Originally Posted by
aircrashsurvivor
Thank you . The process as described is clear HOWEVER, the reason for my question is 4 yrs ago when returning from COZ thru DFW en route to YYZ on AA
And....it's not 4 years ago.
If the USA, TSA, et al can figure out a way to make things more awful for travelers, they will. This is an example.
MIA
used to have an ITI facility not only did you not handle your checked luggage but you went through a combined customs/immigration/TSA area and exited back into the terminal.
Now if you think by getting rid of that they've reduced risk, they haven't.
Arrive MIA. Go to immigration. If not US or Canadian, go to the alien line (alien as in non-resident, not alien as in ET) . Wait in line an hour or more. Go downstairs. Wait 20-30-40 minutes. Get bag. Go through customs. Follow the yellow dots on the floor to the TSA dudes. Drop off bag. Take elevator nearby up to departures. Find the best security which might be right there as you get off at E or walk to D and use either the huge one full of non-priority folks or walk farther and use Priority AAccess also in D.
This is based on this year BTW. It hasn't changed since February. Though I have Global Entry and don't check bags so the first wait, for me, is one minute and the second zero. But January I had a bag bringing stuff back from Central America.