How long does it take for customs in Atlanta?

[Fragile-Beauty]

We are booking a flight back from our cruise ---Barcelona to Atlanta to Charlotte. We have an hour and 35 minute layover upon arrival in Atlanta before our flight to Charlotte leaves.

 

I called Delta and the lady told me '"We would not be allowed to book a flight if there was not enough time to go through customs and get you to your next flight".

 

What do ya'll think???? I hear Atlanta is bad enough when you don't have to go through customs----how long does customs take anyway?

 

Thanks

[paul929207]

i would think 1:35 is really tight to get thru customs and immigration and then onto the outgoing gate.

[rich40245]

i would think 1:35 is really tight to get thru customs and immigration and then onto the outgoing gate.

 

Last time I went through ATL, Immigration alone took about 30 minutes (for a US citizen. Non-US longer), Customs is separate, and much quicker, and then you have to re-check your luggage, and then go thru security (metal detector, etc.)

 

I think 1:35 would work, IF everything went like clock work. One delay and, oh well, welcome to Atlanta.

 

Rich

[Keith1010]

I would not go with such a short layover.

 

My experience is that going through customs can vary quite a bit even at the same airport. The factors range from how many flights arrive around the same time, to how many customers personnel are on duty to how quickly you are able to claim your luggage before going through customs, etc. So, history doesn't mean a lot except to say that I would not go with such as short layover when going through customs.

 

Keith

[Fragile-Beauty]

I don't understand---- Do I still have to collect my luggage even though I am continuing on to Charlotte from Atlanta? Since it is Delta from Barcelona to Atlanta to Charlotte wouldn't my luggage be checked all the way through?

 

If the luggage is checked all the way through do you still think 1 hr 35 minutes is still too short of a time span?

 

Let me know and I'll see about a later flight if ya'll all think so.

 

THanks everybody!!!

[CoralReef]

Yes, you have to claim your luggage at the first U.S. airport, even if continuing on, because you must have it with you for Customs. You can chuck it right back onto the carousel after Customs and it will be ticketed through without another check-in, but claiming it does take a little time.

 

1:35 is do-able if everything goes smoothly. I would want 2:00 to have plenty of time for the connection plus Customs.

[rich40245]

I don't understand---- Do I still have to collect my luggage even though I am continuing on to Charlotte from Atlanta? Since it is Delta from Barcelona to Atlanta to Charlotte wouldn't my luggage be checked all the way through?

Susan [CoralReef] has it right. When going through customs in ATL you must claim your luggage first, so they can see if you brought back too much, whatever. Then re-check them to final destination.

 

Another of the wonderful things about customs in ATL is, even if ATL if your final destination, after you claim your luggage, pass through customs, you must then re-check your bags again (to ATL), pass through security, hence no checked luggage allowed, and finally reclaim your bags a second time in Atlanta.

 

Also, keep in mind, if you buy duty free liquor in BCN inside the security zone to carry on the plane, since you have to go through security again in ATL, the liquor will end up in the drain.

 

Rich

[Fragile-Beauty]

Oh My Gosh, I really had no idea that we have to claim our luggage. I just assumed that it was checked all the way through to Charlotte and I would not have to deal with it until then. Guess that is what happens when you ASSUME.

 

Ya'll are great....thanks for the info and I most definitely will not book the flight I have been looking at with 1 hour 35 minutes layover, I will book the flight with 2 hours 25 minutes between flights.

 

Again, many thanks

[alcpa1]

The 2 plus hours will give you a little more breathing room. The BCN flight usually gets in at the same time as several other transatlantic flights. You will land at Terminal E, go through C & I there and then head to the train for your next gate. Occasionally you will find domestic flights out of E but if you are on a regional jet you will probably leave from gate 33 on either the C or D concourses. Those are the last gates, naturally.

The last couple of times we have been in E, including our fly through in December C & I was very crowded and it took forever to get our luggage. It was definitely a hurry up and wait situation.

I guess I am so used to Atlanta that I never think it is a "bad" airport, just crowded. It is easy to get from one concourse to another, the trains are frequent, and there are ample places to grab a bite or sit down for a meal. I have a long list of airports that I'd rather not see again, but Atlanta is not on the list. As long as you check the monitors and know that the trains are centrally located you will not have a problem.

[Fragile-Beauty]

Thanks ALCPA1- I am booking tomorrow for the 10 of us. The prices have gone up another $30 each but I am tired of looking daily and hoping they will go down. I booked my cruise last March and had to wait until August to even look at airfare so I would be within the 330 days before the trip timeframe. Since that time the prices have not dropped or really changed at all.

 

As many others have said the prices rarely drop by "tons of money" it is usually within a $50-$100 price difference - high or low.

 

We will be booking the BCN-ATL-CLT flight with over 2 1/2 hour layover - Yes breathing room and piece of mind or worth something in this situation.

 

Thanks ya'll

 

Karen

[Globaliser]

I am booking tomorrow for the 10 of us.

If you are booking it yourself, don't forget to check what the price would be for a smaller group - in fact, start by looking for the price for a single passenger. Sometimes, a flight will have space at the lowest fare for only one or two passengers, and then everyone else will have to pay a higher fare. But if you book everyone at the same time, then everyone pays the higher fare. You can only get the lower fare by booking no more than the number of seats available at that fare.

[Fragile-Beauty]

Thanks Globaliser---I had my son on his lap top booking 4 people and I on mine so I too could book 4 people - we keyed in all of the information and "hit" the purchase button at the same time and it took both sets of reservations. Next I did the last 2 people and we were done........

 

 

Yea!!! What a relief as I am not booked and can relax

 

Thanks to all who helped give me information --I do appreciate it.

Karen