When do you go through customs on international flights? Usually, you go through customs when you exit the airport at your final destination.

When traveling internationally, you go through Customs and Immigration at your first point of entry into a new country or economic zone (like the Schengen Area). For example, if you fly from New York to Rome with a layover in Frankfurt, you will clear Immigration (passport control) in Frankfurt because that is where you enter the Schengen Zone. You generally collect your bags and clear Customs at your final destination, though in the United States, the rules are stricter: if you have an international-to-domestic connection (e.g., London to New York to Chicago), you must clear both Immigration and Customs in New York, collect your checked bags, and re-check them before your domestic flight. A major exception in 2026 is US Preclearance; if you are flying to the US from certain airports in Canada, Ireland, or the UAE, you go through US Customs and Immigration before you board, allowing you to land in the US as a domestic passenger. Remember: Immigration is for people (passports), while Customs is for goods (luggage).