Will I need to go through customs for a connecting flight in a country not my final destination?
Generally speaking, you only pass through immigration/passport control and customs when you arrive at the first airport in the destination country. So, on the outbound leg of the trip, you will remain in the international transit lounge in Toronto between flights, and go through customs on arrival in Munich. On the way back, however, it may be different. Toronto is one of a few airports where you may go through US immigration and customs before you get onto the plane for Nashville. If the flight from Toronto is direct to Nashville, I expect that will be the case, as I don't know that Nashville has much of a need for a customs facility. Of course, it has been many years since I flew out of Toronto to the US, so it may have changed. In any event, you follow the signs and directions of the airport staff.
From my experience at DXB, considering I travel via Dubai over 3 to 4 times a year, it’s more than enough. I managed to make it to my connecting flight with just 30 minutes transit and 45 minutes.Here’s whats most likely to happen:If the first leg of your flight has arrived on time or early, you will be told your next flights gate number on your IFE screen in your flight.By the time you pass the security, your flight will be on final call.If the gate of your flight is a bit too far, the staff will be more than happy to escort you on one of the vehicles.If not you’ll have enough time to use the toilet or go for a quick smoke.Considering your luggage from the previous checked in flight will be tansferred to your ongoing flight, this makes your chances of missing your flight unlikely.If you are really late the staff will make several attempts to announce your name or even find you.If you miss your ongoing flight because your previous flight arrived really late and it wasn’t your fault, then the airline will book you on the next flight. Likely yo give you accomodation too.Lastly, if your previous flight is considerably delayed, then as soon as you get off the plane the staff will be waiting for you and take you straight to your next flight, and you will not go through security. (This happened to me couple of months ago and I was told not to smoke or use the toilets, I still managed to smoke use the toilet and make it to my flight) I’ll advise not to do that.
If I have a connecting flight in the US, will I have to go through US immigration?
Good question! 1. Yes, this should be enough time to pass through immigration, and then through airport security again. 2. It will be called "Customs and Border Protection" in the US. On the airplane, you will be allowed to fill out the form in advance so that you can quickly pass through the Customs area. Most people opt to fill it out on the plane, and it is a required form to fill out. Customs will also require you to pick up your checked baggage to present to an agent for final screening. Once you are through Customs, because you have a connecting flight, you are required to re-check your bags in with your airline. If it is the same airline, this process should be relatively quick. You will then go through regular airport security, as if you had just came to Atlanta. It is kind of an annoying process, I know. But it is required over here. You will not pass through immigration or security again at your final destination. Simply alight the plane and claim your bags. 3. 11 hours is a long time. I personally sleep on planes because it's the 'quickest' way to pass the time. Airlines will offer in-flight movies to also help pass the time. But I am not always interested in what they are showing, so for me, sleep is best. Even if you find you don't generally sleep well on airplanes, you likely will feel the need to because it is such a long time. I think sleeping on the airplane also helps make the jet lag you'll experience in the US not as bad Hope that helps!!
Time needed for connecting flights?
I would say if the deal is truly "incredible" go for it with the following in mind: 1) Since the tight connections are on the return, its not a big deal if you make the connection and you luggage does not; they will just deliver your bags to your house if that happens. If it were on the outbound journey that would be a bigger deal. 2) Hopefully you are connecting to the same carrier, or a codeshare partner, but if not: 3) The comment that "your screwed" isn't accurate. If you miss your connection they will put you on a later flight. Sure you might have to wait around for a few hours, but that's what you get for getting a cheap ticket. And so what? Its a long trip anyway. Welcome to the joys of international travel. Just make sure its OK if you arrive home 12 hours late (and it probably wouldn't be THAT late). 4) BTW, the DC layover is plenty of time, and since the 1 hour is after an inter-Europe commuter flight you should be fine. I've had wackier connections than that in the name of cheapness, flying between Europe and west coast USA. Have a good trip!
First Time Flyer: If I have a Connecting flight...?
Charlotte (CLT) is an easy airport at which to connect. You must be flying US Airways! When you arrive, there will be digital monitors throughout the airport which list all of the upcoming departures, sorted by city. Look for your destination city and you'll find out what gate your connecting flight can be found. Even if you've previously looked this up, check again, because it changes frequently due to last-minute requirements of the airline. Under most circumstances you do NOT have to go through security again. The only exception to this is if you're entering the United States from outside and you have to clear customs, or if you're in some weird airport like Kansas City whose construction doesn't permit one to travel from one set of gates to another without going through security again (that's one of the reasons why KC never made it as a hub for any airline) An hour plus is plenty of time for a connection in CLT. You'll want to be at your gate 30-40 minutes before departure. Have a great flight!
On a connecting international flight do you go through customs at the first airport or the connecting airport?
It depends on the country or countries you're flying to and the flights you're taking. On most international connecting flights, you stay within the transit or airside part of the airport and do not clear immigration or customs, you only transfer to the departure area to get to the gate for your connecting flight. The US is one major exception where you need to clear immigration and customs at the your first point of entry into the country. After that, you do not need to clear customs after any flights within the US. In other countries, it may also depend on whether or not you are connecting through the same terminal. If you have to go from an international terminal to a domestic or intra-EU flight in Europe, you may have to clear customs to get to your next flight. Since you don't mention the countries you have to connect through, it's difficult to give you an accurate answer.
If you’ve booked directly from Aukland to Heathrow via Qatar airways with a layover in Doha , initially at Auckland the check-in agent will usually ask if you want your luggage checked through to your last stop. You'll also receive boarding passes for both flights when you first check-in. The baggage receipt is usually pinned to the boarding pass for any discrepancy that might arise during the collection in the final destination.All you will need to do is find your gate at Doha airport and your bags will automatically follow. The Doha airport gates have security screening only for your carry on luggage .Only if you’re flying from somewhere outside the US or Canada to an airport in the US or Canada, you will have to collect and recheck your luggage no matter where you’re going on your second flight.
What should I do during a connecting flight when I reach my first stop and transfer to another flight?If you’re on a multi-stop flight and you have to switch planes, then you will be landing at a different location then you’re taking back off from. Your only job during the transit time is to get from point A (where your flight has landed) to point B (where your next flight departs). If you are unfamiliar with the airport or traveling in general, the general guidance would be to find your next gate. Check the screens, check the Google notifications, ask counter staff, however you want to do it but find out where you need to be and get there. Physically go there, don’t just look on the map. There are some airports that look deceptively small and depending on your flights it might be difficult to get wherever you’re going. For example it is easier to get from the end of one side of the terminal to the other in Detroit then it is to get from closer ones to other closer ones because the train only boards in a couple spots. Or in some airports during heavy transit times, the train may get full and you may have to wait 10 minutes just to get on the train to get to your next terminal even though you can see it just over there.Once you are where you are supposed to be for the next take-off, you can then walk back towards food or shopping or entertainment. You now can temper your time so that you’re always within boarding time.
How much time do I need to allow for an international flight transfer?
1hr 40 min is plenty of time for ORD-ATL-LIM leg but on the return yes you have to do customs at ATL, its always your first point of entry back into the U.S. is where you do customs. You need a minimum of 2 hours because you also have to collect your luggage and physically take it through customs then you turn it back over to the airline to get rechecked, it will already be tagged thru to ORD when you check in at LIM so its just a matter of finding the airline's, I'm going to assume your on Delta, baggage recheck when you come out of the customs hall. Then you will have to do security at ATL to get back out to the gates.
Depends on your nationality? If you are an Indian or from a country which needs a visa for Canada or usa. Then you can't travel through usa without valid usa visa.YOU CANT BOARD AN AIRCRAFT WITHOUT USA VALID VISA IF THE FLIGHT IS GOING TO LAND IN USA.eg. If you are not a citizen of usa, canada, uk, Schengen states. Even if you are a PR of canada then also you need usa visa to take a flight via usa.For Indian passport the same rule applies for Canada and usa, eg if you are going to Canada on united or any other American airline via usa city, at the time of check they will not allow you to board if you don't have usa valid visa, same for Canada if you are going to usa via Canada you need canada valid visa ,Last year it happened with me and my partner we were travelling to New York & by mistake he booked without asking me on air Canada via Toronto. he didn't have visa for Canada , I got suspicious and called the embassy and airlines both reconfirmed that he won't be able to board the aircraft without canada visa.