laurie_ann

On an international return into Chicago O'Hare the other Sunday, the gate agent at our arriving flight told us to expect up to 3 hour waits for immigration and customs. I cringed. But then along the hallway in T5 there I noticed signs to the effect of "One Stop - Carry On Only". It turns out if you have carry on only, there is a special line you enter before the big room with the immigration lines. That very busy Sunday at 5 pm there were only 6 people ahead of me. There were two special booths staffed, you give the immigration official your passport and your customs card. He keeps the customs card, you walk out a special door without going through the baggage claim area. So one stop, not two. And you exit the terminal. Took about 10 minutes from gate to exit! Don't know why they have this. Never saw it before in the 29 years I have lived in Chicago and traveled internationally but I was glad to see it.

newtome

or get Global Entry

sparkchaser

If I only fly with a carry-on, how am I supposed to bring back beer, spirits, and weird and wonderful beverages?

rkkwan

They have the same at IAH. For those with no checked bags as well as international transit passengers.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

It's pretty new, which is why you haven't seen it before. The fact that they send you right out the door keeps someone away who doesn't qualify for using the service.

1965

We've experienced this, and love it. We now go with carry on only, no matter the length of the trip. On a Rick Steves special he said he packs the same for 2 months as he does for 2 weeks. That's our mantra.

Seamus

rkkwan - really? In all the years I have been flying through IAH I never noticed it. Now that we have Global Entry it's less an issue, but out of curiosity, where is it located?

rkkwan

I have not used it myself, so I cannot tell you where the line is. And it also depends on whether your plane comes in D or E as they use opposite banks of the immigration counter. But I have read about their existence. From my faint memory, it could be the far left if arriving at E, though pls don't quote me.

29FEB

Laurie, thank you for posting this. Chicago ORD is my home airport and we will certainly look for this new signage. Thanks!

Christina

That sounds nice but I don't even understand the logic of this. Why do they have separate lines for immigration for those doing carryon only? That has nothing to do with the immigration people, customs is after that. And you either wait to get your baggage from the luggage carousel or if you are carryon only you'd go right to the customs guys.

I just don't even understand why an airport is doing special lines for people doing carryon only, I don't understand the thinking.

rkkwan

There are too many illogical things at out border. We just take whatever they give us to make out lives easier.

laurie_ann

I assumed it was perhaps an accomodation to business travelers who make shorter trips (carry on only) and may be pressed for time to stop when they return (to stop them from complaining to their congress person if the wait on their return to the US was 3 hours at immigration). The 3 hour wait was the warning we got as we stepped of the plane that day that I first realized about the carry on only line as described in my original post. The announcement warned abou the wait, warned about no toilets and no cell phones in the waiting area, etc (so use both before you get to the line). Not saying it is fair for everyone else, just saying I took advantage of it anyway.