Charlotte Airport Customs

Just got an update from American Airlines that our return flight from Charlotte has a 1 hour and 4 minutes layover. It was an hour and 36 minutes.

The day happens to be Sunday which is slower as less incoming but I can't see us making that with checked luggage. I have been through CLT once before but can't recall the time it took to get through.

Any ideas? I fear we are going to pushed back to the late flight and get home at 1:00 AM. Ouch.

Based on my international arrivals at CLT over the past few years, I would be concerned. Perhaps it has gotten better as it has been 2 years since I last flew through CLT. If you have a later flight option from CLT to home you should be ok either way. One little glitch with that tight of a connection and you likely will not make it. Honestly, I would have been concerned with your initial connection time.

also, the flights rarely seem to leave SXM on time so you will probably have less than an hour. it is usually a long wait for luggage in Charlotte so you can clear customs and then you have to go back through security to board your connecting flight. (On a side note, I wish they would find some way to keep those of us with connections inside security.) Maybe you could make it if you only had carry-ons but I don't think it is possible with luggage, even on a good day in Charlotte. You might want to call AA and see if there are any options for you.

I totally agree with the baggage wait thing. Our last trip back through CLT took 42 minutes just to get our bags...literally just made the flight before they closed the door. We had a 1 hour 15 minute "layover" but, as mentioned the SXM flight just sat on the tarmac forever waiting for invisible planes to land

Customs was not a biggie with GE/security was fine...it was all about the bags...

Personally, my biggest issues in CLT were waiting for a gate, waiting to deplane due to immigration being full and then waiting well over an hour to move through. Luggage has not been a problem but when you spend over an hour getting to it, it should be there.

We fly through Charlotte all the time and 1 hour would be tight. Even with Global Entry, coming through customs, the big issue is going to be the baggage and the number of planes ahead of you.

We come through CLT twice a year, and even with Global Entry we couldn't make another flight that quickly. Way too many variables, any one of which could delay you. I wouldn't take a chance unless you don't mind an overnight stay in CLT.

I have to agree, not enough time. I travel internationally multiple times a year and NEVER book a connection with under 90 minutes and I have Global Entry. While it is theoretically possible to make an international connection in about an hour you have no wiggle room. A slight delay in take off, or having to wait for a gate to open or encountering a long line at TSA, or perhaps you get selected for a more thorough customs inspection and you will miss your flight.

Remember Murphy's Law of Air Travel clearly states the shorter your connection time the more delays you'll encounter.

Remember too, better to have an extra hour airport waiting time then to arrive at the gate for your connecting flight 1 minute after the plane leaves.

Staying at Beachside, we see a lot of planes just SITTING on the tarmac, waiting to take off. I don't really have much technical knowledge about such things, but I don't think they are waiting for other planes to land. I think that they are waiting for clearance from air traffic control out of San Juan or whatever, to enter their airspace, after they take off.

Yup, I was just being sarcastic and should have left that comment out. I was told once by a captain they were waiting for gate clearance at CLT that would jive with their takeoff time and minimize the on hold pattern and save fuel.

Same difference sitting on the tarmac or flying in circles but less fuel used but at the price of added angst for those short connections people. Nothing worse than just sitting there....

Just came home last pm from SXM thru CLT. 1 hour 4 minutes is NOT enough time. On a Friday, lighter day than a weekend it took us 1 hour and 25 minutes to get to our gate.

I am the originator of this thread and some things have surfaced since I posted.

First, American is doing all they can to negate my extensive planning of our annual trip. So as to avoid Miami I booked way ahead using Charlotte and the excellent times they have to get to and from. Started with a modest layover on the way down which has now ballooned to about 2 extra hours. Instead of wheels down at 12:25 now we are 2:20. Connection changed to 42 minutes so we had to move back.

The return has us with a short 1 hour 5 minute layover. One post said that even with Global entry we would have trouble due to luggage wait. Well I have paid for AA door to door to avoid this. An extra $29 per checked bag. Not bad. Now I need to pay for Global entry but the price seems to move when I get settled on how much it is. Is it $100 or $100 plus a background check making it over $200?

Any help appreciated.

100 is for the backround check. GE is essentially free as it is included. Your total is 100 per person for five years.

What does $29 for door to door mean? Does it mean you do not have to collect your checked luggage and clear customs and then recheck it?

Not sure what the $29 is for "AA door to door" but in the end, that is probably not going to change anything with flight arrival and departure times.

I did some quick research for the "door to door" service and it appears it is an independent contractor to handle your baggage? Not trying to question what you have chosen but as I earlier stated, this will not impact flight schedules at all.

"Door-to-door baggage service
Do you prefer to 'travel light' and avoid the need for queuing up at the check-in or Bag Drop desks at the airport?
We provide a service, in conjunction with our partner First Luggage, where your luggage can be collected from your home or office prior to your departure and then delivered to your destination, irrespective of your class of travel."

Good luck.

No but it does take out the time spent waiting for your luggage at customs and then have to recheck them. Going straight from immigration/customs to TSA then to your connecting gate should be ok with their connect times.

I wonder how "door-to-door" works when you personally have to bring your luggage through customs on the return....

I was think the same thing - doesn't your luggage have to accompany you through Customs?

The AA web page lists several international cities which the service can be used with. I haven't flown through all of them, but I recognize a couple as cities where you pre-clear there before returning to the US.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/bagdelivery.jsp

Not sure when you are going but Global Entry takes some time. First of all, when you go on line and sign up for Global Entry, you will pay the $100 per person fee and then schedule an interview date at the airport nearest you. For us, the nearest airport couldn't schedule an interview for about 2 months. Once you get interviewed and finger printed, assuming there are no issues, you will receive your known flyer number within a week. The process of getting our Global Entry card and numbers took about 3 months from start to finish.

+ Can I Use This Service If I’m Flying On An International Flight That Arrives At A U.S. Airport?
In general, Bags VIP luggage delivery is not available for passengers arriving on international flights because of U.S. Customs and Border Protection policies. However, if the service is available at the destination airport, Bags VIP luggage delivery is available for international travelers arriving in the U.S. from airports with Pre-Clearance (listed on our Airports Served page), from U.S. Territories, or when an international traveler clears Customs at a U.S. airport prior to boarding a domestic connecting flight to their final destination.

I bet they pick up from the FINAL destination and deliver to your home...works unless there is customs in between...still will deliver home but after they are rechecked C & I

That makes sense...but not SXM

Not sure where you're flying from/to Murphy, but I don't think this service will work returning from SXM.

"you will receive your known flyer number within a week" We got ours the same day as our interview. Drove home (only 20min drive) and entered it in our airline profile. Then we checked in online and received TSA Pre. Three hours later drove back to airport and proceeded to SXM. They mail out a card later.

That would be my guess as I don't see how a delivery service contractor could gain access to luggage from a secure area. Hopefully the poster will fill us in.

" doesn't your luggage have to accompany you through Customs?"
Not sure if that is true in all cases. One time coming back from SXM through San Juan our luggage never showed in San Juan. Crew was waiting for the group whose luggage was held back because of weight. I was told luggage would be delivered to our home next day. And it was.
Same thing happened in Canada returning from skiing. As we pulled from the gate I could see my skis and others bags on the ground. Upon arriving in SEA I was told they will be coming on another flight ad were delivered to our home next day.
I presume having your bags go through this service for 29 a bag is the same as shipping internationally and the carrier does the custom formalities.

Except for:

Well it was indeed too good to be true. AA has a link and the service is by a company that is not related to AA. No wonder the service reps had no idea what I was talking about. 3

So back to hoping the time changes again. We have applied for Global Access. Worst case we do maxed out carry on and large personal item. They actually allow a decent size item it just has to fit under the seat.

OK, have you called AA and tried to switch your flights??? With an extremely close connection, I think you might be able to get them to switch your flights to something that isn't so close. Can't hurt to try.

As Carol said, changing your flights (if possible) is probably your best option.

In my personal experiences with CLT, the wait for luggage has NOT been a problem. I know it has for others but in my personal cases (and I think many other travelers also) the bigger issue has been with waiting for a gate and/or the time it takes to clear customs and immigration.

Carry on or not, luggage service or not, nothing is going to change the actual time it will take to get through immigration. If your flight is delayed for any reason, if you have to wait for a gate or if you have to wait to deplane due to the immigration hall being full, the luggage is likely NOT going to be an issue.

We are able to change but the options kind of stink. Philly is an option putting us home at about 10:30 or so. I really hate going through Philly.

We have both filled out the application for Global and are waiting to hear back. One problem I believe may occur aside from the expediency is the fact that it asks where you have traveled to outside of the US and Canada in the past 5 years. The dropdown has no option for SXM. I now am wondering if I should have put down France or the Netherlands.

Philly actually I think recently has been a better option than Charlotte, and if it allows you to get home on your regularly scheduled flight with no stress of missing the connection OR even worse, missing the connection and possibly having to spend the night, that is what I would do. I loathe a very stressful flight home. That just ruins all your vacation calm!

With regard to what to check on Global Entry, that question had come up here before and I can't remember what the resolution was. I thought someone said there was a Netherlands Antilles and that's what you're supposed to check. If not, I personally would probably have put the Netherlands, as the Dutch side is where the airport is.

I can't help you on the Global Entry thing.

MANY travelers would be happy to get home "about 10:30" or so. When I travel to SXM I usually land at my home airport close to midnight. Friends I travel with land at the same time and have close to a 2 hour drive. No other option and I am just glad to be home safe. I would take a 10:30 arrival (going through Philly) over having to possibly overnight (at your OWN expense) in Charlotte. If you miss your connection and it is not due to mechanical problems, it is all your financial responsibility from that point forward.

You may just have to be a little more flexible and go with the Philly routing.

Netherlands Antilles is correct.

We've been through Charlotte many times (our first choice since we live in Raleigh), sometimes it's bad, but we just went through there on Sunday night, and it could not have been any quicker or easier. Literally plane to plane in 35 minutes.

Ummm....International arrival???

Yes! Sunday coming back from St Martin. It did not start out well. We were told in SXM that we would have to stop in San Juan to take on fuel, so what was about a 2 hour planned layover in Charlotte was going to get cut into heavily, and it was. We were more then a little nervous. ...but yes we got to immigration and ours was the only flight in there (which was the key, I know).. we were out of there fast. We only had carry-on, so we hi-tailed it through downstairs, got to the security line (concourse C) because the one at the top of the escalators was closed, and there were only about 15 folks in front of us. Then to add to the luck (and I really know it was luck), our flight to Raleigh was at gate C2, so we were right there, and they had just called our zone - so we walked right on. So yes, I know it is NOT the norm, but plane to plane in 35 minutes! We were both stunned.

I would not bet on that happening again. You were lucky, very lucky.

Our game plan, assuming we get Global, is to remain on the CLT flight. With only carry on I think we stand a decent chance to get through as the line for Global is suppose to be short and quick.

Also, Philly is a one and a half hour time limit and I have never had any form of good luck there. It is also only an hour earlier arrive at CVG than the later Charlotte flight.

I can't wait for 8 days in paradise.

OK, hope it works out for you!!

Good luck.

Just be aware that IF you are delayed in any fashion or IF you have to wait for a gate or IF you have to sit on the plane due to the immigration hall being full, the Global Entry is not going to mean a thing.