US Customs on Return Trip?
 

DH and I are flying Delta from SF to Rome. Stop going is in Atlanta, while stop returning is in Cincinnati. Frequently flier points dictate a Stop along the way *sigh*

I presume we will clear customs in Cincinnati before flying (domestic) home to SF?

Is anyone familiar with the US Customs in Cincinnati? will we have to get our bags at Baggage Claim to clear customs and then recheck them on to SF? Or will bags be checked all the way through?

If I presume correctly, how fast is the customs in Cincy? will we have time to meet a friend outside of the secure area and then get back thru security to make our plane?

Or should we be less ambitious and just stay by the gate?

Your bags will be tagged to SFO, but you'll clear Immigaration in Cinn, then collect your bags. Adjacent to the Baggage Claim area you can just turn over your bags to the agent to be transferred to your SFO flight.

As to meeting a friend outside the secure area - don't know. Depends on how much time you have and how long the security procedure will be to get to the gate for your ongoing flight.

In the old days, I wouldn't hesitate, but nowadays - personally, wouldn't chance it.

I can't help with the logistics in Cincinnati, but you always have to go through Customs at your first point of entry, so yes, you will have to get your luggage, go through Customs, and recheck the luggage in Cincinnati. No matter what airport, I'm not sure you can predict how long all that will take.

At FCO, check the bags through to SFO.
First stop at Cincy will be immigration/passport control.
Next, claim your baggage and walk it through customs.
Then hand off the bags to the airline for forwarding to your next flight -- no need to re-check as they will already be tagged for SFO.

Thanks as ever, folks!

Hi K,

>will we have time to meet a friend outside of the secure area and then get back thru security to make our plane?<

How long is your layover?

((I))

After you exit customs, you'll be outside the secured area. So you will have to reclear security anyways, friend or no friend. How much time you guys will have depend on your connection time, how much time you exit immigration/customs and how long the line at the security seems to you.

<<Then hand off the bags to the airline for forwarding to your next flight -- no need to re-check as they will already be tagged for SFO.>>

Well, depending on the airport and how many international flights have just landed, sometimes there can be a very long line to hand over the bags to the airline after Customs.

I doubt immigration/customs and handing off bags at CVG will be much of a problem.

Hello, Koshka! Nice to "see" you again :)

You will have to collect your bags at the Cin-Cin stop and then re-check them.

Well be prepared for a wait at Rome. We spent a good hour in customs (sept 2005) they were really doing profiling of middle eastern types. In the end they announced all American passport holders take door to left - never even looked at our baggage or passports.
We returned direct to SFO they had a slot marked nothing to declare - (not a shopper) we walked right through picked up the bags and were out the door in about 15 minutes.
If you have a ton of stuff it could be another story.

I've done the customs thing at Cincinnati and it was pretty efficient so I wouldn't worry too much about it.