Hello. Just looking to see if anyone has arrived on an international flight with a connection through Houston-IAH. We will be arriving at 5:30p from San Jose, CR through IAH to get our connection to LAX. Our connection time is about 1 1/2 hours. I have been hearing horror stories of how long the lines are to clear customs in Houston. The tickets are already purchased so there is no going back. Has anyone had any experiences in Houston or any tips that could make things go smoother? Or should I just come to terms with the fact that we are probably going to miss our flight and brace for stand-by.
info on arriving from Costa Rica and clearing customs in Houston airport
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I think you have forgotten about Immigration.
the process is:
Deplane
Make way to Immigration
Wait on line (depends on how many planes have landed at once)
Clear Immigration
Go to baggage carousel
Wait for luggage
Go through Customs (showing your filled in form)
Check luggage for next flight
Go through security
If you bought this as one ticket and you don;t make it the airline is responsible to get you on the next available seat to your destination (no guarantee of when this is)
If separate tickets you ar eon your own and will have to buy a new one at the walk up rate.
Typically airlines want you to be checked in and at the gate 30 minutes before take-off - which means 1 hour after wheels down. I would think possible but by no means sure.
I am trying to remember where was our stop in the US on the way back from Costa Rica... maybe we were just lucky as I can't recall any long lines.

What I do remember is in the airport in Costa Rica they have a 2nd security check upon boarding. We went through the first security just like in the US, and I had an empty water bottle in the carry-on that I filled with water at the boarding gate.
They checked our carry-ons, and took that bottle away! I didn't mind explosives swab, and the wand, but I still want my beautiful bottle back
Thanks for the explanation on the customs/immigration process. I'm hoping we have enough time. It was all purchased as one to ticket so I'd think that United wouldn't give you a schedule if it didn't give you enough time to make your connection. Thanks for the Costa Rica info as well. I'll be sure not to have any water bottles
Yes, if you don't make your connection, United will put you on the next flight. Happens all the time, esspecially with tighter and tighter connections. And I am sure that there are many flights a day from Houston to LAX, so if you don't make your flight, you can get on the next one.
Carry-on luggage is helpful for tight connections. That way, you don't have to wait for luggage before you go through customs and then recheck it - saves time because as soon as you clear immigration you are on your way - the customs check is very quick. Also, you don't have to worry about ending up on a different plane than your luggage if you or the luggage don't make the connection.
If you do miss your connection, call the airline customer service number on your cell if there are a lot of people in line waiting to rebook. You can rebook your flight over the phone rather than waiting in a long line of people and then you just have to have a gate agent print your boarding pass.
Thanks. We are planning to only have carry-ons. I also thought that would help quite a bit. I just added United's number to my contacts just in case.
Airlines give you schedules with flight connections that are "legal" but unreasonable all the time. But, having said that, you have a chance of making your flight if you have carry-on luggage and your flight from Costa Rica arrives on time. I've gone through ICE in Houston and made a connecting flight in under 90 minutes, so it can be done. Good luck!