Is MIA customs as bad as I have read?

We are flying from Canada in January for a cruise leaving from Miami. While checking the location of the Miami airport on Google maps I noticed the awful reviews. They make the International customs and immigration sound like a nightmare. Dozens of scathing reviews talk of many hours waiting in lines, missed flights, surly staff etc etc. I checked on TA and other review forum and all have much the same complaints. I am now considering flying into Fort Lauderdale instead as it is about the same price and sounds like a much nicer experience. Is Miami International arrivals as bad as I have read? Has anyone used both airports and would this make sense?

We are flying from Canada in January for a cruise leaving from Miami. While checking the location of the Miami airport on Google maps I noticed the awful reviews. They make the International customs and immigration sound like a nightmare. Dozens of scathing reviews talk of many hours waiting in lines, missed flights, surly staff etc etc. I checked on TA and other review forum and all have much the same complaints. I am now considering flying into Fort Lauderdale instead as it is about the same price and sounds like a much nicer experience. Is Miami International arrival as bad as I have read? Has anyone used both airports and would this make sense?

Considering it's one of the top 5 busiest airports in USA for International arrivals MIA can get crazy at times.. FLL much less.

Are you close to the US border? We avoid immigration all together by driving over US border and flying from the states as it is then a domestic flight..off plane, baggage, out door. Much easier and cheaper then Canadian airlines prices to. We just paid $34 each way ($68 roundtrip per person) for direct flights to FLL from states.

Where are you flying from? Many Canadian airports have US Immigration and Customs setups, and once you are cleared, the flight to MIA is essentially a domestic flight. No Customs or Immigration at MIA.

We fly Air Canada usually no line up at terminal J compared to flying other carriers

We are usually checked in at the desk & through security in 5-10 min

Never had a problem leaving from MIA

Flying from some Canadian airports you clear immigration there so just get your bags & go when you hit Florida

Keep in mind the added expense of getting to POM from FLL

I've seen horrendous lines at both MIA and FLL, and on other occasions no lines at both.

A lot depends on timing: early mornings at MIA see all the overnight flights from South America. Biggest hassle for me at that time was only four windows open for US residents, the rest for visitors. Rest of the day should be OK for South terminal customs where Air Canada arrives. Flights from Haiti and Jamaica--which attract the most attention and thus slowest moving lines--usually use North terminal customs at MIA. FLL has far, far fewer agents on duty than MIA so if you arrive at the same time as a flight from South America, Haiti or Jamaica you are trapped. The massive construction at FLL is finally starting to wind down, which may make it an OK alternative if you cannot verify you would pre-clear customs at home for your MIA flight.

Bottom line is you are only taking one non-stop flight, so ignore all the online comments about missed connections which are likely from people booking two flights on non-allied carriers with too short a connection time (which at MIA admittedly should be half a day).

Yes, lines can be long but quite frankly that is true of most places around the world we travel. Sometimes there is luck in terms of what time you arrive.

Keith

Is MIA customs as bad as you have read? No, it's much worse! Coming into MIA from outside the USA is a nightmare even for US citizens. Get off the plane, walk a mile or so, find the correct line to stand in, lines a mile long, go through Immigration, go downstairs to get your luggage, wait in line at customs....and that's just for US citizens. Non citizen lines are usually much longer. That's my experience and I live in Miami. If you can fly into Ft Lauderdale, I'd recommend it but then you'd have to get transportation to the Port of Miami. Most cruise lines provider shuttle service from POM and FLL for a fee.

The OP may not have to any of this if they are flying from one of the Canadian airports that have US Immigration and Customs folks at the airport. This turns the flight into a domestic flight. But as the OP has not replied, we don't know.

The OP may not have to any of this if they are flying from one of the Canadian airports that have US Immigration and Customs folks at the airport. This turns the flight into a domestic flight. But as the OP has not replied, we don't know.

Thanks all for your replies. We are leaving from Toronto which does have US customs as you board and I hadn't thought about how that would affect our arrival. It would be easier all round to land in Miami so maybe I will stick with our original plan, take an extra patience pill that day and remind myself that I might be in a long line but at least I am not standing in 2 feet of snow!

Well now, that makes a world of difference! If you go through US customs before you board, that eliminates at least one long line. The other long line is when exiting the baggage claim area where you have to turn in immigration forms (they are only stamped at the first long line). One less line, the better!

Fortunately when exiting the customs area in Miami, I've always gotten into a pretty fast moving line. I've always thought it's because when the 'sorters' see that I live in Miami, they put me in the shortest line. But probably not.

I always chuckle when the customs agent tells me 'welcome home'....they say it every time I come back to Miami from abroad.

Well now, that makes a world of difference! If you go through US customs before you board, that eliminates at least one long line. The other long line is when exiting the baggage claim area where you have to turn in immigration forms (they are only stamped at the first long line). One less line, the better!

Fortunately when exiting the customs area in Miami, I've always gotten into a pretty fast moving line. I've always thought it's because when the 'sorters' see that I live in Miami, they put me in the shortest line. But probably not.

I always chuckle when the customs agent tells me 'welcome home'....they say it every time I come back to Miami from abroad.

I don't believe this is true. The flight will be considered a domestic flight. You will not exit the plane into a secure Customs area. You will claim your bags and exit the bag claim area like it is a domestic flight. At least that is we have done we have flown from Toronto to the US, most recently June 2014.

Thanks all for your replies. We are leaving from Toronto which does have US customs as you board and I hadn't thought about how that would affect our arrival. It would be easier all round to land in Miami so maybe I will stick with our original plan, take an extra patience pill that day and remind myself that I might be in a long line but at least I am not standing in 2 feet of snow!

When you get off in MIA you go to baggage claim & then you are on your way ..no long line at all there

Now getting through those darn machines at Pearson is another story :D

Well now, that makes a world of difference! If you go through US customs before you board, that eliminates at least one long line. The other long line is when exiting the baggage claim area where you have to turn in immigration forms (they are only stamped at the first long line). One less line, the better!

Fortunately when exiting the customs area in Miami, I've always gotten into a pretty fast moving line. I've always thought it's because when the 'sorters' see that I live in Miami, they put me in the shortest line. But probably not.

I always chuckle when the customs agent tells me 'welcome home'....they say it every time I come back to Miami from abroad.

Incorrect

We fill in Customs forms in Toronto & they are handed in as we enter the secured area (deemed entering the USA)

No forms after that point except when we return home to Canada

I've had good customs experiences there and I've had bad ones.

I can say the same for Charlotte, Raleigh, JFK, and O'Hare.

Download the Mobile Passport APP

Available at MIA

Coming in September to FLL

Download the Mobile Passport APP

 

Available at MIA

Coming in September to FLL

Again, not needed at MIA. After clearing Immigration and Customs at Toronto, the flight to MIA is a domestic flight, no Immigration or Customs at MIA.

Is Mobile Passport app available to non-US citizens?