Same thing if you get on at Terminal A the train will proceed to B after a stop at the main terminal.

argueta1

i am leaving tommorow and according to flight stats i am going to arrive at gate C28, So if i arrive at C Terminal when i take the train will i encounter any security checkpoints? and also if any one has a simpler way to get from c to b please let me know, thanks everyone