Palemoon

Flying from LAX to Aruba through MIA (stopover) - Will I need to go through Customs? Several years ago we did but it was before there was a US Customs setup in Aruba.

Nevisian

You go through Aruba Customs when you arrive in Aruba. You do NOT go through customs leaving the country. You will go through U.S. customs at your first point of re-entry back into the U.S. (San Juan,Puerto Rico or Miami). Aruba is not in the U.S. and therefore NOT a U.S. entry port. At MIA (assuming that will be your return port of entry into the U.S.) you will first go through passport control and then you will claim your baggage and go through customs. The airlines will recheck your baggage on to your final destination outside the customs hall. Have a good vacation and good luck in the casino.

shirleyk

Are you asking if you go through US Customs or Aruba Customs? When you arrive in Aruba, you will have to go through Aruba Customs. No big deal, usually they just wave you through. When you leave Aruba, you go through US Customs and US immigration while still in Aruba. This will happen after you checkin at the departure terminal. That is why they request you arrive at the Airport 3 hours before departure time. But when you arrive in the US, you don't have to do any more customs or immigration clearing.

KVR

Aruba is the only Caribbean Island in which you clear US customs before leaving the Island. You will not have to go through customs again when you reach the US.

Arrive at the airport in Aruba at least 3 hours before departure so you can stand in the long line to go through customs and security.

beachplum

Both immigration and customs for the US when departing Aruba for your return are done on Aruba since 2000. You will not have to do it stateside in MIA on your layover. You can even check your bags thru.
But you still need to clear into Aruba upon your arrival.
St. Thomas is also a point-of-entry and they too have on-island customs and immigration to facilitate returning stateside and have for many years.

Nevisian

Aruba has U.S. customs? Wow, live and learn! What a plus for U.S. citizens. Is it any easier than PR or Miami? Yes, St. Thomas is the U.S. Virgin Islands so they would have U.S. customs too. We just never think of St. Thomas as a U.S. hub for the Caribbean traveler.

caribtraveler

What shirleyk and beachplum said.
Incidentally, U.S. Customs have pre-clearance locations in Bermuda, Nassau and I think Freeport as well (yes, I'm aware that those islands are technically not in the Caribbean).

TomCayman

I was about to jump in and say Aruba is not the only island with US border control pre-clearance (these days immigration and customs are combined services at airports).

Whilst it works well in some places (has always been very smooth for me in Bermuda, for example), it is a total nightmare in Aruba.

Aruba has a shiny new airport, but it must have been designed by the same committee that designed the Pontiac Aztec.

If you are not a car person, let's just say that it is the most disfunctional airport to depart from, and what's more, don't arrive on an evening flight either.. one flight from Miami on AA and last time I was there it took nearly an hour to get bags from aircraft to baggage carousel.

I don't normally complain about travel, but they spent squillions on that airport and it is t.e.r.r.i.b.l.e

Palemoon

I must have been having a senior moment!!! We were there last April but flew directly into Boston (multi city) and didn't go thru customs again. So I'm not certain where my mind was - except several years ago we did have to clear customs in MIA & it was a long drawn out process.

Tom Cayman - I'm in full agreement with you - nothing at that airport moves any too fast - but its worth the wait isnt' it?? LOL

Thank you all for responding. I'd probably have kept questioning myself and even stressing....