Canadian Airports with US Border Pre-clearance

With the legalization of cannabis in Canada today, there are new considerations for Canadians travelling to the USA. While we won't delve into these here, we offer the following in response to increased interest in Canadian airports with US customs and immigration "pre-clearance" facilities.

What is pre-clearance?

The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service operates border pre-clearance facilities at eight (8) major Canadian airports. If you fly to the USA from one of these airports, you will pass through U.S. Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Agriculture inspections before boarding your flight.

What are the benefits of pre-clearance?

Leaving the security check and baggage area,
transitioning to US CBP pre-clearance

You will not need to clear customs after landing in the USA, eliminating delays if you have a connecting flight.

Your baggage will be checked through to your final destination (in other words, you won't need to collect and recheck your bags if you have a connecting flight).

If you are denied entry into the United States by United States Customs and Border Protection, and are not allowed to board your flight, you can simply leave the airport (as contrasted to the complications resulting from being detained by CBP in the USA).

Are there any downsides?

Entering US CBP preclearance in Vancouver

Any delay in US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance could cause you to miss you outbound flight from Canada (arrive early, especially at Toronto Pearson Airport, which is prone to delays).

US Customs and Border Protection hours may differ from airport open hours. You should be aware that if your flight departs outside US CBP operating hours, you will clear customs at your destination airport.

What Canadian airports have pre-clearance?

After preclearance at Vancouver International Airport,
travellers are considered to be in the USA

Canadian airports with US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance are:

• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
• Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)

Is pre-clearance available at other crossings?

Yes.

US Customs and Border Protection operates pre-clearance at:

• Pacific Central Station in Vancouver - for Amtrak Cascades train service to Seattle
• Port of Vancouver - for cruise ship passengers embarking at Vancouver

US CBT preclearance at Victoria ferry port

US Customs and Border Protection offers immigration-only pre-clearance at these crossings (meaning you will still clear customs upon arrival in the USA):

• Port of Victoria - for Black Ball Line MV Coho car ferry service to Port Angeles
• Port of Victoria - for Victoria Clipper passenger service to Seattle
• Sidney, BC - for Washington State Ferry service to Anacortes

What else should I keep in mind?

While flying from a pre-clearance airport means that you will arrive in the USA as a domestic traveler, you are, of course, still subject to reinspection at the discretion of US Customs and Border Protection service.

This article is posted as general information only and is not to be considered as legal advice.

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Trump and the impact on travel - 100 days

A vanishing sight in USA skies...

Sigh. Has it really been just 100 days? Amid the chaos, accusations and flip-flops, there appears to be no good travel news arising out of the Trump (unoccupied) White House. A few highlights (lowlights):

What Trump’s First 100 Days Tell Us About Travel’s Next Four Years - Skift

Trump’s first few months in office... have dispelled the notion that his administration would be tourism and tourist friendly. Following one failed travel ban executive order, with another still tied up in the appeals process, the tenor has changed completely... [read the story]

Emirates Reduces US Flights Due to Trump Travel Policies - Travel Pulse

One day after the president of Qatar Airways told CNN that the ban on carry-on electronics was “not necessary to frighten passengers,” Emirates has announced that it will reduce U.S. flights due to the Trump administration's restrictive policies. “This is a commercial decision in response to weakened travel demand to US"... [read the story]

More Singaporean travellers giving US a miss, say travel agents - The New Paper

For the first time in 38 years, Sino-America (SA) Tours has had no confirmed group booking for all three of its US tour packages. Most US tour packages for June are usually booked by February, and SA Tours has stopped advertising them. SA Tours was among five travel agencies that (have) seen a fall in demand for US tour packages.... [read the story]

Trump's travel policies hurting 'U.S. brand' and discouraging tourists - CNN Money

One study forecasts a 10.6 million decline in visitors this year and next. The drop -- nearly 7% of expected travelers -- will cost the U.S. economy more than $18 billion and about 107,000 jobs, according to Tourism Economics, a forecasting firm used by the industry. More than half of the lost business will be caused by reduced travel from Canada and Mexico. But experts say they are concerned about tourism declines from the U.K. and western Europe as well... [read the story]

Mexican tourists don't want to visit Trump's America. It will cost us billions - LA Times

Tourism Economics, a global research firm, estimates that lost visits from Mexico to the U.S. this year will total 1.8 million... with direct economic loss of $1.1 billion. The firm estimates that Mexico-to-U.S. travel will diminish even further in 2018, with 2.6 million lost visits and direct economic losses totaling $1.6 billion... [read the story]

Make no mistake: the new travel ban is targeting LGBT people - 100 Days and Me

President Trump’s new travel ban... restricts the total number of refugees admitted to the U.S. to 50,000 per year. The fact is that this new executive order will bar thousands of LGBT and HIV-positive people from seeking refuge in the United States. This order and the political climate regarding immigration has dashed the hopes of LGBT people fleeing persecution in some of the countries in which they face the worst abuse and discrimination... [read the story]

Top lawyers say Trump travel ban would have 'chilling' effect on tourism - WSAZ

The top attorneys from 16 states and (DC) say President Donald Trump's revised travel ban would hurt their higher education and medical institutions and have a chilling effect on tourism. The attorneys general (seek) ... to uphold a ruling that blocked the travel ban targeting six predominantly Muslim countries. The full 4th Circuit will hear arguments in the case May 8... [read the story]

Tourism officials watch for political turmoil that could keep international visitors away - Concord Monitor

New Hampshire tourism officials... have a concern that we’re going to see a dip from our key markets, which would be the United Kingdom and Germany... [read the story]

Related resources
Trump and the impact on travel - Travel bloggers
Trump and the impact on travel - News stories
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WiFox: Free Airport WiFi

On the balance of things, last week was a pretty good week for travelers in search of airport connectivity.

On the downside, we are hearing reports of some airports cutting back on free WiFi. Whaaattt? It's apparently true, according to articles in both Travel+Leisure and Travel Weekly. Are they crazy? If airports haven't learnt anything about what passengers want, they are totally missing the point of the "passenger experience" (PaxEx) movement.

On the upside, WiFox has got travelers everywhere talking! WiFox is a continually updated interactive global map of free airport WiFi spots. WiFox features both free airport WiFi information and restricted-access airport WiFi, complete with passwords.

You can follow @foxnomad on Twitter

We can all thank Anil Polat, the techie, blogger and world traveller (aka Robin Hood hacker) who created the app.

A digital nomad who has been living on the road for the past 5 years, Anil has clearly thought of everything:

• A low price for the iPhone and Android apps makes WiFox affordable for all 
• The WiFox website version is free - perfect for travelers
• An offline version of WiFox can be easily downloaded prior to travel, giving you the information when you most need it
• Users are encouraged to submit passwords to WiFox when they discover restricted-access airport WiFi during their travels

Giveaway: enter to win 1 of 20 promo codes for a free copy of the WiFox App (ends at midnight on October 16)!

Isn't life grand?

Our suggestion for airport authorities who are worried about the annoying their rent-paying tenants who are offering WiFi access to their customers only - and wish to keep it that way:

Wake up and smell the virtual roses: implement, bring back or keep FREE AIRPORT WIFI for all airport visitors.

Related resources
WiFox App Provides WiFi Passwords for Airports Around the World - Hole in the Donut
Find Free Airport Wi-Fi With This Interactive Map - Life Hacker
WiFox App - FoxNomad
@foxnomad - follow Anil Polat on Twitter
#WiFox - check out the hashtag on Twitter


Suggested reading
Brexit and the impact on travel - travel bloggers
Brexit and the impact on travel - new stories
Airport Beacons 2.0
Airports of the Future - New Perspectives
What is a Data Driven Airport?

Orbitz drops Skiplagged lawsuit

We recently told you about the lawsuits launched by United Airlines and Orbitz against Skiplagged. Here's the story, in case you missed it: Going into court with dirty hands? Airline and online travel site sue Skiplagged.com.
Today it was reported that Orbitz has dropped its lawsuit. Here are the details:

• Orbitz reaches settlement with fare-search site - Travel Weekly
• Skiplagged and Orbitz Worldwide Agree to Terms to Settle Lawsuit - Orbitz press release

The jury is still out on the United Airlines suit.

Going into court with dirty hands? Airline and online travel site sue Skiplagged.com

 

by Todd Romaine

Ever heard of Skiplagged.com before? If not, you should definitely check it out. It promises the lowest online airline fares through the use of some creative programming that allows travellers to fly to their desired particular destination at a discounted rate by pretending to fly somewhere else when they book. It does seem odd but routine that flying a shorter distance is many times more expensive than flights at a further distance. The most expensive flight options are direct flights, followed then by flights that stop in numerous locations (milk run) before your final destination. And in many circumstances you need to burn up more airline fuel flying all over the place to get that cheaper ticket.

This is where skiplagged.com comes into play... it searches for the cheapest milk run options and then you need to attempt to get off the plane in your desired location rather than carrying on to your ticketed destination. This requires you to travel with carry-on luggage only and quickly de-board and vanish into thin air. An example would be that you need to fly from Seattle to Minneapolis but find it cheaper to fly from Seattle-Minneapolis-Houston and therefore book the latter option. You show up at the airport and collect your boarding passes to Houston, cognizant you have no plans to go there.

Orbitz and United Airlines are now suing skiplagged.com because the website's circumvention around the system makes it seem unethical and could result in continued airline delays for missing passengers and empty seats. Yet arguably the system that charges people more money for going shorter distances seem unethical in itself.

A crowdsurfing site has already raised 50K to help skiplagged.com fight off the lawsuit and to continue its business to provide travellers with cheaper flight options. Seasoned online travellers have already worked the system for years but skiplagged.com has now raised notoriety for the practice and hence why a legal battle is now brewing.

If anything comes from this, perhaps airlines need to recalibrate how they tabulate traveler fares so that individual users pay the true cost for traveling and not zig zagging around the world to reduce costs for a direct flight.

Tip: follow @Skiplagged on Twitter - and @SkiplaggedDeals for the best hidden city deals

Related Resources

• Supporters donate thousands to Skiplagged defense fund
• The Real Story Behind Orbitz and United Suing the Hidden Cities Startup Guy
• Orbitz and United Are Suing a 22-Year-Old Who Figured Out How to Game Airlines
• Is It OK to Cheat Airlines if It Saves You Money?