How to combine household members’ duty free exemption via Global Entry?
 

I will enter the country with an family member. Combined, we have $1000 in goods from overseas. I am not clear on how to combine our $800 x 2 = $1600 exemption on the Global Entry kiosks since they only process one person at a time.

We are on the same flight but our seats are very far apart, so we are likely to approach the immigration area at different times, unless one of us waits for the other.

What would be the best way to handle our situation?

Each person could declare the items they have in their possession.

You should clear immigration together if making a combined declaration as CBP could ask where are the other family members. If they are not around when asked then the CBP officer’s suspicion just went up leading to secondary. You would have save more time clearing immigration together.

The new Global Entry facial recognition kiosks do not ask any questions. Declarations should be made orally to the CBP officer staffing the exit from the GE kiosk area.

Please refer to the following thread:

There is nothing to say you can't wait on the jet bridge / walk way to the immigration point for your family member.

Waiting for each other, and then proceeding through (immigration and) customs together is indeed the best solution if you are filing a joint customs declaration.