I would say in most cases the luggage will be rounding the conveyor belt by the time you clear immigration if there's a line and assuming you're not using Global Entry. Almost all places will have a method of rechecking your luggage painlessly if you're flying on the same alliance. To save time, what you can do is have the TA tag the bags through to your destination when you check in. That way you can grab the luggage, walk it through customs, then drop it on the belt at recheck without skipping a beat.

I have a feeling that they walk you half way around the terminal to get to immigration so the bags will have time to get to baggage claim about the time you do.

Yes, I have kinda done this. My bag did not show up, so I exited and made my connecting flight.

I also had a relative who didn't know you had to collect your bag. It didn't show up for 9 months, on that one.

Yes, I had that happen 16 years ago in JFK. Flight to the US was late due to having to stop in order to add more fuel. As a result we had one chance to get home that night with a 1+ year old baby. We just walked by the Baggage Claim to see if our bags were there - No. I told the first airline person I saw what we are doing, she didn't say "no" so we continued to custom told him the story, he just said good luck catching your flight. Two or three days later we got everything.

This was the easiest time I had getting back from a long trip - no need to wait, no need to carry anything, and all your bags are delivered to your home. I have thought about trying it again after a long trip with the whole family, but it feels wrong to do it without a real close call on the last connection out.

What story would you ever have to tell customs? I have never been questioned by about not having checked bags. Usually there isn't much more than a "good morning" before handing them my declaration form, hearing "thank you", and walking away. My checked bags once cleared without me, due to the first carrier deciding to take them SVO-LHR-SFO, while I flew them SVO-LHR, then AA for LHR-JFK-SFO.

I disagree completely. I have missed flights waiting for bags prior to clearing customs.

Didn't "have to", I just walked and told him that our bags have not arrived yet, but we are going to catch our connecting flight. I'm not sure what I would have done if I was by myself, but since there were three of us (including a baby) I thought that not being proactive might raise questions, or at least slow us down. The whole exchange took about 10 seconds (or so it seemed)

On occasions I have been asked 'do you have all your bags' by the customs officer, in that case you'd have to say 'no' and explain.

The less I'm carrying off of an international flight the more likely it is that I get asked in my experience.

I have had my bags not arrive to customs with me two times due to a misconnect, and in those cases I was just told to file a claim at my final destination (so no paperwork was filed in the customs area). Both times my bags arrived within 24 hours, and magically cleared customs somehow without issue.

I also agree... I have missed connecting flights at least 5+ times times in my life due to waiting for bags in customs (i.e. on time flight, chronically slow baggage delivery). This is an interesting strategy.

I have forgot to pick up some of my bags before. No problems.

I have been told before that if you do not pick up your own bags to take them through Customs, then the airline reps will escort your bags through Customs on your behalf. If you aren't present, then you will not be able to witness any CBP searches of your luggage.

Regardless of the airline, the procedure is likely to be the same - as it would be guided by U S Customs procedures and the airline's missing baggage policy. As there is a current thread on the same issue in TravelBuzz! this thread will go join its cousin over there for greater exposure and discussion. Thanks! /Moderator

Last year Mrs.Grates bag and mine were not delivered to AA by Jet Airways staff in DEL, even though they had plenty of time, so of course the bags were not there when we arrived at customs in ORD. AA found the (after 3 days) and told us that they would take them through customs but customs agents would open the bags to check them. 4 days after our return, AA delivered them to our house.

A little OT but I had a similar problem. When I checked in at BLR for my BLR-DEL flight, Jet Airways in BLR told me my bags had to be picked up at ORD. They were wrong. I got into DEL's domestic terminal and took a taxi to the International terminal, which is a 25-minute ride. That was when AA told me they couldn't check me in till my bag arrived from the International terminal. I'm not sure if I was supposed to pick it up or they were supposed to automatically transfer it but it took hours- literally- with AA calling regularly to see if it had arrived. Finally, when time was getting short, they did let me check in after I gave them identifying details of the bag (husband's old necktie was on the handle and the baggage tag said, "you are not in Kansas anymore"). They did get it on the plane and someone actually got on the plane and told me that my bag had been loaded.

But next time I'm checking it as far as DEL and transfering it myself.

This wasn't the last time I had a clueless check-in agent misdirect me. We flew BA from LHR to Toronto and then ORD last year. The BA agent told me the bags were checked through to ORD. I remembered that Toronto has US Customs and Immigration offices so that by the time you get through there your flight is treated as domestic within the US. I asked him if we weren't supposed to re-check our bags at Toronto before we cleared Customs and Immigration. No, he said. And of course we got into Toronto and our bags were on the carousel. The Customs agent said she's had to send plenty of people back to the baggage carousel to get their luggage.

If you tell customs you are not waiting for your bags - but are trying to make a connection, it is highly unlikely they will wave you thru. It is far more likely they will have you wait for your bags.

As far as being searched, all bags left behind get x-rayed. Customs does not look at it like they need to be given permission to do this.