Hello All,

I will be flying from OKA to KIX on ANA and then transferring to a UA flight to SFO. Where would I go thru customs, (OKA or KIX)?? I am figuring KIX since the ANA flight is a domestic flight. If in KIX, is it a fairly painless process to transfer and go thru customs??

Also, does anyone know if I can check my bag thru in OKA to SFO or do I need to collect it in KIX if I go thru customs.

Thanks in advance! Hopefully I will see you on my next flight!

OKA>KIX is a domestic flight, so there would be no need for anything other than the usual security screening. After all, many passengers will not be transferring to international flights.

I have never transferred from domestic to international at KIX, but unless there's some security screening involved, the only bureaucratic procedure is having your passport stamped with a departure stamp.

You will first meet up with customs at SFO, where you will first go through Immigration and then claim your bag and go through Customs. If SFO is your final destination, that's it. If you need another flight to get home, you hand your bag over for re-checking.

ANA should be able to interline your bag from OKA to SFO. When I flew NRT>LAX on ANA, and then LAX>MSP on Delta, they printed up luggage tags for both airlines, even though Delta, unlike UA, is not a member of the Star Alliance.

There has to be a security screening at KIX because the carry-on restrictions are different for domestic and international flights... But it should still be fairly painless overall.

You will also go through exit immigration at KIX.

Right, but that takes all of a few seconds once you're at the head of the line.

I just took a look at their website and it seems that KIX doesn't have a special transfer facility. In other words, you come out of domestic arrivals and then you have to go up to the international departures floor and go through security and immigration as if you were originating at KIX.

Still should not be a major hassle, and you should not have to re-check your luggage or get new boarding passes.

The OP asked about Customs. We suspect that they meant Immigration, but in case they really did mean Customs (such as if they have some unusual situation which requires an exit Customs declaration), the place to do this is after you clear security at KIX but before you get to exit Immigration. In the waiting hall for exit Immigration, there will be a Customs counter where you can take care of Customs matters. Since most passengers don't need to do this when exiting the country, you don't normally stop at this counter and can easily miss it unless you're looking for it.

OP is arriving at KIX on a domestic flight. There will be no customs inspection for the OP at KIX.

I didn't say there would be. Re-read what I wrote - it is accurate.

You are correct. I apologize. I doubt this describes the OP's situ. but ...

Most people lump customs and immigration together as one thing. It's annoying for those of us who are particular about it -- but just the common usage I guess. (Kind of like how foreign residents in Japan almost always refer to their status of residence as their "visa," even though visas are a totally separate matter.)