US Border Pre Clearance

[Macduffy]

We are connecting in Montreal ( 1 hr 10 min layover) during the morning rush (7:40 AM) and have never done the US Border Pre Clearance, I'm not thrilled having to learn a new system with such a short layover. We are a party of 4 and will have 1 checked bag to wait for. Is is a relatively easy system/set up? I have a sick feeling we will be missing our connecting flight....

 

[BadPinkTink]

we have USA Border pre clearance in Ireland so Im sure its the same set up, but I have never done it with a layover.

Anyway here in Dublin this is the procedure

1. Check in as normal (for you doing a layover, just follow the normal transfer process to the next departure area)
2. Check the departure monitors and see what your USA flight status is, by this stage it should say GO TO PRE CLEARANCE)
3. Follow the signs to USA Pre clearance area.
4. In Dublin, this is lower floor of the normal departure gate area
5. You need to go through a security check, in Dublin they ask you to remove electrical equipment only from your bag
6. You then line up and go through USA Homelands Security Check. This is where you do the eye scan and the finger print scan and they stamp your passport with the entry visa. In Dublin they also have self scan machines but they might not have this in Montreal.
7. After they stamp your passport you then proceed to your departure gate. In Dublin they have a small duty free shop, a bar and cafe area after USA PreClearance.
8. They when you arrive in USA, you just go direct to baggage claim, the same as you would if you were on a domestic flight.
9. Its soooooo much easier having pre clearance, as you dont have to deal with the long lines and multiple flights arriving at the same time in the USA airport.

 

[badiggio]

Does seem a bit tight,especially with having to do customs.Hopefully your flight getting to Montreal leaves on time.

 

[isabellea]

It's a bit tight but doable if your first flight is on time. You need to change terminal but they are very close to each other at YUL (unlike in Toronto where I almost missed my connecting flight because we had to wait for a shuttle to go to the US terminal from the domestic terminal).

 

[BearInWoods]

it's a breeze. compared to normal us clearance. since they know you are canadian, they are usually a lot nicer vs. clearing at the airport directly and with everyone else from around the world.