Where do I go through customs flying to USA?

Usually, when you land in the US from a foreign country, you go through a customs inspection in the first US city you land in. However, if you're flying from one of 14 designated airports with preclearance facilities offered by Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, you clear customs before you fly.



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Customs and immigration are usually required at the connecting airport for international flights. You don't always have to for domestic flights. In most cases, passengers on layover flights must clear customs and immigration at the first point of entry.

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5. When do you go through customs on international flights? Usually, you go through customs when you exit the airport at your final destination. However, if you have a layover in a different city in your destination country, you may need to go through customs before your connecting flight.

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Customs and immigration are usually required at the connecting airport for international flights. You don't always have to for domestic flights. In most cases, passengers on layover flights must clear customs and immigration at the first point of entry.

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The US has preclearance facilities in six countries
  • Ireland: Dublin Airport (DUB) and Shannon Airport (SNN)
  • Aruba: Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
  • Bermuda: L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA)
  • Bahamas: Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS)
  • United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)


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If your itinerary was purchased as one ticket (as in: you have only one itinerary and one confirmation number), and the connection time was too short and you miss the second (or third) flight, you can rest easy, no matter what happens. The airline will simply put you onto the next available flight, free of charge.

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In the air passenger environment, air carriers transmit passenger information to CBP through the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). CBP officers also rely on the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) to determine which individuals to target for secondary examination upon arrival in the United States.

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Double-check for prohibited items In U.S. arrival areas, amnesty bins (or even garbage cans) are less common, however, which could potentially lead to more people being fined. A good rule of thumb is to search your bags one last time before deplaning to make sure you didn't, for example, stash an apple from the flight.

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When does a traveler clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection? If a connection to another U.S. city is involved, the traveler will not be required to go through another clearance when they arrive at that final U.S. destination.

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You'll need to pick-up your luggage, then check it in again for the next flight. Top Tip: A wait at the airport between two connecting flights is called a layover. For more travel advice, check out our guide to dealing with a short layover.

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You can travel to just about anywhere in the world and don't have to deal with the typical hassle you find in a commercial airport. But do private planes go through customs? The short answer is: Yes. Private jet customs follow a similar process compared to commercial flights.

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