Jordan D

My better half has to travel to Central America and there are a number of options open to her (on either United or BA/AA).

All involve connecting in the US, which I know normally means clearing immigration and customs. I did remember reading somewhere that there is some expedited process or special procedure in MIA - am I mistaken or could someone confirm?

(Assume nothing similar in DFW?)

jcm9000

MIA has machines that those with ESTAs and that have gone through a US border point previously (although first time Us entrants have used the machines ok before as well supposedly) can use and it has certainly speeded things up. These machines are becoming quite common in many airports now (even Dublin has them!).

Customs is still a mess..... Even with Global Entry and hand baggage only i'm not a fan of MIA for late afternoon arrivals so i would perhaps recommend the 9am-ish 747 to MIA with BA. Once out of customs, dodder down the corridor, turn left, drop your bag off again on the left and go through connections security, which is typically quite quick.

DFW I assume has the same machines (been a while since i have arrived INT at DFW). DFW can be a nice experience, but I have found the agents can range from wanting to nuke us for starving their children (no joke - i lived in Cayman at the time), to a big hearty Texan welcome that will have you skipping to the border staff with glee.

Oh one other point - if flying certain carriers you may be able to use ITI (international to international) which will mean the bags are connected right through Miami saving the wait at the carousels at least. When checking in you must ask the agents if the bags have been 'ITI'd. Used to get an ITI sticker to 'prove it' on your passport cover and the luggage tags are appended with a clearly marked label showing it will be connected through. Others on here can assist with that as it has been a while since i have checked bags, and staff on board and at MIA will insist your bags will need to be picked up. Not true if they are ITI'd. No ITI, collect in Miami and drop off as per above after customs.

Mia airport site still notes they do it: International flights connecting to international destinations (ITI) - confirm with your airline if your luggage was checked directly to your final destination or if you have to collect it before clearing U.S. Customs. Source (2nd bullet at top of page): http://www.miami-airport.com/baggage_international.asp

EfficientTraveller

We did this in reverse in April - flying from GUA to MIA with AA and connecting to a BA flight MIA to LHR. Unfortunately, we were told in GUA that it was not possible to do an ITI transfer in MIA and we had to collect bags and take them through customs and US immigration. Immigration was fast (by US standards) but customs was a nightmare with 45 minute to 1 hour queues to clear customs before dumping the bags (which were tagged to LHR) at the bag drop and going back through security. If we had been travelling with hand baggage only, we would not have needed to enter the US so if she can manage with hand baggage only that is an option.

Ldnn1

I've done MIA twice this year. Both times immigration (with the new machines) and customs were relatively painless, but obviously you can be unlucky.

At DFW there is an expedited route if you're hand-baggage only, where you go through immigration but avoid customs - it's called E-Z Carry-On. I used it this weekend and it was very efficient. I'm not sure if I was technically eligible as an agent seemed to say it was a paid-for service, but I ended up taking it anyway by using the last channel of immigration machines at the far end of the hall and turning left at the end. Best entry experience into the US so far, but as I say it's HBO.

baggageinhall

I'm not sure that's correct. My understanding is that there is no way of transferring International-International or International to Domestic in the US without going through immigration and customs, thereby 'entering' the US even if momentarily.

Ldnn1

See my post above - at DFW at least (and possibly some others) it is possible to bypass customs, but not immigration.

Frequentflyer99

That is 100% correct. Everyone has to pass through customs, with or without baggage and even if the baggage has been ITI'd to the final destination. The physical layout of the arrivals area simply does not permit otherwise (although it could easily be adapted to do so, by converting the customs lanes on the left side of the baggage hall to some sort of fast-track transit lane).

Cerebrito

After my last trip through MIA, I vowed never again to connect via the US.

We had a three hour stop over MAD-MIA-GYE, which I thought would be plenty of time. In the end, we only just cleared immigration/customs in time to go straight to the gate.

Would connecting via Madrid be an option? There are plenty of direct flights to LatAm from Madrid on either Iberia or LAN.

Ldnn1

Again, see my post above. At DFW the physical layout does now permit otherwise - there is a (literally) back-door route for I-I connecting pax with HBO which bypasses baggage claim and the customs lanes therein. Your entry clearance is all done in one step:

Foltan

As with all US airports, it can vary massively. I did MIA the other day from the BA flight arriving at 3pm and it was very very quick (plus I was the first off the aircraft). I've also been through later in the evening after connecting from MCO and it was hellish, not so much the immigration but the customs where they have these huge queues snaking through the baggage carousels and everyone shouting in Spanish (including the staff).

So yes, I suspect off the first BA flight of the day she'll be OK. There's then the usual connections path after customs where you can drop your suitcase again and go back through security into the terminal.

jcm9000

Now that sounds interesting! Although seems some see it as pointless! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...carry-e-z.html

Jordan D

Do you know if ITI is only available on AA flights or will a BA-AA connection be ok? It might affect who she chooses for that first leg across the pond to MIA.

Unfortunately it is a two week work trip (including carrying stuff out to her team's office out there), so HBO isn't an option. Interestingly he is flying out to GUA and then back from MGA, so the situation above is very relevant. On the way her back fro MGA, the connection time is looking like 4hrs, so that might be handy.

Unfortunately the timings of IB's MAD-GUA flight aren't handy which preclude it being used either outbound or connecting from MGA on the way back.

jcm9000

Sorry Jordan D, I can't give a definite recent answer. I think it really comes down to the check-in agents; and for the return leg, where you are coming back from. I would be prepared for the answer to be no but ask for it at check-in (which is the place that you will get your final answer on the day anyway - an agent perhaps should do it, doesn't mean they will know about it....). I have definitely been able to use ITI from GCM starting with AA and connecting to BA, but that may simply be allowed from GCM and doesn't necessarily apply to other airports in the region, and it would have been more than 3 or 4 years ago.

Calchas had a good post here ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23381187-post10.html ), and he is right that with the time to walk to and get through immigration, the bags will likely be waiting at the carousel anyway (the staff often drag them off the belt and put them aside immediately to clear the carousel - always check the floor around the carousel in MIA!). Customs still has to be cleared bags or not with the potentially chaotic queues. May as well just collect your bags and forget about ITI so you know they made it to MIA!!!

orbitmic

Indeed. Other exceptions include LAX for the NZ flight from LHR to AKL. I believe that the procedure is escorted but quite effective.

Jordan D

Thanks jcm9000.

In the interests of completeness, does anyone have any experience of connecting through IAH (the United option)? A colleague said that they didn't have to claim, and recheck ...