New enhanced US security measures - any experiences?

[Starwind]

It depends on which airline you are flying with - I use this as my go-to for Pearson: https://www.torontopearson.com/Connecting.aspx##

For example, Air Canada uses Terminal 1 - bags go right through; WestJet uses Terminal 3 - have to pick up and recheck your bags

No, WestJet your bags will be automatically transferred as long as they are tagged right. No more need to pickup and recheck bags when connecting from Canada for travel to the USA. That system has been in place since before our last WDW trip in December 2015 -- they had just started then as I recall and were still in testing of the new system.

 

[Lesverts]

It depends on which airline you are flying with - I use this as my go-to for Pearson: https://www.torontopearson.com/Connecting.aspx##

For example, Air Canada uses Terminal 1 - bags go right through; WestJet uses Terminal 3 - have to pick up and recheck your bags

The baggage through is going to be expanded to all airlines in all terminals at some point this year if it has not been already.

This is why we use a U.S. airline (Alaska) flying out of Vancouver. We go thru customs & security here and check bags straight thru. No worries about going thru customs and long lines for connecting flight mid trip. Going and get luggage, and re-checking.

I usually get to the airport 2 hrs early for morning flight to get thru the process, but now I saw recommendations for 3 hrs for morning flights Yuck. That will mean getting to airport at 3:00AM for a 6:00 flight. I still remember the days when we only had to show up an hour before flight!!

Yep, when flying to the USA I will never make a connection within Canada. To much pressure/stress headache. And it is annoying when the airlines think its a great idea to charge less for you to fly from Toronto to Ottawa/Montreal and on to Orlando or New York or Las Vegas.

Not too worried about this stuff. I am a 'trusted travel' or whatever the term is now. So generally I get through pretty well. I just try to follow the general rules of being dressed well and being friendly without overdoing it.

 

[first time in forever]

It depends on which airline you are flying with - I use this as my go-to for Pearson: https://www.torontopearson.com/Connecting.aspx##

For example, Air Canada uses Terminal 1 - bags go right through; WestJet uses Terminal 3 - have to pick up and recheck your bags

Thank you for the link, and thank you Starwind for you reply. I called Pearson and WestJet and they said they'll transfer the luggage.

 

[Sue M]

The baggage through is going to be expanded to all airlines in all terminals at some point this year if it has not been already.



Yep, when flying to the USA I will never make a connection within Canada. To much pressure/stress headache. And it is annoying when the airlines think its a great idea to charge less for you to fly from Toronto to Ottawa/Montreal and on to Orlando or New York or Las Vegas.

Not too worried about this stuff. I am a 'trusted travel' or whatever the term is now. So generally I get through pretty well. I just try to follow the general rules of being dressed well and being friendly without overdoing it.

Yup, I keep on thinking I should sign up for Nexus, but somehow never get around to it.

 

[nancykb]

I am also concerned about this. I've been looking on the TSA site and can't seem to find any updated info. I'm just wondering what the actual "Enhanced" measures are going to be. Do they want to access your files? Or simply make sure the device is all that it seems? On different news casts, it is being explained differently.

 

[Sue M]

US customs doesn't open at YVR until 4:30am so I don't really think you need to be at YVR for 3am! We have never been at YVR 3 hours before our flight, no matter how early it is (although spending the night at the Fairmont Airport does help ).

I never arrived 3 hrs ahead either, but the new policies got me worried. And I read somewhere that early morning flight people should arrive 3 hrs early. Not YVR specifically. Customs doesn't open till 4:30 but what about security? I fly out of YVR 2x a year, you'd think I could remember which I go thru first???
Maybe they will open customs earlier because of the "enhanced" security procedures?

I stayed at Fairmont once, and that was nice being right in the terminal. Another time I stayed at the other hotel, Pacific Gateway, used to be Coast? That one I actually didn't find to save much time, even though it was on airport property. Because had to go during shuttle times. I think they ran every 30 min, and later one was a tad too late, earlier one was a bit too early, I thought I only really saved 20 min. At that time of day no cars on the road. Pretty much have Marine Dr to your self!
I'd stay at Fairmont Airport again if I could get a good rate.

I'm not flying till end of August, so shoukd have more info about waits with customs & security after they've been doing it awhile.

 

[bcwife76]

@Sue M you go through security first at YVR, then you go through US customs.

 

[Sue M]

@Sue M you go through security first at YVR, then you go through US customs.

So security is open earlier than customs yes?

 

[hdrolfe]

I mailed off Nexus applications Wednesday, I've had them to mail for a couple months now lol. Just finally got around to it! I don't think I'll get that back and done before my August trip, but I assume I'll have it for December! August is direct flights from Ottawa so that shouldn't be too bad. Flight leaves at 9, we'll get there before 7 I'm sure. I can't remember if it was Air Canada or WestJet I got an email from saying to be at the airport 2 hours before my flight, which we were doing any way.

 

[mernin]

I mailed off Nexus applications Wednesday, I've had them to mail for a couple months now lol. Just finally got around to it! I don't think I'll get that back and done before my August trip, but I assume I'll have it for December! August is direct flights from Ottawa so that shouldn't be too bad. Flight leaves at 9, we'll get there before 7 I'm sure. I can't remember if it was Air Canada or WestJet I got an email from saying to be at the airport 2 hours before my flight, which we were doing any way.

hopefully yours is processed quickly. We applied last year Sept by mail and our interview was in March.

 

[AngelDisney]

hopefully yours is processed quickly. We applied last year Sept by mail and our interview was in March.

DD is having her interview today and we are leaving on August 11. She has a conditional approval on her renewal because she was a child when she first applied. I got approved right at 3 months after renewal fee was paid online and got the card within two weeks. I think her new card should arrive in time. I should have renewed earlier. Now I am kind of worried about timing! Lesson's learned!

 

[starvenger]

Even if you don't have the card you would be eligible to use Global Entry after the interview and final approval, so she should be good to go on the way out.

 

[hdrolfe]

hopefully yours is processed quickly. We applied last year Sept by mail and our interview was in March.

Well I hope it goes faster! I'll still be happy to have it though, I have a few trips planned over the next two years.

 

[mjhtvchick]

No, WestJet your bags will be automatically transferred as long as they are tagged right. No more need to pickup and recheck bags when connecting from Canada for travel to the USA. That system has been in place since before our last WDW trip in December 2015 -- they had just started then as I recall and were still in testing of the new system.

I flew with WestJet in 2016 and had to pick up and drop off my bags...the connection guide also indicates that...strange...

 

[mab2012]

I am also concerned about this. I've been looking on the TSA site and can't seem to find any updated info. I'm just wondering what the actual "Enhanced" measures are going to be. Do they want to access your files? Or simply make sure the device is all that it seems? On different news casts, it is being explained differently.

With respect to airport security, they just want to know that the device can be powered on. They don't care about content.

Customs is a different matter. There they *might* want to access content, but it's not common, and also not new.

 

[bcwife76]

So security is open earlier than customs yes?

I would assume so yes. There are no hours for security listed on the YVR website (odd, since customs has hours posted) so I would assume if customs opens at 4:30am security would have to be open by 3:30am? 4am at the latest I would think! I think the first flight (to the US) leaves YVR 5 or 5:30am so yeah, security would have to be open at least 2 hours before that flight. The earliest we have ever flown out of YVR was 7am so everything was open by the time we went through.

 

[first time in forever]

I flew with WestJet in 2016 and had to pick up and drop off my bags...the connection guide also indicates that...strange...

Oh no... do you remember how long it took you to do this?
Thanks.

 

[xlxo]

With respect to airport security, they just want to know that the device can be powered on. They don't care about content.

Depends on their sense of humor. You don't want to be displaying a countdown timer with Arabic text. Someone did this many years ago and it did not go well.

 

[Starwind]

I flew with WestJet in 2016 and had to pick up and drop off my bags...the connection guide also indicates that...strange...

This Toronto Star article describes the process: https://www.thestar.com/business/20...mps-screening-system-on-us-bound-flights.html

 

[hdrolfe]

I checked the Nexus website and it says 60 business days for processing, so I am hoping by October-ish.
Will be flying in August and hoping the process isn't terrible. This will be the first time we fly with an iPad, my kiddo got one at Easter from my parents. Usually we just have my cellphone. I guess I'll have to figure out how to turn it on?