Originally Posted by
FamilyOf6
The point about clearing customs and immigration in the US and the required time is an interesting one which I have naively never considered. Google flights constantly generates schedules with short layovers in the US on routes from UK/EU to US/Carib and beyond. Should these be ignored? Sounds like 3 hours is the minimum, but guess there is a lot of variation based on the size/congestion at individual hubs?
It really depends on the route and the hub. Minimum connection times for international arrivals at US airports are generally in the 1.5 to 2 hour range. A few (MIA, DFW for example) offer ITI connections where you at least get to skip retrieving your bags, but still have to clear immigration and security. At other airports, you have to clear immigration, retrieve your bags, drop them back off, and reclear security. All in all, connecting here in the US does add another layer of complexity to think about when choosing connections and times.