Vancouver to Fairbanks clearing USA Customs

[Atleastonce]

Good afternoon, we are in the planning stage of a Canada and Alaska trip for next year. We are looking at flying from Vancouver to Fairbanks. The most economical flights are with Alaska Airlines routing YVR-SEA-FAI. The connection in SEA is 1 hour. My questions are; Do we clear customs in SEA before flying to FAI? Is an hour enough time for the connection (I assume it is as they sell this as a through connection). Thanks in advance.

 

[bosox76]

Just a caveat: I've never flown to Fairbanks. But for all my previous flights out of YVR via SEA

You clear customs at YVR. So it's just a domestic transfer in SEA. This that side of things is straight forward. I personally always prefer a slightly longer transit time because you just never know but it does meet (just) the minimum connection time.

 

[Scr77]

Fairbanks is great. We've been there twice for the northern lights and both times with Alaska Airlines. They are good to fly with and award availability through qantas was pretty good. However, on both trips, we had time changes and a cancellation 3-4months before the flights. They were accommodating with the changes, but it can mean taking a much earlier flight as there are only around 3 direct flights a day between Seattle and Fairbanks.

Btw, the Anchorage and Fairbanks airports are the best I've been to in regards to fitting within their environments. Beautiful places.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Good afternoon, we are in the planning stage of a Canada and Alaska trip for next year. We are looking at flying from Vancouver to Fairbanks. The most economical flights are with Alaska Airlines routing YVR-SEA-FAI. The connection in SEA is 1 hour. My questions are; Do we clear customs in SEA before flying to FAI? Is an hour enough time for the connection (I assume it is as they sell this as a through connection). Thanks in advance.

You will clear “Customs” in YVR before you depart to SEA. Signs saying “Welcome to the USA” type thing. As mentioned above it’s essentially a Domestic to Domestic connection. The MCT at SEA is 1.10 but if you have the itinerary booked on one ticket I wouldn’t be at all concerned.

 

[RooFlyer]

Princess Fiona is as usual correct, and you need to arrive at YVR a bit earlier to take account of the US immigration process, but they usually don't process people more than 2 hours before departure time.

Seattle is a fairly efficient airport, but there are 'north satellite' and 'south satellite' terminal buildings not connected with the main one (underground light rail), so when you arrive immediately check where you are and where you have to be in case you need to catch the light rail. See here:

 

[TheBOSman]

You will clear “Customs” in YVR before you depart to SEA. Signs saying “Welcome to the USA” type thing. As mentioned above it’s essentially a Domestic to Domestic connection. The MCT at SEA is 1.10 but if you have the itinerary booked on one ticket I wouldn’t be at all concerned.

Should be only 40 minutes for MCT for domestic-domestic at SEA, which is how a flight precleared at YVR would end up being treated as upon arrival. One hour "should" be fine, but SEA is a very busy airport for its size these days...think OOL.

As RooFlyer notes, I'd plan to arrive at YVR at least 2 hours in advance, to allow time for security, and immigration & customs processing (in that order). Depending on time of day, security lines can be long at YVR Preclearance. I'm an American passport holder and a NEXUS (expedited entry for Canada and USA) program cardholder, and 15-20 minutes is my normal time through all of that at YVR Preclearance, just to give an idea of how long it might take. But, with those, I have all the advantages for fastest processing (NEXUS holders get a priority security lane, in addition to expedited immigration/customs processing), so your experience will likely take a little longer. I have shown up 4 hours before flight time though at YVR (was traveling with people taking a different, earlier flight), so I do know US CBP will process you if you want to come earlier.

 

[RooFlyer]

immigration & customs processing (in that order

Interestingly, in Calgary its immigration first, then well, no customs to speak of (just hand bag to a guy to put on a belt) and then security, run by Canada (or at least in Canadian uniforms). The slowest part is the last one at YYC.

 

[TheBOSman]

Interestingly, in Calgary its immigration first, then well, no customs to speak of (just hand bag to a guy to put on a belt) and then security, run by Canada (or at least in Canadian uniforms). The slowest part is the last one at YYC.

They are getting around to changing all of them to have security before US CBP, as CBP wants their officers to be able to carry firearms on duty and the Canadians REALLY don't want to allow that. Putting security before US CBP seems to assuage the concerns enough. I know they opened a new terminal for international flights, including USA Preclearance, at YYC late last year; I think the order may have changed. To be fair, I've only flown from to the USA out of YVR, and not any other Canadian preclearance airport.

In YVR, the full procedure is check in, proceed through to hand checked bag to be put on a belt, walk to CATSA security, pass CATSA security, walk to immigration and customs, pass immigration/customs, enter Preclearance terminal.

 

[lowan74]

Last month I travelled YVR to DFW and expected to do US immigration at YVR, only to be told that they had closed for the day (I think it was at 2000, but can't be sure, my flight was around 2200) and that USA flights after that time depart as normal international departures. Flying AA, we then had a normal international arrival at DFW and did immigration there.

It's worth being aware of this if the departure is at night (or potentially early in the morning), as this could add a lengthy process during the layover at SEA.

 

[RooFlyer]

I know they opened a new terminal for international flights, including USA Preclearance, at YYC late last year; I think the order may have changed. To be fair, I've only flown from to the USA out of YVR, and not any other Canadian preclearance airport.

Yes, I am sure you are correct. My last experience at YYC was just before they opened the new international terminal (regrettably - put up with the coughpy old terminal for 8 years; missed the newie by about a month

 

[TheBOSman]

Last month I travelled YVR to DFW and expected to do US immigration at YVR, only to be told that they had closed for the day (I think it was at 2000, but can't be sure, my flight was around 2200) and that USA flights after that time depart as normal international departures. Flying AA, we then had a normal international arrival at DFW and did immigration there.

It's worth being aware of this if the departure is at night (or potentially early in the morning), as this could add a lengthy process during the layover at SEA.

This is a good point, they do close Preclearance at YVR in the evening (I believe it is 8PM as well) and flights after that (mostly redeyes to central or eastern USA) will not be Precleared but instead will process immigration and customs at the arrival. I forget the exact time but believe it is also 8PM. However, I would "think" the airline systems would be smart enough to account for this. Even if so, outside of the 9AM-3PM ultra busy period at SEA (when most of the Asia and Europe flights arrive into an area not designed for the amount of traffic it now receives), the immigration there isn't busy. Any departure from YVR not Precleared would arrive SEA at a very slow time for immigration.

Yes, I am sure you are correct. My last experience at YYC was just before they opened the new international terminal (regrettably - put up with the coughpy old terminal for 8 years; missed the newie by about a month

And I haven't been to YYC at all before last May so I never saw the old terminal . Even then, I only stayed at a hotel near the airport while visiting Calgary by vehicle and didn't actually use the airport (hotel was cheap!), so I can't give any firsthand experience.

 

[RB]

These are our bags being carried from our flight arrival into FAI-it was only a flight from White Horse & we were the only ones with checked bags

 

[Atleastonce]

Thanks for all the information. We will plan a day flight from Vancouver with about 1.5 hour connection in Seattle. We are in no rush.