Intercontinental connecting flight in the US
I've booked an international flight from Germany to LA via San Diego and am starting to be a bit worried about being able to catch the connecting flight. It's my first time going to the US, so let's call it inexperience.... When booking I didn't really think much about it (well, the airline offered the flight for one thing, but honestly, it's my fault for taking schengen and transit convenience for granted).
Anyways, the connection time is 1hr 35m. If I understand correctly, I basically have to
- pick up luggage
- get through customs and passport check
- hand in luggage after customs (not check-in though, since it's checked through to LA)
- get through security check again
- get to gate
Welp. Can this ever work, really?
What's the worst that can happen? If I miss the connecting flight, will the airline rebook me or go "sry, you should have thought about that"? Should I try to change to a flight with more time (for a fee)?
I know I should have thought it through more thoroughly when booking, but well... ;)
Best Answer
Yes, you have a decent chance.
You are basically right about what you need to do, but there is a slight change of ordering: first you pass immigration, then you pick up your luggage, then you go through customs (which can be fast if you have nothing to declare). This means that if immigration takes some time, you won't have to wait longer for your luggage; it will already be on the carousel. There is likely to be a luggage check desk right after you exit from customs, so this step should not take much time. And the San Diego airport is fairly compact, so it will not be a long trip to reach your gate.
If you don't make it, and you had both flights booked on a single ticket, the airline is likely to offer you rebooking on a later flight to LAX (though they may or may not be obliged to do so). There are very many flights per day on this route, so you would probably not have to wait long.
If all else fails, and the airline will not do anything for you, it is pretty easy to take the train from San Diego to Los Angeles. It takes about 3 hours and trains leave almost hourly during the day. It costs about $35. The train is not fast like in Germany, but it does the job, and you get some nice views of the ocean along the way. The #992 bus can take you from the airport to the train station (Santa Fe Depot). Or, you could also rent a car and drive to LA. It takes about two hours, or more if there is heavy traffic (which is common).
Pictures about "Intercontinental connecting flight in the US"
Do you have to go through immigration on a connecting flight in USA?
A port-of-entry is the first airport you land at in the US Even if you have a connecting flight, you need to go through the immigration procedure, pick up your luggage, re-check it and get on the next flight.Do I have to go through security again for connecting international flight?
Yes, a security check is mandatory when you take a connecting flight. This is because there is a time lag between getting off one aeroplane and getting on-board another to reach your destination.Can I connect flights in USA?
Re: Do I Need A Visa For A Connecting Flight Through The US? You will need a visa to enter the USA as you cannot connect without going through immigration.Do you go through customs on a layover in the US?
Generally speaking, you only clear customs if you're leaving the airport and entering into the country, not heading on to connecting flights. One example of where this becomes a gray area is long layovers.Travel Secrets for Connecting Flights | Airline Pilot Explains
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Answer 2
The airline has a table with minimum connection times for each airport, which considers all your needed steps, and they don't sell tickets that don't allow that window.
If they sold you this ticket, you chances are high that you make the connection. If you miss it, even because of an arrival delay, they will reok you for free on the next flight.
Overall, you have nothing to worry about. Make sure you understand the sequence of activties, and don't go shopping in the airport, and you are good.
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