DUB-BOS on Aer Lingus - Is there a US preclearance fast lane?
 

Hey there.

I'm flying biz DUB-BOS with Aer Lingus later this year. Can anyone tell me if there is anything so convenient as a business queue/fast lane for the US Preclearance?

Thanks.

What passport are you using (Irish??) and have you ever used that passport with a current ESTA to enter the US before?

There's a business class queue for US security (strictly business class, not elites), but I haven't seen any priority lane after that for immigration/customs.

Correct. The business line means you will be through security in no time - the economy lines can be quite long. After passing security, though, you will be sent to whichever immigration/customs line is appropriate, and there is no priority for business/elites (In fact, airport staff may pull people that are travelling on flights about to depart out of line to clear them through faster).

CBP tends to be very quick, its the security check that takes the most time, can't remember taking more than 5 minutes from doing the APC machine to having stamp on passport

If you are a US citizen or have previously travelled on ESTA with current passport then you have the self service which speeds the process significantly

If you have Global Entry that makes it move even faster.

But if its your first time to the US or travelling on a real visa to the queue

CBP don't care about your elite status or ticket, its about your immigration status, and if you get pulled for secondary well there are 24 hours in a day, you could be a while

I've noticed that the machines seem to be quite finicky about fingerprints and a lot of people are rejected for not having correctly read the fingerprints and they get sent back to the line to be cleared by one of the officers instead.

hi bit off topic here, I flew to chicago in January and i am going back in November. My question is when I went in January they had a que for 1st time esta, I am travling on a new passport amd esta this time.Will i need to que again as a new esta or be able to use other ques etc. thanks.

You need a new ESTA when you get a new passport; so this will be your "first time" again, with this passport.

(Unless you enter the US on that passport prior to the trip in question)

I found Global Entry at DUB excruciatingly slow, mainly because a family of eight who didn't have it were directed to the queue, as I using the machines.

I was then stopped and interviewed as normal, while in USA I am waved through.

Luggage took an age to arrive in Boston, the two things combined defeating the entire point of pre-clearance.

YEMV.

New Irish passport, new ESTA. Oh well... may as well resign myself to spending lots of time in the airport.

Thanks all.