Emailed & told to be at the airport 4 hrs early for US flights?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,111
Emailed & told to be at the airport 4 hrs early for US flights?
Have this emailed to me today ahead of my AGP-MAD-MIA flight later next week.
New US entry requirements from 24 April 2018. In view of the security measures now demanded by the USA, you must arrive at the airport four hours before the departure of your flight to allow enough time to go through the security controls and reach the boarding gate.
Now four hours does seem a little extreme. I guess they mean in Malaga as I have 90 mins connection in Madrid. Its the first time I have seen this message from Iberia having done other flights to the US since this new guideline came out last year.
Surley its a little overkill?
New US entry requirements from 24 April 2018. In view of the security measures now demanded by the USA, you must arrive at the airport four hours before the departure of your flight to allow enough time to go through the security controls and reach the boarding gate.
Now four hours does seem a little extreme. I guess they mean in Malaga as I have 90 mins connection in Madrid. Its the first time I have seen this message from Iberia having done other flights to the US since this new guideline came out last year.
Surley its a little overkill?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,129
It's a message sent to everyone departing to the US, though it should only be sent out to MAD originating pax.
Either way, 4 hours is overkill and I'm not sure why they send that out. From MAD, I would say 2h is more than enough. From outstations - the usual time, maybe about 10mins more if you have 'unusual' documentation.
Either way, 4 hours is overkill and I'm not sure why they send that out. From MAD, I would say 2h is more than enough. From outstations - the usual time, maybe about 10mins more if you have 'unusual' documentation.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,043
4 hours is overkill, but keep in mind that summer can get crazy busy for holiday flights to the US. When you get several full flights departing at roughly the same time, all leaving from the same gates at MAD, it becomes a zoo, with no guarantees that you can fast track your way to your flight if you leave the lounge too late...
#5
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Rewards Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,385
The bottleneck is often at the National Police checkpoint for exiting the country. 20 minutes to clear is not unusual, especially in the 9 am - 12 noon timeframe. But yes, four hours is highly exaggerated. Buen viaje!