Customs

[DeniseinNS]

We are flying from Halifax to Orlando in March with a 1hr 23 min stopover in Montreal. Is that enough time to get through customs????? and do we have to collect our luggage in Montreal??? I am scared that we'll end up missing our flight....oh the fun of all of those little fears of flying into the U.S for the first time.

 

[Waiting]

You will clear in Halifax. You will not see your luggage until Orlando.

 

[DeniseinNS]

Really??? I was hoping we could go through customs in Halifax but I had heard we had to wait until Montreal. Halifax would be so much easier!

 

[DeniseinNS]

I called AC last night and they said we will go through customs in Montreal. So we have 1 hr and 23 min to get off the plane, collect our luggage, get throguh customs and catch the next plane. Is that enough time?

 

[Tinkershelly]

You can't clear customs until Montreal and you will have to claim your luggage and recheck it. We have been using US airlines for the past few years, mainly because of the US customs preclearance issue. Before this we used to travel through Newark or Boston and it would take about an hour to claim the luggage, clear customs, recheck the bags and clear security, usually taking less than an hour. If you don't have to go through security you should have plenty of time, otherwise it will depend on the crowds. I'm not sure how things are laid out in Motreal. Good luck.

 

[dennise]

We have done this with time to spare, but not sure how things are since this last security issue.

 

[Nahanni]

We have done this with time to spare, but not sure how things are since this last security issue.

I think the delays are in passenger security screening not at US customs. With connecting flights in Toronto (not sure of Montreal) you usually remain within the secure zone so there should not be long delays.

 

[monkey30]

Not sure how Montreal is laid out but both Toronto and Vancouver were easy to reclaim baggage (went to a different area then the rest) clear customs and recheck it. Security is the big ??? right now. So that is where it can get a little hectic.
Vancouver customs area had its own security for connections so it was easier then anywhere!!
Toronto last time we went trough there was pretty good, and the line ups moved quickly. Again this was before all these issues, and we will be dealing with Toronto again in just over 2 weeks. I am not looking forward to the trip down!

 

[gilsan]

You will clear in Halifax. You will not see your luggage until Orlando.

You can only clear customs in Halifax if you are flying out of Halifax and into the USA. If you are connecting in a Canadian city you must clear customs in that city.

I am glad we paid a bit more for a direct flight from Halifax with the new security issues.

 

[SplashMom]

We've done customs in Montreal a few times and that should be plenty of time as long as you are still in the secure area. I think clearing security is what is being delayed and as a previous poster stated, you won't need to do that again so the time should be fine. Have fun!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You can only clear customs in Halifax if you are flying out of Halifax and into the USA. If you are connecting in a Canadian city you must clear customs in that city.

I am glad we paid a bit more for a direct flight from Halifax with the new security issues.

How can you clear US Customs and still go on a flight within Canada? The only Canadian Airport I have ever flown out of is Toronto, however after clearing US Customs there all those people are flying to somewhere in the United States and not in Canada. Unless the Halifax Airport has a different set up where they don't seperate flights to Canada and the United States.

 

[CanadianGuy]

How can you clear US Customs and still go on a flight within Canada? The only Canadian Airport I have ever flown out of is Toronto, however after clearing US Customs there all those people are flying to somewhere in the United States and not in Canada. Unless the Halifax Airport has a different set up where they don't seperate flights to Canada and the United States.

You are misunderstanding.

She's saying exactly what you're saying. Promise.

The only way you can clear customs in Halifax is if the next landing point for your flight is in the US.

Otherwise, you must clear customs in the city that your U.S. Bound flight departs.

In the case of the OP - that's Montreal.

 

[mcgraws]

You will definitely have to clear in Montreal. It's the same deal for us this February. I spoke to AC this morning, hoping that they would bump us to the 5:40am departure so that we would have more wiggle room than the 6:25am flight will allow us considering our connecting flight is at 8:35am but they wouldn't switch us.

I believe Montreal has fixed their issues with US Customs, etc. A few years ago I know we ended up in general population after clearing Customs and had to go back through general security before boarding our connecting flight and we almost missed our plane but they have renovated the airport since then and from what I could read on their website you remain in a secured area so that should lessen the time. If anyone can confirm this, I would appreciate it.

 

[gilsan]

How can you clear US Customs and still go on a flight within Canada? The only Canadian Airport I have ever flown out of is Toronto, however after clearing US Customs there all those people are flying to somewhere in the United States and not in Canada. Unless the Halifax Airport has a different set up where they don't seperate flights to Canada and the United States.

That is what I was saying. (Thanks CanadianGuy )

You can clear customs in Halifax if you are flying from Halifax direct to USA. If you are contecting in Toronto and then flting into the USA you need to clear customs in Toronto not Halifax.

 

[mcgraws]

My travel agent spoke to Air Canada this morning on my behalf after I didn't have any luck getting my flight changed and was able to get me out to Montreal from Halifax the night before (the reason they wouldn't change me to the above mentioned flight was that it was through Toronto, not Montreal). Anyway so now we are leaving the day before and I have to pay for a hotel for a night in Montreal but I feel MUCH better because now I can better control my destiny, I will be sure we get to the airport in lots of time to get through security and not be tied to the 1hr15min I originally had.

I feel so much better and now my vacation starts a day earlier!!!!

 

[DeniseinNS]

McGraws, is there a charge to change your flight through a travel agent??? I'd love to have something that gives us more time.

 

[monkey30]

we will have 4 hrs between flights and from what i hear....that will be enough.

 

[mcgraws]

DeniseinNS: Neither Air Canada or our travel agent, CAA, charged us for the change. When my TA called the agent with AC agreed with her that 1hr15min was probably not enough time in Montreal airport and he was authorized to change us to the day before. The stipulation was that we had to fly on the last flight out of Halifax and take care of our own hotel (we got a room at Best Western, 5 minutes from airport with free 24hr shuttle service for $90)but they didn't charge us any change fee or rate difference, etc.

The $90 was well worth it to me to know we would be safe for time. It's not a big deal for us to leave the night before because we won't sleep that night anyway we'll be so excited Actually it is probably easier because my pets go to a kennel in Milford (about 1/2 north of Halifax) so we would have been driving out that night to drop them off (can't drop them at 5am before our original flight!) and driving right past the airport on our way back in, this way we can drop them, come back to the airport and leave

Our flight leaves out of Montreal at 8:35am so I'll be sure to get back to the airport for about 6am or so that morning which will give us 2 1/2 hours to get through security and customs.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I was thinking .... a little wine, some music .... and passing through security might not be so bad .....

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You are misunderstanding.

She's saying exactly what you're saying. Promise.

The only way you can clear customs in Halifax is if the next landing point for your flight is in the US.

Otherwise, you must clear customs in the city that your U.S. Bound flight departs.

In the case of the OP - that's Montreal.

Ok now I understand so thanks for clearing that up.