Questions about connecting through EWR from overseas
 

I need to fly back to the states on emergency personal business, so I have a question bout going through customs at EWR and whether connection time is even sufficient.

I didn't have to go through immigration at Philadelphia like some have said in another thread awhile back but I am connecting at EWR with a 1hr 40min layover is this sufficient? Will I need to go through security?

If 1hr 40min isn't enough then I need to pick a different itinerary; I'm amazed at airlines who offer less than 2 hours.

whats your route? how does phl get involved?

is your ? "is i hr 40 min for intl arival connection at ewr?

was just pointing out how easy it was in PHL


routing ZRH-EWR-SFO-MFR I'd go through customs at EWR presumably so I don't see how the 1hr 40 min is enough time? The point I made about PHL is that I was told I'd have to go through immigration and my connection time might be ok and that I'd have to take a terminal shuttle which was not the case and of course I did not have to go through security again at PHL either.

carrier is United

The published minimum connection time at EWR from international to domestic is 90 minutes. I've never been to EWR (other than going through on an Amtrak service) so have no idea how plausible that is. But if you book it on a single itinerary and delays cause you to misconnect, UA will have to rebook you onto a later flight.

What time of day? I've been through customs/CBP at EWR a few dozen times, and it has ranged from 15 minutes to 2+ hours. As you'll conceivably be connecting to UA/CO, baggage recheck will be fairly easy. Also, it depends as to whether you'll be clearing in B or C.

I'd say 1h40m is cutting it close, but it should be doable if you don't come in at a peak time and you hustle.

When you enter the US, be it Newark or Philadelphia, I would assume you would have to go through immigration, pick up your luggage, and clear customs.

Are you saying in Philadelphia you don't have to do that?

Once you have access to your checked bags, again no matter what airport you are at, you will need to clear security again before you can get into the sterile area.

Unless you were on a flight that was precleared in the the country you started in I don't see how it's possible to avoid immigration, customs, and a security check in Philadelphia. I don't believe that is possible in Zurich, at least not according to the list of preclearance locations on the customs website.

Been there, done it.

Your guess is as good as anyone's. Time is relative to the time you have to spend. It could go quickly or like Van Winkle. Home AP....use it frequently.

I don't suppose the OP might have previously flown into PHL from DUB or somewhere else with preclearance? That would result in landing at a domestic gate and baggage being transferred on.

That's why I said

either way it won't make a difference coming from Zurich, at both locations you would need to go through customs and immigration.

Nah I was sayig in PHL I didn't need to go through any kind of passport control departing overseas as I was told this would happen. Obviously in this thread we're talking about going the the other way.

Ah. You were incorrectly informed, then; the US does not normally have any outbound passport checks.

Have done this quite a few times, generally BFS-EWR-XXX. 1:40 is cutting it a little tight, but should be doable unless your inbound flight is delayed or there are unusually long delays at immigration. I'd suggest:

1. Making sure you know which terminal you're arriving at, and which terminal you're departing from, so you know whether to get on the train between terminals.

2. That there's at least one flight onwards from EWR later the same day so that you can take it if you don't make it.

You don't have to do that anywhere in the US, there is no passport control when you are departing, only for arriving passengers.

Please follow the thread in the Travel->NYC forum, where questions about connections as to all NYC area airports are most often discussed. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

EWR-ZRH is one of the United Operated flights into EWR, it will always arrive into Terminal B (Until at least 3/25)

That said, its 1:40pm arrival time is a moderately busy time for International Arrivals into Terminal B. I would say 15-45 minutes for those holding a US Passport, 30-90 for those who do not. Should you get pulled aside for secondary, expect 2-3 hours, at least.

After exiting customs and immigration, turn left, drop your bags (so long as they are tagged to MFR - otherwise the airline services desk will be right there to print a new tag)

Your EWR-SFO flight, appears to be flight 1143, which is operated by Continental, and will leave from Terminal C. After dropping your bags, continue straight to the elevator/escalator and go up one level. Walk across the concourse, and take the AirTrain to Terminal C. (Time from exiting Customs to AirTrain is 5-10 minutes)

Exit the AirTrain, and proceed through security (Time on AirTrain will be 5-10 minutes, inclusive of waiting for the train)

You will be at the C-2 checkpoint, which can get busy because its right by the AirTrain, if the line looks long, try C-3 (accessible through a walkway from C-2 or C-3, which requires you to go up one level, and back
down. -- All 3 have Premier Access lines (located to the right as you look at the checkpoint). (Figure on 15 minutes for Security)



Best case, this connection will take just about an hour (from landing, to boarding).... However it could take well in excess of double that time. There are two more flights to SFO, that will get you to MFR later that day (12:10am)