Preclearance coming for SXM?

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Department of Homeland Security Article

Thanks for posting ruralcarrier.

Wouldn't it be terrific for everyone to eliminate the worst part of returning from SXM?
I think the additional time @ Julianna Airport would be so much better than the current frustration and delays upon arrival in US.
Too bad it will take years to put into action.

Luggage checked to the final destination. Wouldn't that be great!

The advantage is arriving at your US destination as a "domestic" flight.

The disadvantages depend upon how the clearance is set up at the point of departure. We have used pre-clearance at Dublin and Aruba.

Aruba involves several steps duplicated by local and by US officials including checked luggage that must be reclaimed and re-checked a second time, removal of shoes, belts, etc., twice - the entire process can sometimes take up to two hours but often is less. There is no "express" service on Aruba.

This would be great. But those flying to JFK on JetBlue are spoiled already. We came home on a Monday had carry ons and used the "Mobile Passport". We landed and were in our car in 22 minutes!! Yes I timed it!! We did park in short term not long. But we got through faster than those with Global Entry and they send you in the same lines as GE in customs as well.

Don't get me started on the "benefits" of flying from the East coast. I am looking at $800+ air with a connection and based upon what it has been, this looks like a bargain!

Bobcat--thanks for the info regarding how it works on the OTHER end in Aruba. Almost doesn't sound any better at all. I guess maybe if you have Global Entry or whatever, they should have an expedited screening for those people?

Interesting that the US signed the agreement with Stockholm--to begin around 2019!! So, even if there is preclearance in SXM, looks like it will still be several years..

Can you get a direct flight to NYC? JetBlue offers a direct flight leaving JFK around 1:30 (not sure exact). The return could be tricky. But could be less doing that. I just priced a 5 night trip in Januarydyijg in a Wednesday and Monday and it was 368. Our March tickets were really inexpensive also, like under 450 right now (haven't booked return yet) son may be heading to CLT from SXM so holding off.

Sorry Carol - as of this time there is no express service for Global Entry or any other service - everyone going to the US goes through the same process. First they must clear Aruba security, immigration and customs, then US security, immigration and customs.

I will check but anytime I have looked into it in the past there was an overnight involved on one or both ends and/or an airport change. Other airports within 2 hours of me are the same or higher fares also.

kim..I quickly checked and any non-stop from DAY goes into LGA so that doesn't really work. Even if the airports worked (and they don't) the best available fare would still be $737 so I am within $100 of flying from an airport within 15 minutes of my house. Just no easy way when you are not close to a hub airport or the East coast.

We returned from Dublin this past September. Preclearance made the return trip much easier. Travel days are usually miserable. Getting all the security checks done in one place made it much more tolerable.

Huhm, ok, I guess maybe we should be careful what we wish for then!! Doesn't sound that great. Sounds like it would take longer overall for us personally, even though we don't have GE, as we normally drive the 3 1/2 hours for a nonstop from Miami. Those with connecting flights, it would be easier though.

So what you are saying J.D. is that there are no non-stop flights from your main airport and the direct flights all involve one or more stops. That does make it a long tough day and the fares are terrible too.

The best part of it Carol is arriving in New York or New Jersey as a domestic arrival. I have seen and been in lines on Aruba that extended out the door into the street on occasion and at other times no line at all. The real problem is the timeshare folks who arrive and depart on Saturdays and Sundays add a lot of time to the process.

Correct Bobcat. Flying from DAY you will either connect via CLT or ATL and pay through the nose usually. You can reduce the fare slightly if you want to overnight (at the airport) but you lose another day or have the expense of a hotel. You can also make 2 connections and make your travel day even longer and that usually involves an overnight on one end.

Even if they sign an agreement, it will take some time to implement since US bound passengers will have be to segregated from other passengers. That will require PJIA to reconfigure the departure terminal.

This is probably years away at best.

We were very lucky in Aruba the few times we visited. Went right thru. It was great unlike waiting in stinky Newark for hours after all European flights come in. Saturday flights are the worst, best to schedule trips on any other day (unless you own a timeshare which we don't).

We have also done preclearance in Nassau, Aruba and Bermuda and I don't recall particularly large waits in clearing at any of these locations but those trips were a few years ago and I guess we may have just been lucky in each place.

Benefit is that it should make state-side connections flights easier and less stressful.

WOW ITALY TOO !!! that is amazing. Hope it comes to fruition...

It may help people that have connecting flights but, to me, it means having to arrive at the airport even earlier than previously because it will done on "island time."

That means less time on beach or lanai with coffee before leaving SXM. Instead we'll be cramped in the airport. Pay now or pay later. Later works for me.

Direct flights benefit by not having to land at busy, unpredictable gates in international terminals.

Nothing removes that vacation vibe more than watching a previously decent connection time eaten up by tarmac sitting on SXM, waiting for a gate at the connecting airport, waiting FOREVER for bags (so we can give them back again), running to wait in a security line, and then the run to hopefully still waiting flight.

I would MUCH rather just get to the airport a tad earlier and not worry about these issues with a connection. Of course if you don't HAVE a connection and are lucky to have a direct flight then this is not a factor at all.

It will help a LOT of travellers

Not all direct flights are non-stop. The best way is to purchase non-stop flights so that you arrive back in the States as a domestic flight at your final destination.

Yet another reason to have Global Entry. I assume (and we all know what that means) that it would be used in SXM if this does come to pass.

Apparently not, according to what Bobcat posted from Aruba. No special line there, according to him.

Correct..



Implies non-stop as ANY "direct flight" from a foreign country to the USA is a non-stop

Yes Carol , Global Entry is not in operation at this time on Aruba. Everyone going to the USA goes through the entire process. Those passengers not going to the USA have another entry point bypassing the US part of the process.

The terms non-stop and direct flights should not be used interchangeably. A non-stop flight is a direct flight but a direct flight is not always a non-stop flight. It might seem trivial but the difference between the two can be huge.
A non-stop flight is exactly what it sounds like - a flight that goes from point A to point B without any planned stops.
A direct flight is not what it sounds like - it is a flight or series of flights that operate under a single flight number. It could be a non-stop. But it could also be a flight that has a number of planned stops and/or aircraft changes along the way.
For example, United flight 966 is a direct flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Rome (FCO). But it is not a non-stop. First United 966 goes from LAX to IAD (Washington Dulles) on an Airbus 319. Then there is approximately an hour layover in IAD before a plane change to a Boeing 777 when the flight continues to FCO.

The availability of Global Entry at Preclearance airports appears to vary from country to country. A friend recently flew home from Abu Dhabi, and used a Global Entry kiosk there.

Glad you posted the difference. So many people don't know the difference <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> and it could get them into hot water when arranging flight tickets.

Yes, thanks - my neighbor flies direct from Athens, Greece to JFK often and always with a stop usually in Germany and once in London - she can't seem to find non-stop flights to NY or NJ.

Twice recently I have flown back from Europe via Shannon and Dublin, Ireland. Both times we were pre-cleared, but it was still a hassle - just on the other side of the pond. However, it was nice to land in Boston, pick up our luggage, and head out to the street. Unfortunately, I do not fly to enough of the Global Entry airports to make it worthwhile.

I was really excited for this until I learned that Global Entry probably wouldn't work. I know this is super selfish of me, but it would make my travel experience much worse. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

The are Global Entry kiosk at some Pre-Clerance facilities. Chances are new pre-clearance facilities would get Global Entry kiosk.

There's nothing selfish about wanting your travel experience to be as easy as it can be; that's why we purchased GE. Since SXM is our primary international destination lately, I'd hate for our GE investment to be for naught.

Sure!! We finally apply and get our Global Entry and they change over to Preclearance for SXM. Well, we'll still get a few trips in on it before they make the changes, I'm thinking.

Pat - I think you've got nothing to worry about. It sounds like it's years away for SXM, they're not in the 1st group and honestly, can you see the airport really able to accommodate pre-clearance quickly? I have gone thru pre-clearance on Aruba and am not impressed. You have to get to the airport way early as you never know what the lines will be like - and we never travel on a Saturday. Can you just imagine the airport on a Sat. morning with pre-clearance? I've stood in line at the airline counter for almost an hour just to get my luggage tagged! I just don't see any advantage for those with Global Entry.

I thought that I saw new scanners under plastic on the left before immigration in SXM? Did/Has anyone see(n) them their also?

There were new machines there under plastic in June this year, in immigration. ...which wouldn't necessarily have anything to do with leaving SXM...

Leaving Aruba last june (wife owns a piece of a hotel there, so "business trip") we were advised by the airline (SW) to be at the airport 4 hours before departure since it was a Sat, having done this trip frequently but never on a Sat we did get there 4 hours early. We breezed thru the Aruba departure, entered the US preclearance side and were sipping a cocktail in minutes. It used to really suck but we did C+I at a machine being guided by an agent. If SXM does it right it could be wonderful, lets hope they learn from down island. BTW, I was over served at the bar and slept the whole way home, another huge plus.We carry on so that surely saved some time but it sure beat JFK when we lived in NY.

For all the years we've traveled and returned to the country via JFK, , other than the sometimes incredibly long walk from the plane to C & I, we never really had much of an issue clearing there. Last year, the kiosk rejected my passport and we had the pleasure of standing in line for almost an hour and a half before we worked our way up to the desk. At that point we were basically waved through but I swore NEVER to do that again, thus obtaining GE became a priority. And I agree with Marybeth in that it will probably be quite a while before they have preclearance up and operational in SXM.

upstairs where they check your ticket against your passport, there is some work taking place to the right of where the 2 people sit to check the above out....must be dedicated area for those or some other machines

I have read some posters say they never fly on Sat. I am planning a trip to fly into SXM on Sat and leave on a Fri. Any problems I should consider or foresee and plan for. I prefer these days as wife and I will have only a week, but could vary arrival and departure one day if it avoids massive headache. (Near end of April if month matters)

If you have GE, which we do, (and which I strongly recommend to everyone) then I'm not sure that pre- clearance would help you. In fact, it might slow things down.

I would much rather see a TSA pre-check line. This would be much easier to implement and would relieve the backup in security thus helping everyone.

Saturday will be the busiest travel day of the week followed by Friday and Sunday as that is when most timeshares start/end. It is not that big of a deal, just more people and more time needed and that will depend on how many flights arrive/depart around yours.

We arrive on Saturday, and depart on a Friday. The main reason we do that is so that we don't have to be concerned about checking out of our timeshare early, as it's ours until Saturday. The other reason, of course, is to avoid the Saturday chaos at the airport. We find both to be worth the lost day. That said, we are on the island for three weeks; if I were only there for one week, I wouldn't do it.

We also arrive on a Saturday and leave on Friday - but we stay for 2 weeks so the loss of one day isn't an issue for us. Plus our flight leaves later in the afternoon so we get to stay in our timeshare till it's time to go to the airport. Not having to leave the timeshare at 10am is a plus for us. The Friday airport is busier than a Thursday but not at all like a Saturday. Having said all this, if I had only 1 week on the island I would probably choose a Sat. departure just to get the full Friday. The time of your return will influence how early you need to be at the airport to check your luggage and go thru security.

We stay for four weeks and do the same. Arrive on a Sat and leave on a Fri. Since we have our timeshare through Sat its a nice cushion if our flight is cancelled or has an extremely long delay. I usually give my extra day to an employee to use which is always appreciated.

They were still under plastic on Monday.

Timing is, and always has been, everything.
Preclearance will no doubt be approved around the same time that the Pearl of China completely consumes Little Bay and traffic through Belair and Divi Little will be like I95 during rush hour.

I am in the Aruba Airport - they now have Global Entry.

Thanks and have fun or hope you had fun.

One or two using it -unfortunately we were not one of them, lol A note for Carol-French Steakhouse is no more - now it is called The Chophouse and is at the same location at Manchebo - we enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner there, take care J.D. and thanks.

We flew back nov 12 it took us 18 min to go from the place passport control get our bags and clear customs and meet our driver , it took another 20 min for him to get his car and meet us JFK jet blue is great ,Miami sucks I hope I never have to come back through there again.