Frankfurt Airport: Us Preclearance Availability And Benefits

US preclearance is a system that allows Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to inspect travellers at designated foreign airports before they board US-bound flights. Precleared passengers can then bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections upon arrival in the US. As of 2019, there were 15 preclearance locations worldwide, including airports in Canada, Ireland, Aruba, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the United Arab Emirates. Frankfurt Airport, however, does not have US preclearance. While US-bound flights from Frankfurt depart from a dedicated and somewhat isolated terminal, passengers are still required to go through customs and immigration procedures upon arrival in the US.

What is preclearance?

Preclearance is the United States Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) practice of operating border control facilities at airports and other ports of departure outside the United States. This is done in accordance with agreements between the US and host countries. All travellers, regardless of nationality or purpose of travel, are subject to immigration and customs inspections by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers before boarding their transportation to the US.

Preclearance was introduced to streamline border procedures, reduce congestion at American ports of entry, and facilitate travel to US airports that lack immigration and customs processing facilities for commercial flights. It has been in operation since 1952 and has proven benefits for all major stakeholders in the air travel industry.

Once precleared by CBP officers, US-bound passengers must undergo security screening in accordance with US standards and are then kept in a separate waiting area with shops, restaurants, lounges, and other services. The foreign airport is responsible for providing these facilities and must follow CBP's detailed design guidelines. The only cost shared between CBP and the host airport is usually that of CBP personnel deployed abroad to staff preclearance facilities.

Preclearance is particularly beneficial for passengers with an onward connection upon arrival in the US, as there is no risk of border delays causing them to miss their connecting flight. However, passengers unfamiliar with preclearance may not arrive early enough at the foreign airport, or they may get stuck in long lines and delays in the CBP preclearance facility, causing them to miss their outbound flights to the US.

Another advantage of preclearance is that CBP officers can exclude inadmissible passengers and prohibited goods before departure, minimising the risk of untoward incidents on US soil.

Where is preclearance available?

Preclearance is available at 15 locations worldwide, in 6 countries. These include:

Ireland

• Dublin Airport
• Shannon Airport

Aruba

Queen Beatrix International Airport

Bermuda

L.F. Wade International Airport

United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi International Airport

Bahamas

Lynden Pindling International Airport

Canada

• Calgary International Airport
• Edmonton International Airport
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport
• Montréal–Trudeau International Airport
• Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport
• Toronto Pearson International Airport
• Vancouver International Airport
• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (set to open by 2025)

What are the benefits of preclearance?

US preclearance is the practice of operating prescreening border control facilities at airports and other ports of departure outside the United States. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspect travellers before they board US-bound flights. Preclearance has been in operation since 1952 and has proven benefits for all major stakeholders in the air travel industry. Here are some of the benefits:

No Security or Waiting Upon US Arrival

Pre-cleared travellers can skip CBP and TSA inspection lines upon arrival in the US and proceed directly to their connecting flight or final destination. This saves time and enhances convenience for travellers, especially those with onward connections.

Easier Domestic Connections

Preclearance allows travellers to accept tighter connection windows at US airports and reduces the likelihood of missing a domestic connection.

Cost Savings

Travellers can access less expensive US domestic gates and benefit from more flexible arrival times at US airports.

Increase in US Market Access

Preclearance enables the establishment of new routes to desirable US destinations, meeting growing traveller demand and increasing access to the US market.

New US Destinations

Preclearance facilitates direct routes to over 160 US airports, regardless of whether they have a CBP port of entry. This provides an advantage for airlines competing for the US-bound traveller market.

Enhanced Security

Preclearance bolsters the safety and security of all travellers while facilitating efficient trade and travel. It also enables CBP officers to exclude inadmissible passengers and prohibited goods before their journey to the US, minimising the risk of incidents on US soil.

Greater Collaboration

The preclearance program increases collaboration and coordination between the US and host governments through daily interaction with local law enforcement and other government authorities.

What are the drawbacks of preclearance?

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance is a process that allows travellers to bypass customs processing and inspections by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) upon arrival in the US. It is designed to save time for travellers with connecting flights. However, there are some drawbacks to the process.

Firstly, travellers unfamiliar with preclearance may not arrive at the foreign airport early enough, or they may become stuck in long lines and delays at the CBP preclearance facility, causing them to miss their outbound flights to the US and any connecting flights. This is a significant disadvantage, as one of the main benefits of preclearance is that it reduces the risk of travellers missing connecting flights due to border delays.

Secondly, preclearance facilities are expensive to introduce and require specific buildings and fixtures to be constructed. Foreign airports are responsible for providing CBP with a suitable inspection facility based on the agency's detailed design guidelines, which can run into tens of millions of dollars. This means that only airports with significant US air traffic, or those that anticipate the development of such traffic, can justify the expense.

Thirdly, preclearance shifts the immigration burden offshore, allowing passengers to arrive in the US as if they were domestic travellers. While this may be convenient for some, it can also result in longer wait times for US citizens at US gateway airports. US citizens typically go through a separate, shorter queue at US immigration, but with preclearance, they are subject to the same inspection process as non-US citizens, which can result in longer wait times.

Lastly, preclearance requires considerable resources and redundancy from foreign airports. Once travellers have been precleared by CBP officers, they must undergo security screening according to US standards and are then kept in a separate sterile waiting area with its own shops, restaurants, lounges, and other services. The foreign airport is responsible for providing all of these amenities, which can be a significant expense.

Does Frankfurt Airport have US preclearance?

US preclearance is the United States Department of Homeland Security's practice of operating pre-screening border control facilities at airports and other ports of departure outside the United States. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspect travellers before they board US-bound flights. Preclearance applies to all passengers, regardless of nationality or purpose of travel. Upon arrival, pre-cleared passengers arrive in the US as domestic travellers, but may still be subject to re-inspection at the CBP's discretion.

Frankfurt Airport does not have US preclearance. However, it does have a dedicated terminal (Z, above A) for US-bound flights, where additional checks are carried out. These checks are security-related, rather than for immigration or customs.

US preclearance is currently available at 15 locations worldwide:

• Dublin and Shannon in Ireland
• Aruba
• Bermuda
• Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates
• Nassau in the Bahamas
• Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg in Canada

Frequently asked questions