Best of the passport/customs apps/solutions
February 6, 2020 4:35 AM Subscribe
US family traveling to Dublin in a week or so. I’d like to speed our passage through immigration/passport control/customs both at the Dublin airport on our way out and Boston Logan on the way back. We have Global Entry, but are flying Aer Lingus, which does not participate in that program. Frequent flyers, what’s the best way to get through those airports? Clear? Mobile Pass? Something else?
There is no (affordable) shortcut in Dublin on arrival (except having an EU/EFTA/UK passport so you can go through the quicker passport queue). There are some sort of platinum services but they cost several hundred euro per person...
Dublin does have a fast-track through security for departing flights, and as mentioned by Miko, there is preclearance in Dublin, so you don't need to go through immigration on arrival. (Though you may still need to go through customs, it's a long time since I did Dublin-US.)
posted by scorbet at 5:16 AM on February 6, 2020
Dublin does have a fast-track through security for departing flights, and as mentioned by Miko, there is preclearance in Dublin, so you don't need to go through immigration on arrival. (Though you may still need to go through customs, it's a long time since I did Dublin-US.)
posted by scorbet at 5:16 AM on February 6, 2020
I've flown Dublin -> Boston quite a few times and there is no need for anything to speed things up. Aer lingus is actually my preferred airline for heading to the USA because of passing the US customs and everything in Ireland rather than being lumped in with all of the arriving flights in the USA. Whenever we were in a queue there were never really more than 10 people ahead of us going from DUB -> BOS and in the other direction from BOS -> DUB the queue went quite fast. We had to wait for our pushchair at the gate and ended up being essentially the last ones off the plane and still nothing was bad. The US customs asked us about our car seat (in the large box that it came in) by asking us about what was in the box. I was just like uhh a car seat it is the box that came with it so it prevents it from getting damaged in transit. It was totally not an issue.
posted by koolkat at 5:57 AM on February 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by koolkat at 5:57 AM on February 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
We have Global Entry, but are flying Aer Lingus, which does not participate in that program.Other posters have addressed that you'll actually clear customs and immigration in Ireland when returning to the US. But even if you didn't, it wouldn't matter what airline you fly for Global Entry: all arriving international flights get funneled to the same inbound queue upon arrival to the United States, which is where your Global Entry kicks in.
You may be confusing Global Entry with TSA Pre, which is for airport security in the United States and requires airline participation (and is also included with your Global Entry membership).
posted by kdar at 6:24 AM on February 6, 2020 [4 favorites]
We recently transferred in Dublin flying Aer Lingus back to the US and went through the US Customs in Dublin. It was incredibly fast, we had less than 30 minutes to make our flight, speed-walked through the airport, got pulled aside for extra screening, had a quick chat with the US customs agent (he was Texan which was really disconcerting after all the Irish accents), and got to our plane just as it was boarding.
On the US side (we flew into JFK), we flew into the domestic terminal, hopped off, got our bags, and headed home.
posted by DoubleLune at 6:28 AM on February 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
On the US side (we flew into JFK), we flew into the domestic terminal, hopped off, got our bags, and headed home.
posted by DoubleLune at 6:28 AM on February 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
Here's a little more info on the US preclearance process in Dublin. The whole thing takes a while but after you land in the states you will be so glad you don't have to queue up again. First you check in and go through Irish security, then you pass through the duty-free shop area (you can pick up food/drinks here which are fine to take on the plane), then you go through US security, then you go through US immigration.
posted by exogenous at 6:33 AM on February 6, 2020
posted by exogenous at 6:33 AM on February 6, 2020
Summary: on the outbound way to Ireland, you could get CLEAR if you want (for $$$); on the inbound return to the US, Dublin has Global Entry kiosks that you can use.
On the outbound (Boston>Dublin) leg
As you're aware, Aer Lingus does not participate in TSA Precheck, so unfortunately you won't get Precheck at Logan.
You could get CLEAR if you want, but it's $179/year per person with the possibility of adding up to 3 family members for $50/year, free for under age 18. I don't know what your economics are or how much you fly to know if $229 is worth it (at minimum, for one person and adult partner, assuming the other 3 family members are minors).
On the inbound (Dublin>Boston) leg
Dublin airport has Global Entry kiosks. Since you are GE members, you can use those kiosks, regardless of what airline you are flying.
CLEAR is not applicable because you are not at a US airport. Mobile Passport is not applicable because Dublin airport has no Mobile Passport kiosks. Fast Track is available but has nothing to do with US customs/immigration, only with airport security.
posted by andrewesque at 6:35 AM on February 6, 2020
On the outbound (Boston>Dublin) leg
As you're aware, Aer Lingus does not participate in TSA Precheck, so unfortunately you won't get Precheck at Logan.
You could get CLEAR if you want, but it's $179/year per person with the possibility of adding up to 3 family members for $50/year, free for under age 18. I don't know what your economics are or how much you fly to know if $229 is worth it (at minimum, for one person and adult partner, assuming the other 3 family members are minors).
On the inbound (Dublin>Boston) leg
Dublin airport has Global Entry kiosks. Since you are GE members, you can use those kiosks, regardless of what airline you are flying.
CLEAR is not applicable because you are not at a US airport. Mobile Passport is not applicable because Dublin airport has no Mobile Passport kiosks. Fast Track is available but has nothing to do with US customs/immigration, only with airport security.
posted by andrewesque at 6:35 AM on February 6, 2020
I should clarify, on the outbound leg CLEAR only has to do with US airport security, much like Fast Track only has to do with Dublin airport security.
As US passport holders (presumably without European passports) there is effectively nothing you can do in practical terms to speed your way through Irish passport control, aside from those Platinum Arrival Services above.
posted by andrewesque at 6:38 AM on February 6, 2020
As US passport holders (presumably without European passports) there is effectively nothing you can do in practical terms to speed your way through Irish passport control, aside from those Platinum Arrival Services above.
posted by andrewesque at 6:38 AM on February 6, 2020
The only time I've known long queues at passport/ID control in Dublin is for passport control at Terminal 1 (the short-haul/low cost terminal) when a WOW air plane full of North Americans flew in from Reykjavík. It took my friend 45 minutes longer than me to get through border control. I guess it was the same with the Norwegian flights from the US.
But flying in with Aer Lingus, or other long haul airlines, I've never seen big queues at Terminal 2.
posted by ambrosen at 9:33 AM on February 6, 2020
But flying in with Aer Lingus, or other long haul airlines, I've never seen big queues at Terminal 2.
posted by ambrosen at 9:33 AM on February 6, 2020
We flew Aer Lingus to Amsterdam with a Dublin layover in October. We got a 30 day trial of Clear, which let us skip to the front of the regular (non pre-check) security line in the US. We signed up for Clear online ahead of time and then finished the sign up at the airport on the day we left.
Coming home, there was sign about not entering the preclearance area too early, but I would suggest going in as early as they will let you. I am not very impressed with the facilities at Dublin airport that are outside of the preclearance area. Once they let you in, you go through security as if you are just entering the airport, so they make you throw away all your liquids and you and your carry-ons get scanned. Then you go through customs and immigration. We have Global Entry, so we were in the same longer lines for the security check but then got a shorter line for Immigration (at a kiosk) and then another shorter line for Customs (a live officer). Then you go wait at your gate. The Aer Lingus gates for onward flights to Europe are loud and dirty, whereas the gates for flights back to the US are quiet and clean.
posted by soelo at 11:05 AM on February 6, 2020
Coming home, there was sign about not entering the preclearance area too early, but I would suggest going in as early as they will let you. I am not very impressed with the facilities at Dublin airport that are outside of the preclearance area. Once they let you in, you go through security as if you are just entering the airport, so they make you throw away all your liquids and you and your carry-ons get scanned. Then you go through customs and immigration. We have Global Entry, so we were in the same longer lines for the security check but then got a shorter line for Immigration (at a kiosk) and then another shorter line for Customs (a live officer). Then you go wait at your gate. The Aer Lingus gates for onward flights to Europe are loud and dirty, whereas the gates for flights back to the US are quiet and clean.
posted by soelo at 11:05 AM on February 6, 2020
all arriving international flights get funneled to the same inbound queue upon arrival to the United States, which is where your Global Entry kicks in.
This is not how it works when you return from Dublin (or anywhere with us preclearance). You land as a domestic flight.
posted by soelo at 11:08 AM on February 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
This is not how it works when you return from Dublin (or anywhere with us preclearance). You land as a domestic flight.
posted by soelo at 11:08 AM on February 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
(you can pick up food/drinks here which are fine to take on the plane), then you go through US security, then you go through US immigration.
Sorry for posting again, but I want to be clear that I was forced to throw away my beverage at the second security line. It may work differently for sealed duty free items and my security person was not friendly, but don't buy drinks in the airport until you are at your gate.
posted by soelo at 11:11 AM on February 6, 2020
Sorry for posting again, but I want to be clear that I was forced to throw away my beverage at the second security line. It may work differently for sealed duty free items and my security person was not friendly, but don't buy drinks in the airport until you are at your gate.
posted by soelo at 11:11 AM on February 6, 2020
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posted by Miko at 4:48 AM on February 6, 2020 [11 favorites]