When flying into America, it is usual to suffer some delays when you go through immigration and baggage reclaim. Customs may also contribute to the delay if they determine that additional inspections are required. However, the length and frequency of these customs delays varies per airport. So tourists should be aware of this while flying. To assist you transit seamlessly into the United States. We’ve put up a brief guide to Waiting Times At US Airports, which may potentially reduce the delays you encounter.
Why do passengers face customs delays at US airports?
Firstly, we must address any potential problems that travelers may have when flying to the United States with Explorecheapflights. All overseas passengers landing in the United States will undergo a customs examination. That is just one of the immigration processes; Customs and Border Protection, better known as CBP. They must ensure that travelers are not bringing in illegal goods or escape customs fees. However, these waiting periods are far from ubiquitous.
For starters, US citizens frequently experience fewer waits than overseas passengers. This is especially true at peak hours, when customs personnel are under increased pressure. There are also different pre-travel clearance systems available to help tourists cut their wait periods. We’ll look at them in a bit. Finally, wait times can be affected by the efficiency with which passengers arrive at the airport. Which is what we’re mostly concerned with here.
The broad picture: Waiting Times At US Airports
Fortunately, CBP collects Airport Wait Times (AWT) for all flights arriving in the United States from overseas, and every airport is included. This allows us to get a very precise view of which airports are performing very well and which are underperforming. Sometimes the figures aren’t beautiful, but travelers may be surprised by how well many airports do.
We don’t have data on the average wait time for each individual passenger. But we do have information on the average monthly delay. These statistics reveal that wait times range from 14 to 18 minutes, with the fastest transfers in November and the slowest customs inspections in August.
What are the worst (and finest) US airports for customs wait times?
However, no one flies into all airports at once. That is why the CBP’s search engine for waiting times is so useful. It allows you to search every airport in the country and get an estimate of typical customs wait times for whatever historical period you want.
Which airports performed best? Palm Beach, Florida is the outstanding supplier, followed closely by Chicago Midway. Both had an average delay of 5 minutes, whereas larger airports such as Phoenix, Baltimore, and Raleigh-Durham are likewise highly efficient.
On the other hand, Orlando, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, and Newark all spend 20 minutes or more every check. However, the situation is unstable, with some airports improving significantly while others falling behind. If you are concerned about delays, make sure to use the search option before selecting an airport.
How to minimize your waiting times at US airports
It should be noted that these wait times are for travelers who did not select pre-clearance alternatives. Passengers can sign up for CBP pre approval using products like Global Entry. When accepted as “low risk” passengers, Global Entry members can pass through most US airports much faster. That may be worth the $100 charge for a five-year permit.
In such circumstances, there is minimal possibility of being held for 50 minutes (as can happen during the worst customs delays). Instead, visitors may scan their fingerprints at a Global Entry kiosk, sign a declaration, get a receipt, and then go through customs. It’s an excellent choice for frequent passengers who go to the United States from other countries. However, if you aren’t concerned about customs delays, it isn’t a necessary buy.
In any case, passengers can expect a brief wait when entering the United States. That’s just the way things are. Without pre-clearance, expect up to an hour at worst, and 5 minutes at best. If that’s too much hassle, utilize the resources offered to choose an airport with efficient customs workers who won’t hang around.