Quick question about IAH...

[Kryssa]

Connecting on the way home between RTB and SFO. Is an hour and a half connection, considering customs, possible? We are both US Citizens.

We booked it through United online months ago and it didn't even occur to me to consider customs. An hour and a half is plenty of time when we're flying domestically and I didn't give it a second thought.

I'm sure United would charge me $200+ to change 2 tickets, so we're thinking about even taking the risk and hoping they'll pay for a hotel if we miss the connection. It looks like the last flight out to SFO that night (8:50pm.)

Thanks!

 

[herman]

Possible yes, if you hit it right but I would at least have a backup plan. I have flown through IAH at times and got through in 30 minutes and another time it took me 2 1/2 hours...it looked like the entire world was entering the US that day. Overall about an hours seems to be about the average. I try to plan no less than a 3 hr layover when customs is involved. You just never know what the line will look like and there is always the possibility your inbound flight will be late.

 

[Pedro Burrito]

Have you enrolled in the Global Entry Trusted Traveler program? https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes

I spent 5 minutes in the line at Dallas when I returned from Cozumel. 4 minutes were spent just chatting with the nice, but professional, Customs person who seemed lonely.

 

[Kryssa]

Have you enrolled in the Global Entry Trusted Traveler program? https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes

I spent 5 minutes in the line at Dallas when I returned from Cozumel. 4 minutes were spent just chatting with the nice, but professional, Customs person who seemed lonely.

How much does it cost?

Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk 2

 

[Pedro Burrito]

How much does it cost?

$100 Global Entry

 

[diversteve]

We flew back thru IAH from Roatan a couple of years ago. Arrived there on a Sat. night just before 6pm with a 7:15 connection. There were about 3 other flights in the same time as ours - Continental - and we waited about 20 mins. for our bags. Getting thru customs/immigration took maybe 10 minutes and there was no line at all at security - 1/2 of it was shutdown for the evening.

However our connecting gate was a long way away so we flagged a courtesy shuttle and made it with about 15mins. to spare - they'd already been boarding when we arrived. I've been thru IAH maybe 4-5 times in the last couple of years on other Sat. night flights since one of my dive buddy's lives there and that's been pretty typical. Usually we have time for a drink and goodbye's without any rush.

I think if your luggage makes it, they'll hold the gate till the last possible minute - otherwise they have to find/remove your bags before they can depart. At least that's what I've been told.