Originally Posted by
will5404
There are no priority lines for Canadian citizens, and customs is typically lined up. You can't use Nexus arriving Intl->US and Global Entry is only available to American citizens.
In short you have to bear with a potentially long queue, plus deal with US customs. I've been on the UA flight and it was 30-40 mins from on the plane to being cleared. Luckily I didn't have checked baggage, the lineups to recheck baggage would of easily added another 30+ minutes.
If I was the OP I think I would rather avoid transiting the US.
Pretty good summary. Depending on the timing you can have a fine experience or a bad experience. My last flight arriving at ORD from ICN took about an hour to process customs. I was traveling in F, so was in the earlier group off the plane. However, landed just after an SAS flight that was heavily European. With blue forms and finger printing it took forever with lots of people sent back for not filling out the forms properly.
The American passengers from my flight had all long cleared customs by the time I got to the front of the line.
Perhaps I'm just spoiled by Nexus, but just feel a little more herded in the US than other ports of entry.