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SFO immigration now longer than LAX?

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Old Apr 25, 2019, 12:44 am
  #46  
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Have entered LAX a couple of times arriving on the LHR-LAX UA nonstop. Each time immigration was a breeze. Last time 14 minutes from exiting plane to customs exit (carry-on bag only).
Never seen anything close to that at SFO international arrivals.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 5:01 am
  #47  
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
Have entered LAX a couple of times arriving on the LHR-LAX UA nonstop. Each time immigration was a breeze. Last time 14 minutes from exiting plane to customs exit (carry-on bag only).
Never seen anything close to that at SFO international arrivals.
I decided to do that on my next trip to SFO. The timings via LAX are not great but I hope it will beat the 3 hour line at SFO that I endured last time.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 7:24 am
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
Have entered LAX a couple of times arriving on the LHR-LAX UA nonstop. Each time immigration was a breeze. Last time 14 minutes from exiting plane to customs exit (carry-on bag only).
Never seen anything close to that at SFO international arrivals.
With GE and/or mobile passport, such timings are routine for me at SFO.

SFO also has advantage of different customs setup... but perhaps a higher chance of random inspections.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 9:40 am
  #49  
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Originally Posted by ryman554
With GE and/or mobile passport, such timings are routine for me at SFO.

SFO also has advantage of different customs setup... but perhaps a higher chance of random inspections.
In my case without GE; GE definitely helps, from what you are reporting as well!

Last edited by cesco.g; Apr 25, 2019 at 9:48 am Reason: orthographics
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 9:50 am
  #50  
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Originally Posted by lhrsfo
I decided to do that on my next trip to SFO. The timings via LAX are not great but I hope it will beat the 3 hour line at SFO that I endured last time.
And in case you are riding up front > enjoy the fantastic LAX Polaris Lounge!
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:30 am
  #51  
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
And in case you are riding up front > enjoy the fantastic LAX Polaris Lounge!
Sadly not, but at least LAX has one of he better UCs.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:58 am
  #52  
 
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Worth keeping in mind that UA uses 2 different immigration/customs facilities in LAX. The first few flights in the morning (in particular the Australia flights, but I think there's at least one other as well?) come into TBIT, and land around the same time as the rush from Australia, and can lead to significant delays.

Most/All other flights come into T7.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 12:01 pm
  #53  
 
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I use GE at SFO so it's always been quick....but most of my arrivals this year have been notable for very long looking lines for agents that made me very happy to have that expedited service. In the past, I often recall thinking that it was was not that much of a time savings.....that seems to have changes the past few months. My arrivals are both morning Asia arrivals and afternoon from Europe......
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 12:29 pm
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by lhrsfo
I decided to do that on my next trip to SFO. The timings via LAX are not great but I hope it will beat the 3 hour line at SFO that I endured last time.
Having endured 2 to 3 hrs lines at SFO as well quickly drove me to get GE. I was there when there was almost a riot with the US citizen line being hundreds of paxs long and get this ONE agent. People were yelling and security threatening to arrest those who simply complained. The whole situation there is totally unacceptable. I have now put that behind me (quite literally) with GE.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 2:13 pm
  #55  
 
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Originally Posted by nomad420
Having endured 2 to 3 hrs lines at SFO as well quickly drove me to get GE. I was there when there was almost a riot with the US citizen line being hundreds of paxs long and get this ONE agent. People were yelling and security threatening to arrest those who simply complained. The whole situation there is totally unacceptable. I have now put that behind me (quite literally) with GE.
SFO - 3rd World Customs and Passport Control. What a joke! Even airports in China treat its own citizens with faster service.

My PVG-LAX flight Saturday arrived at Terminal 6 and I breezed through Immigration and Customs with Mobile Passport. Regular line was quite short as well.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 5:15 pm
  #56  
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Originally Posted by ryman554
With GE and/or mobile passport, such timings are routine for me at SFO.

SFO also has advantage of different customs setup... but perhaps a higher chance of random inspections.
Yes, I'm typically in the arrivals lounge within 10-15 minutes of the aircraft door opening.
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Old Apr 26, 2019, 6:57 am
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Global Entry is the best $100 I have ever spent. Crazy to think that it covers 5 years. I’d pay it as an annual fee and still be pleased.

Hard to believe there are FT’ers out there who don’t have GE.
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Old Apr 26, 2019, 8:22 am
  #58  
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Originally Posted by piemel
Global Entry is the best $100 I have ever spent. Crazy to think that it covers 5 years. I’d pay it as an annual fee and still be pleased.

Hard to believe there are FT’ers out there who don’t have GE.
It's not available to all.
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Old Apr 26, 2019, 1:00 pm
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by piemel
Global Entry is the best $100 I have ever spent. Crazy to think that it covers 5 years. I’d pay it as an annual fee and still be pleased.

Hard to believe there are FT’ers out there who don’t have GE.
It also will serve as an accepted Goverment photo ID for example at DMV/banks/county clerks office etc... Just another bonus should you loose a license and need to ID yourself at the bank which happened to me recently. Just another bonus.
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Old Apr 26, 2019, 1:01 pm
  #60  
 
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Just waited an hour for a gate coming off NH8. Get to the immigration hall and it's packed. I'd have to guess an hour or more. However, no line at global entry. I'm surprised more people don't have this.
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