Dulles International Airport (IAD)

[Gary Rich 296]

I'm trying to book a flight for my fiancee and her daughter, the connecting flight will be out of (IAD). Her flight will arrive at 6:30 am. She will have a 1 hr 55 min layover.

Has anyone experienced long waits to go through customs and TSA?  Her flight leaves at 8:30 am..  do you think she will have enough time to catch that flight.. ( Thanks in Advance )

 

[IWander 590]

You can find average wait times by time of day at each port of entry on the CBP website.

[Gary Rich 296]

Thank you

[JeanneAdil 6,790]

I would say no as with any airport it takes at least 20 minutes to taxi in and for customs at IAD ,collect luggage at baggage claim and go thru customs

She needs more time

 

At IAD

 Passengers connecting to another flight will need to re-check their luggage and go through screening by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

 

https://www.flydulles.com/travel-information/international-arrivals

[IWander 590]

  On 1/18/2024 at 9:17 PM, JeanneAdil said:

I would say no as with any airport it takes at least 20 minutes to taxi in and for customs at IAD ,collect luggage at baggage claim and go thru customs

She needs more time

 

At IAD

 Passengers connecting to another flight will need to re-check their luggage and go through screening by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

 

https://www.flydulles.com/travel-information/international-arrivals

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This would be true at any US airport 

[NorthByNorthwest 415]

  On 1/18/2024 at 6:46 PM, Gary Rich said:

I'm trying to book a flight for my fiancee and her daughter, the connecting flight will be out of (IAD). Her flight will arrive at 6:30 am. She will have a 1 hr 55 min layover.

Has anyone experienced long waits to go through customs and TSA?  Her flight leaves at 8:30 am..  do you think she will have enough time to catch that flight.. ( Thanks in Advance )

 

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Is this a trip for them to enter the US on K-1? If it is it could either be smooth sailing where the initial officer handles everything, or she could end up sent to secondary screening even if the entry is just a formality. That can easily eat up an hour or more in the morning when many APAC flights get in. Personally, 2 hours is the shortest layover I'd consider for myself even traveling in business class (getting off the plane first) with Global Entry, knowing the layout of the airport, and being familiar with the process of retrieving and rechecking luggage. I would not recommend it for inexperienced travelers.

Edited January 18, 2024 by NorthByNorthwest

[widude 38]

 A 1:55 could easily get tight, getting any bags, Customs & Immigration lines, then through security again. One little fact could be the airline then the next destination. With many there could easily be another flight 3 hours later, first one missed.

[Amunah 62]

3 hours minimum and that is tight. Take in cosideration:

weather conditions, both from the original departure airport to the final destination. 
it’s not uncommon for flights to be late from start, for no particual reason.

Custom clearance at the POE.

She is with the child and she needs extra time.

Most flights start boarding an hour before. 

There will be a lot of pressure  on her with a trip as is, no need to add on it.
 

 

[millefleur 5,048]

**Moved from K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures to Working & Traveling During US Immigration; topic is travel related**

[JeanneAdil 6,790]

  On 1/18/2024 at 9:45 PM, IWander said:

This would be true at any US airport 

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Coming into Chicago , Adil did not have to pick up his luggage and take it to customs and immigration and recheck it in

the luggage was sent all the way to Nashville from Morocco

when flying back to US from Ecuador and landing in Miami also i didn't have to pick up bags and recheck them

when coming from Peru to us thru Fort Lauderdale,  i had to get bags and have them with me to be xrayed and then they were rechecked

 

seems each airport has its own procedures

[Gary Rich 296]

  On 1/19/2024 at 2:49 PM, JeanneAdil said:

Coming into Chicago , Adil did not have to pick up his luggage and take it to customs and immigration and recheck it in

the luggage was sent all the way to Nashville from Morocco

when flying back to US from Ecuador and landing in Miami also i didn't have to pick up bags and recheck them

when coming from Peru to us thru Fort Lauderdale,  i had to get bags and have them with me to be xrayed and then they were rechecked

 

seems each airport has its own procedures

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 My problem is that my fiancee is arriving with her 9-year-old daughter.. typically the flight from Ghana would arrive at JFK.. and there will be a 4-hour layover.

 The flight would arrive at 6:am and depart around 10:0am.. my problem is that there are no arriving flights coming on the morning of the date that we choose

 all other flights have her in the airport for over 6,7, and like in some cases 10 hours.. and then she would arrive in VA .. like 9:00 pm.

  I don't want them in the airport for such a long period like that with a child. I can get then to DC. but there is only a 2-hour layover and that won't be enough time to catch her connecting flight.

[appleblossom 3,629]

  On 1/19/2024 at 3:08 PM, Gary Rich said:

 My problem is that my fiancee is arriving with her 9-year-old daughter.. typically the flight from Ghana would arrive at JFK.. and there will be a 4-hour layover.

 The flight would arrive at 6:am and depart around 10:0am.. my problem is that there are no arriving flights coming on the morning of the date that we choose

 all other flights have her in the airport for over 6,7, and like in some cases 10 hours.. and then she would arrive in VA .. like 9:00 pm.

  I don't want them in the airport for such a long period like that with a child. I can get then to DC. but there is only a 2-hour layover and that won't be enough time to catch her connecting flight.

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Far better a longer wait than missing their second flight completely and having to stay overnight at an airport hotel. From NYC to DC, train maybe? It's only about 4 hours so I'd look at that too. 

[JaredShadkin 67]

There are quite a few international flights from Africa and South America arriving into IAD between 6am and 7am. As a result, I would tend to expect longer than usual lines.

 

You could get lucky and arrive before a few of those flights, or after some of them. Really up to luck.

 

As a result, I’d tend to side with caution and try and switch to a longer connection if at all possible. If you do miss your connection, you will be automatically rebooked, pending space availability.

 

While ATL is the world’s busiest airport and there is a rush of international arrivals between 1:00pm and 3:00pm, my fiancés flight arrived before the rush and there was basically no one in line - he had a 5 hour layover just in case. 

[carmel34 3,681]

If you're in Richmond VA, I would suggest picking them up at Dulles airport.  It's only 2-3 hours by car depending on traffic of course.

[Amunah 62]

  On 1/19/2024 at 3:08 PM, Gary Rich said:

 My problem is that my fiancee is arriving with her 9-year-old daughter.. typically the flight from Ghana would arrive at JFK.. and there will be a 4-hour layover.

 The flight would arrive at 6:am and depart around 10:0am.. my problem is that there are no arriving flights coming on the morning of the date that we choose

 all other flights have her in the airport for over 6,7, and like in some cases 10 hours.. and then she would arrive in VA .. like 9:00 pm.

  I don't want them in the airport for such a long period like that with a child. I can get then to DC. but there is only a 2-hour layover and that won't be enough time to catch her connecting flight.

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We are snowed in again, here in NYC, and we generally act as we don’t do not live in an area with four distincive seasons, meaning snow happens every year but here it gets acted out as if it a major centenial event. Any dusting will cause flight cancelation, just something for you to bear  in mind. 

Edited January 19, 2024 by Amunah
Grammar