Connecting in Atlanta
 

Hey, I'm flying from Amsterdam to Greenville/Spartanburg and connecting in Atlanta. I only have about 1 1/2hrs between flights. When arriving in Atlanta will I need to go through passport control, security, baggage reclaim, etc before being able to board flight to GSP?

Yes, you have it correct. You'll go through, in this order

immigration (passport control), baggage claim, customs, baggage drop off outside customs, security.

It can be done, but it's going to be tight IMHO for 1.5 hours.

Once you clear security go directly to the gate. Don't stop to shop etc.... If you are lucky and ahead of time then you can shop etc..

If it's gate D walk, for all other take the train!

Yes - you need to do all o f those things in Atlanta. Is this a single ticket - so the airline is resposnsible for getting you to your destination is you miss the flight (quite possible, probably if your flight lands at all late).

If so, get info on later flights so yo can be ready to tell them what you want.

If not, get a later flight now - while the price may still be not outrageously expensive.

IF the plane is on time and IF you sit in the first rows and you deboard quickly and IF you are among the first a immigration and IF there are no other international planes arriving at the same time, you will have plenty of time.

But IF your plane is 30 minutes late (not unusual for transatlantic flights) and IF there is a long line at immigration, you may not make it.

Throw a coin.

In any case, it will be stressful.

But is it better to spend several boring hours at the airport?

In Atlanta you also have to go thru security again even if you are not changing terminals. Crazy I think

Yes, it is INSANE and drives us all nuts!
One thing I can recoomend is just bring a carryon, then you do not have to wait at baggage claim which could save you about 15 minutes.

The going through security again is not so crazy - how do they know you haven't exited the terminal? They don't. So you go through security along with everyone else. Same at Schiphol, and at all other airports I hope.

hetismij - I think what they are referring to is the rather unique practice at ATL where people that are leaving the airport have to re-clear security. At Schiphol, if you are leaving the airport, you just go through passport control and customs.

This is because there is no way to exit from the international terminal without getting on the intra-terminal train. They are planning on building a new international terminal that will solve this problem.

Did I mention I will also be travelling with my 23mth old daughter complete with car seat and stroller. I'm not feeling too confident about catching flight to GSP

No, I agree. :-(

With all of that extra stuff, and a toddler to deal with, you will probably be the last one on line at Immigration (people tend to gallop from the plane to get to Immigration first) and I think your chance of making the ongoing flight is not good. Really think you should investigate switching to a later flight now.