Aussienarelle

My home airport is San Diego "International" Airport. At all times when I have been on an international flight that lands at SAN, CBP have been there and I am assuming it is the same at the US "International" airports you have listed. In fairness, in support of your comment, I do not expect there to be CBP 24/7 as international flights are not landing at all times. My point is if the "international" flight is permitted to land then there should be CBP to deal with the pax, else do not allow the international flights to land.

Like the OP, there are too many times I am the last pax to board the flight even though it is before the final boarding time indicated on the BP, and have been told they have been getting ready to take my checked luggage off the flight. I question if I am within time stated on the BP to be told I should not concern myself with that as they want an early departure. So to meet the metrics of "on-time" departure UA leave early and then we sit at the other end waiting for CBP, a gate, etc. since we arrived early - so again great metric of early arrival but they should be measuring pax dissatisfaction of having to sit on the plane at the other end.

threeoh

I have also landed at ORD well after midnight on delayed flights and had no problem with CBP, except the line was long.

But looking at the arrivals board, I see an 11:50pm arrival from MEX and an 11:59pm arrival from GDL and then nothing until a 5:25am arrival from GRU, followed by 6:30am from DEL and 7:00am from HND. So a 5h26m gap in flights, at least on this date. Almost a full shift with no flights to process -- presumably they only have a skeleton crew, but still a huge expense.

On the departures side (which presumably CBP might monitor, even if they aren't processing everyone) I see three Mexico departures and one TPE between midnight and 1:55am and then nothing till PUJ at 6:00am and then nothing till YYZ at 7:45am and CUN at 7:50am.

So you're looking at 1:56am - 7:44am, almost 6 hours, with only a single departure.

Maybe the CBP officers conduct mail and cargo operations during the off hours? Just speculating.

cesco.g

Same at FRA.

StuckinITH

At that late hour (or do we have to call it early hour) on the day that BA flight arrived there were no lines for me as I was the first passenger to arrive at the border control. I managed that even though I was coming from the upper deck of the 747. The CBP agent was very happy to learn that I was indeed on the BA flight which, as you say, suggests that he would finish his shift after that flight was processed. I don't recall how many lines were open and did not wait to see how long it took for the other passengers to pass through security. I did not stop to talk to the reporters waiting to interview the passengers. I also did not wait to see how long it took for BA to get hotels for the other passengers. I had taken advantage of the time we spent at LHR after the plane had to return there to book a room at the ORD Hilton.

Repooc17

Would think when TBIT reaches its peak later in the day.

At EWR, UA rarely uses its Terminal C for INTL arrival, but it does so on certain occasions when Terminal B runs out of arrival gates.

EWR764

Repooc17

Interesting. With the exception of 1 or 2 times, UA has always arrived at Terminal B for flights I have been on, wide or narrow bodies. I had assumed Terminal C is used for overflows. Thanks for the insight.

flyerCO

It's been ages since I flew UA metal international back into US at EWR. Is there a reason they don't use C anymore for arrivals? AFA I remember C had much nicer (newer) and more capable (higher passenger processing #s ) than B.

Has this changed?

narvik

C is still used (see post #66 ).

I'd say Terminal B is better organized with more space than Terminal C for immigration processing, but admit it's been a while since arriving at C.

flyerCO

I was meaning why they didn't use C as the primary anymore. Again it's been tears since I cleared into the US at EWR. Regardless of airline JFK/LAX are usually it. I just remember C immigration being so much better then B back then. Guess times have changed.

narvik

(bolding mine)
I wouldn't shed any tears over not landing at EWR myself!

Depending how MANY years, then yeah, a LOT has changed: in 2008 or so they improved/enlarged the B arrival hall.
And CO used terminal C arrival a lot.

Aspen

OP again......

Wednesday Nov 21 landed at 5.08am

According the FlightRadar24 the past week's arrivals have been:
5:36am
5:18am
5:59am
5:32am
5:47am
5:36am
5:36am

findark

Can confirm.. I was on the 5:18 one (blocked in at 5:24). Definitely time to put the seat back down and take a quick nap, although I would have appreciated being up in the TBIT lounge. Not sure why they couldn't just run the flight a bit later (on the inbound sector too).

Aspen

The Star Alliance lounge doesn't open until 6.00am but it takes me a little while to trek over to T4 to go through TSAPre.

I have long been asking why not land at and use the CBP under T7 and the answer has always been it was not worth the expense of operating the facility for just two flights (SYD & MEL) but I am now convinced it is because there are no free gates at that hour at T7. This has not been too much of a concern for the past few years as I have wanted to grab a shower at Star Alliance lounge. Once the Polaris Lounge opens in T7 I will enjoy the walk outside from TBIT to T7.

Aussienarelle

I had not realized LAX was getting a Polaris lounge. Now I am excited as I read it is this month and I am flying Polaris out of LAX next month.

Thanks for posting.