Originally Posted by
CarsTrainsPlanes
I think that most major airports handle international arrivals the same way -- escalators take international passengers to an upper level, where there is an immigration hall. IAD and DEN have systems notably different than this, but work the same way. By the way, I have never entered the US through an international terminal (like ORD T5, LAS T2 or SFO international terminal). Don't they have the whole sterile circulation thing and an immigration hall on an upper level, like most major airports? And like you, I have taken domestic flights that arrived or left from international gates.
Generally, arriving international passengers to the US leave the plane, but are routed to a different level (upper or lower) of the terminal to the passport check. After the passport check, passengers collect checked baggage and then go to customs.
After customs the passengers are landside. In a properly designed airport, those for whom this airport is their final destination airport can leave for ground transportation. (In a badly designed airport, the only way out is through the security screened area, so they must go through security screening to leave. Note that this violates the rule that only ticketed passenger are to be allowed in the security screened area, and forces them to also recheck baggage and collect it afterward -- less security and less convenience.)
Those connecting to other flights typically find a baggage recheck station near the customs exit. They then go through security screening to get to the departure gate of their next flight.