<p>I am in the process of booking my return flight for an upcoming trip and realized I have no idea about how much time to allot for customs. I was hoping you parents may be able to offer some traveling advice to help me :)</p>
<p>Details
I will be flying to Newark for a few days in mid-December and then on a birthright trip to Israel for 10 days after that. The birthright trip gets back in to Newark on Christmas eve. I would like to book a return flight that leaves one hour after I would land. *Is this a very stupid idea? * Other flights that I have looked at would require me to pay about 100-200 dollars more or return late on Christmas day (which would require another night’s hotel stay). </p>
<p>However, I know that one hour is usually pretty short for a layover and that makes me nervous. I also am not sure if the fact that I’d be coming from an international flight (from Israel to Newark) would complicate things. The return flight I’m looking at now has a 40% on-time rating, so it may be late.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer!</p>
<p>I think you’ll miss your flight.
I would allow at least an hour and maybe more for customs.
And on Christmas Eve … it could be CRAZY!</p>
<p>I have never flown in internationally to Newark – my most recent experiences are all JFK. There may be someone with better experience than mine out there willing to answer!</p>
<p>One hour to get through customs, get baggage and re check on another flight does not seem like a lot of time. Possible? probably. Likely? I wouldn’t count on it. Lines are usually shorter at customs for US citizens, but this still doesn’t seem like enough time. Consider that your US flight will probably start boarding about 30 minutes before takeoff time.</p>
<p>I think that might also depend on whether you’re flight out of Newark is going to an international airport. If so, and if you can then check your bags form Israel through to your final destination then I think you can go through customs at your final destination. The best idea, no matter what, is to check with the airlines - call the reservation numbers and get the info - then if it’s cheaper booking online you can still do that.</p>
<p>And be sure to check the terminal number/letter. Your departing flight terminal might be different than your arrival terminal, thus extra time will be needed for airport shuttle.</p>
<p>It took D over an hour to get through customs at JFK this summer. (non-holiday Thursday afternoon) My experience at Newark was a little faster, but not much. Her flight was already late and she missed her connection. They will put your luggage through to your final destination–with or without you, but you go through customs at the airport where you enter the US. Also agree with fauve, it could take a while to get from one gate to another.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t risk it. You cannot control so many factors here that could impact your passage time. It could work, but if there is any kind of Middle Eastern security issue or weather incident you could be standing in a line long after your connection took off. I’d just pay the extra for some peace of mind.</p>
<p>I would not risk it. You have to go through immigration and customs at your first airport. I try never to allow less than a couple of hours. The last 2 times I have travelled out of the country I have had to do connections rather than direct flights I have had to go through immigration, wait for my bags, go through customs, hand bags back to the airline, then go through another security check with xray machines to get from that area back into the airport. Then after that get to the gate I need which may be near or far depending on the airport size. In my case the gates seem to always be at the farthest possible point to where I have landed even though i am on the same airline. </p>
<p>I missed one connection where I had allowed 1 1/2 hours - i was not through the security line to get out of the area when my flight took off. I missed another where I had allowed more time but the flight coming into the country was also delayed.</p>
<p>One hour isn’t enough time. You need to get off the flight and to immigration, through immigration (long line), wait for your bags to come out on the carousel if you checked them (this can easily take 20-45 minutes), go through customs and possibly spend extra time there if they want you to open all your bags or you get behind the wrong person, recheck your bags to the final destination (if you’re checking), then get from the international terminal to the domestic gate and get on your flight.</p>
<p>On top of all this you’re traveling in the winter in a part of the country not known for great winter weather so your flight coming in could easily be delayed. </p>
<p>More on top of this, the Christmas holiday travel by itself could cause delays due to so many people traveling and workers taking off.</p>
<p>Don’t even try the hour if you’re checking a bag. Even if you carry on your bag, the one hour most likely wouldn’t be enough unless the stars were in perfect alignment for you that trip.</p>
<p>Highly unlikely - last time I went through Newark was a few years ago but I recall it being more like an hour to get through customs… then you have to recheck your bag, go back through security and get to your flight. Not to mention that during that time of year it is not unusual to have flight delays on east to west flights due to head winds or weather. I would allow at least 2.5 or 3 hours.</p>
<p>How long it will take you to get through immigration and customs at EWR depends on how many and which other flights come in around the same time. After you wait in the immigration line (separated by nationals and non-nationals), you have to collect your bags at the carousels, which can take a while. Then you have to go through the customs line, and sometimes they re-x-ray everything coming through. Then you have to go down a long ramp and recheck your bags for next flight. After that you may have to go through security again if you have to change terminals. Allow at least two hours, preferably three. Good luck.</p>
<p>There is absolutely not a chance one hour is enough time - especially since you’re looking at a very busy night and probably a terminal change (so add in security time, which on a night like that could eat up most of that hour alone) in there.</p>
<p>Even when I travel US-Canada (and I have Nexus, so clearing immigration takes me ~2 minutes) I would never cut it that close for a layover - and I habitually cut it too close on flights. ;)</p>
<p>I would leave a minimum of 2 hours time. I’m not sure about Newark but at most large airports where the international terminal is completely separate, you have to (1) go through passport check (2) collect your luggage (3) go through customs–usually just a walk through (4) recheck your luggage–usually takes no time at all (5) change terminals (6) go through security again (6) get to your gate. It is impossible to predict (1) the length of lines to get through passport check (6) the lines at security on a holiday. If lines in these 2 are long, that could add one hour to your transfer time all by themselves.</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you so much for all of the replies I am really glad I checked with you guys first. I think I will hold off on booking my flight for a little while longer and hopefully be able to find a cheap fare with a more reasonable layover. Thanks again!</p>
<p>One other thing that has happened to me at Chicago & Atlanta. I assume they do it everywhere. If, when you go to recheck your luggage after clearing customs, there is not enough time to make the transfer, they will let you know and will not take your luggage for that flight. You can then go to the transfer desk and make other arrangements. Of course, they can’t predict if there might be unusally long lines at security, but it’s one indicator.</p>
I am really glad I checked with you guys first. I think I will hold off on booking my flight for a little while longer and hopefully be able to find a cheap fare with a more reasonable layover. Thanks again!</p>