ama0314

Here's a random question about GUM. I didn't know that there was a UA lounge at GUM, do you get access to the lounge if you're flying first class? I'm asking because I've only been in a lounge once, in MNL and it was a UA flight but not a UA lounge (can't remember the name of it). We were given access because we were flying first. I have a trip coming up where I will fly first from MNL to GUM and then GUM to HNL, will I get access to the lounge in MNL as well as GUM? Or just MNL?

Forgive me for asking such a question, but I'm definitely a novice when it comes to stuff like this.

ETA to address the OP's question. GUM is easy peasy! You'll get off the plane, go through immigration, go back through security, then head to your next gate. When I went through in May, immigration just looked at my passport and sent me on, didn't even ask questions.

JVPhoto

You'll have lounge access in MNL & GUM flying F.

ama0314

Thanks JVPhoto. I thought about it and thought "why didn't I just look on their website"...I blame it on being sick! Dang allergies!

abacaxi

JVPhoto:
All checked luggage leaving Hawaii and heading to the Continent are subject to an agricultural check. I have not seen a backup at the agricultural checkpoint in HNL.

bloodyeyeballs

The above information is correct regarding immigration and customs. Immigration in Guam is to determine if you are able to enter the United States.
This is in Guam similar to US immigration being at some Canadian airports.

Even though you are entering Guam, because certain aliens (Russians and Chinese, for example via visa waiver) can enter Guam without a visa, you are required to be checked by immigration to see if you can then enter the US from Guam.

As a US territory, certain imports are not taxed the way they are in the US, which is why you can buy duty free designer goods in Guam cheaper than in the US. This is why you must clear customs in Hawaii after visiting Guam. This is also why you have to clear immigration in Guam, but not customs, when you are transiting through Guam from another country.

raehl311

I just did this connection (both ways). It's easy-peasy and you should be able to get a drink in if everything goes on time - and that HKG-GUM flight is blocked out long so good chance for an early arrival even.

It things do get tight for some reason, due to the amount of connecting traffic and lack of tight connections in HNL, they may also just hold the plane for you (and other people on your flight.)

JVPhoto

This was airside. We checked out bags KOA-HNL-EWR and then when going from our arrival on HNL to the gates for EWR we had to go through some extra scanner things while airside.

Miles Ahead

I have done this exact connection, and it's plenty of time. You even have a minute or two to stick your head out of the airport door.

dugu

Well it all makes sense now. Thanks! Guam airport should pay you royalty to put this paragraph on their (pitifully spartan) website.

dugu

Thanks raehl and Miles Ahead. Awesome. I'll go ahead and book the trip.

moyeung

not always
was on a flight from HKG that arrived 25 mins late and they did not hold the HNL flight for us, all 30 misconnects were rerouted thru NRT later on

ama0314

Back in May when I flew GUM-HNL we got backed up at the agricultural checkpoint. There were several flights that came in back to back and after we went through customs and went up to go through agriculture then security there was only one agriculture checkpoint open and the line was insane. It took us almost an hour to get through.

I'm hoping it won't be that way this time when I do the same flight.

MatthewLAX

Did the connection in 10min two weeks ago (flying ROR-GUM-KIX)

HkCaGu

Actually Guam is within US cBP jurisdiction but not US Cbp jurisdiction. Guam never had its own immigration department as far as anyone can remember. The CNMI used to be autonomous in terms of immigration, while AS's immigration autonomy remains to this day.

The only US territories with a civilian government but not their own customs is PR. If you meant immigration, Guam and the CNMI (since 2009-11-28) are both under UScBP, except Guam is more relaxed for Asian tourists and CNMI still has a large foreign labor force that cannot go anywhere else in the US (except for GUM airside-only transit for Filipinos). So there is a check at SPN for GUM and at GUM for HNL, but in the other direction you'll never see USCBP.

Nowadays HKG-GUM is not dependent on GUM-HKG and is now using the SGN-HKG 73G/738 that has sat at HKG since ~10 am. This should help avoid incoming flight delays, but given the state of UA maintenance, can lead to another possibility.

If they decide to misconnect, there are two GUM-NRT to get you to the US mainland. The early flight may be useless during winter due to scheduling, but it's a B772 that is often far from filled up.

Now I have some questions for those who had done HKG/MNL-GUM-HNL recently: (1) Do you go through two CBP checks, once off the plane, and again at Gate 8/9 before you board? (2) Is there any need to fill out the Guam customs form at all? (3) Do they still scan BP at the gate lounge entrance and have a 45-minute deadline to enter?

45 minutes is barely enough for the UScBP to clear everyone onto GUM-HNL, so to my knowledge, if someone has a complicated entry to the US (new immigrant, new work visa), it can indeed be processed at HNL after the flight lands. There had been an extreme case of a petitioned child's visa expiring on the day before the 21st birthday, hence invalid for GUM entry, but valid for HNL.

aoumd

I have booked a 95-minute layover in GUM, from the Island Hopper to a HKG flight. I gather from this thread that shorter connections are safe as long as you clear immigration and proceed directly to the outgoing gate without stopping at an ATM, shop, etc. And that since everyone's trying to do the same thing lines can get long.

Since my connection is 95 minutes and not, say, 55 minutes, will I have time to get a bottle of water, a snack, maybe a quick souvenir for DW and use the restroom in the terminal after clearing immigration? Or are there no grab & go food/water or souvenir shops open in the terminal/is the line for each going to be long? This would be around 6-7 PM on a Saturday night GUM time.

Three other questions:

Do I need to fill out one of those CBP forms for entering the US on the plane since I'm clearing Immigration but not Customs when I arrive into GUM?

If I do have a few spare extra minutes, is there a place I could go in the terminal to enjoy some fresh air like there is in HNL? This whole trip is a welcome respite from winter in a place which gets winter.

What's the wi-fi situation in GUM? Free? Paid? Only if you go to a restaurant in the terminal?

Thanks!