prairiesue

Hi,
We'll be traveling from DFW to VFA(Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe) thru IAD(Dulles) & JNB this September.
I'm worried since there's only about 2hr of connection time at IAD on both directions of the airplane ticket.

departure:
SA7475 ( UAL 370 ) arriving IAD at 15:44 ( terminal D)
SA0208 ----------------leaving IAD at 17:40 ( terminal A)
Return:
SA0207--------------- arriving IAD at 10:20 ( terminal A ?)
SA7474( United Express/Mesa airline terminal A/C/D?) leaving IAD at 12:20

IAD airport map is little confusing to me, there are so many levels in the main terminal.
http://www.metwashairports.com/file/iadterm_train.pdf
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,,1124,00.html

How do we get from terminal D to terminal A in the shortest time? do we have to go thru security again?
Also, what whould expect on the return trip? How long to expect for going thru immigration/customs? Do we have to go to the main terminal for immigration/customs, then go to A/C/D terminal for the United Express/Mesa airline flight?
We'll be bringing carry-on only.
Thanks.

sdb2

Assuming no significant delays arriving at IAD, two hrs should be plenty of time. Arriving at Term. D from DFW you'll need to take a mobile lounge to A. The lounges run often and, as far as I know, you don't go through security.

Coming back is a bit more involved:

On arriving back at IAD, you'll need to clear Customs and Immigration. IAD has two U.S. Customs locations: The International Arrivals Building (IAB) in the Main Terminal and a Transfer facility in the C-Gates. Passengers whose destination is Washington will board a mobile lounge and ride to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Main Terminal to clear U.S. Customs. Passengers arriving in the C-Gates who are connecting to a domestic flight will walk from the gate to U.S. Customs in the C-Gates. Some connecting passengers may be directed to the IAB depending on the airline's procedures.

At U.S. Customs there are two queue lines: one for U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents and one for Non U.S. Citizens. Wait times vary depending on the number of arriving international flights at that time, but I've flown IAD a lot and found that for US citizens getting through is pretty fast.

After clearing U.S. Customs at Dulles, passengers must claim their checked luggage before proceeding in to the Main Terminal or to a connecting flight. All luggage in the U.S. Customs area is subject to inspection. To check-in luggage for a connecting flight, simply hand it to an agent in the baggage re-check area before exiting.

Passengers transferring to a connecting flight will need to clear screening by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA). If you cleared Customs from the C-Gates, you will go through TSA screening immediately afterward then go up one level to the C-Gates Concourse. If you cleared Customs in the IAB, you will enter the Main Terminal where you can follow signs "TO ALL GATES" for TSA screening.

As I mentioned going through Immigrations is fast usually for US citizens. Given that you'll have carry-ons only, you'll be avoiding the step that could slow you down the most: waiting for checked bags.

From Term. C you can train to A or B. You can walk C to D. From IAB you can train to A, B or C, or take a mobile lounge to D.

Whew! But sounds much worse than it is. Good luck

ShayTay

I'm transiting through IAD in October. I'm also arriving on SA207, but will then have a United Express flight to Toronto Canada. SDB2, do you have any idea if I will have to go through Immigration and Customs at IAD as you describe above, or if they have an "in transit" line that bypasses that?

P_M

ShayTay, I think you will pre-clear US customs on Toronto so there will be no customs at IAD. I did that from Montreal and it's much easier than going through customs in the US. Here is some info:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/c..._locations.xml

sdb2

ShayTay, the only by-pass I'm aware of is the one that concerns passengers arriving from Canada, the Bahamas, Aruba, Bermuda or Ireland who may have already pre-cleared U.S. Customs at the point of departure. In that case, travelers are treated as domestic passengers upon arrival and can deplane directly into a concourse. From there passengers can go directly to their connecting flight or to the Main Terminal and exit the airport.

Otherwise, ALL persons arriving at a port-of-entry to the United States are subject to inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers.

Steve

sdb2

P.S. The last paragraph refers to coming back om SA 207.

ShayTay

P_M, I'm going the other direction, IAD to Toronto. Steve, I think you're probably right. Some countries have an "in transit" lane that bypasses the whole passport control area, but I guess we don't do that in the States. I suppose it's rare to just transit through the US. I'm actually flying on to Portland OR from Toronto... two entries into the US in one day! I seem to remember an "in transit" desk in Toronto, so that will help me there.

P_M

Oh crap, sorry about that.

sdb2

ShayTay, my understanding is that when arriving at the first port-of-entry in the US, EVERYONE must go through C&I whether the port is their final destination, whether they are continuing on a domestic flight or whether they are continuing on another international flight.

Two entries into the US on the same day---that is rare and you should be awarded something for that!

ShayTay

Frequent flier itineraries get rather creative at times!

sdb2

Ain't that the truth! I'm embarrassed at times to tell others the tortuous itineraries I've sometimes taken all for the sake of an award ticket.

P_M

If you are flying from Toronto to Portland you s/b able to pre-clear customs in Toronto. It's still 2 entries in the same day but in my experience it's not quite as painful from Canada. I have also pre-cleared from Aruba and that wasn't bad either.

I also know a little something about those FF itineraries. Sometimes they are OK but sometimes they are a little weird.

ShayTay

Good point, P_M. Hopefully, the plane won't arrive late in IAD.

I think the "weirdest" FF itinerary I had was NBO - JNB - LHR - ORD - PDX... ugh! To make matters worse, we started in Zanzibar, then flew to Nairobi. That was about 48 hours, door to door.

sdb2

4 Legs and 48 hrs!! Well done! Best I could come up with is 3 legs and about 36 hrs between IAD and NBO. I feel like a novice.

ShayTay

If you count the ZNZ - NBO leg that we paid for, it was 5 legs. To make matters worse, my sister was sick from the Malarone she had been taking. I had been able to get her a Business Class ticket, but I had an Economy seat; aren't I a good sister? ;-) She was able to get into the Business lounge at NBO, but I couldn't buy my way in, even after explaining that she wasn't feeling well and wanted me with her. As we were boarding our flight to JNB, I was called aside... oops, what did I do? They said that they had upgraded me to Business class and I was sitting with my sister. That was really kind of SAA!

sdb2

Well, SAA's generosity, certainly in recognition of your kindness to your sister, gives the lie to the maxim, "No good deed goes unpunished." Good story!

P_M

I thought I was the only person in the world who got sick from Malarone. Everyone else on this board talks about how great it is, but it made me really tired and groggy. How did it affect your sister?

ShayTay

It affected two persons out of 9 in the group taking it. Their symptoms were increasing nausea, fatigue and some dizziness. My sister was checked out by a doctor in Zanzibar and was tested for malaria. Not showing any signs of it, he recommended she stop taking it and do the usual prevention measures of insect repellent, covering up, etc. for the remainder of her stay. He also gave her some meds for the nausea, had her checked out by an ear, nose and throat specialist, and told her to drink coconut juice to replace electrolytes. Total bill? $40. I've always taken Larium and have never had any problem with it, despite all the dire warnings. My sister had taken Larium on her first trip with no problems, either... go figure!