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Hi there
I’m off to Peru (a Tui Holiday), flying with BA from Heathrow to Lima, with a 2hrs stop off in Miami to change planes
No plans to leave Miami airport, but will I need an ESTA
Thanks
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/faq?lang=en
“..Do I need to apply if I’m only transiting the United States en route to another country?
Eligible nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program require either a travel authorization or a visa to transit the United States. If a traveler is only planning to transit through the United States en route to another country, when he or she completes the travel authorization application in ESTA, the traveler should select “Yes” to the question “Is your travel to the US occurring in transit to another country?”…”
You will also need to collect your bags and re-check them. The joys of transiting in the US.
Unfortunately yes, and I think you need to collect and re-check your bags as well. You’ll need those 2 hours.
I had no idea Tui did holidays to anywhere as exciting as Peru!
Not sure about Miami, but you don’t have to collect your baggage at all US airports if flying international – international and (I think) on one ticket. I flew through IAH (Houston) yesterday and didn’t have to (on United).
I had no idea Tui did holidays to anywhere as exciting as Peru!
So true!!!
I’ve said previously that I’m sure I haven’t always had to collect bags when transiting, but been roundly shouted down on here!
It’s worth checking with Tui, as it’ll make a big difference to how fast you’ll need to move when you get to MIA, lol. Also check if you need to change terminals as these can be miles from each other. There’s an air train which isn’t particularly well advertised if you don’t relish a long walk.
I probably should add that the last time I was at MIA, immigration was on the automatic machines and really fast (though you have to be eligible to use them), and customs was efficient and friendly if a little odd. The officer asked us if we had brought jellied eels from the UK. Being northern we truthfully told him that we wouldn’t recognise them if we saw them!
Went through Miami to/from Montego Bay in December. 60 minute queue for passport control on the way in, ‘only’ 40 minutes on the way back. Had to traipse all the way out through baggage reclaim then back in through security and passport control again both ways (albeit through a separate channel with no queue there).
Was travelling HBO so didn’t pay too much attention but there were announcements both ways about what to do with checked bags, so pretty sure it was a collect it yourself and re-deposit somewhere routine as per usual customer friendly US practice.
I have also managed to not have to re-check bags via Miami, but that was Latam from LIM. I sincerely doubt TUI has such arrangements. 2hrs will be tight.
We travelled through Miami on the way to Peru on a BA booking last October and didn’t have to recheck bags. Immigration officers were the usual rude horrible people.
You will also need to collect your bags and re-check them. The joys of transiting in the US.
In this case, almost certainly. Some non-US airports have US immigration and customs pre-clearance facilities and, in those cases, bags are checked straight through to the final destination.
You will need an ESTA. Hopefully you’ve never been to Cuba or experimented with drugs – although the latter may not be a problem if you’re a former royal.
MIA is one of the (possibly few) USA airports that do International to International baggage transfer, in which case you don’t need to collect and re-check. It may rely on your airline tagging your bags properly, no idea if TUI do or not.
MIA is one of the (possibly few) USA airports that do International to International baggage transfer, in which case you don’t need to collect and re-check. It may rely on your airline tagging your bags properly, no idea if TUI do or not.
It shouldn’t be down to the airline but the airport and I can confirm having done it with BA/AA that Miami and Dallas are both ITI – International to International airports. You must get a tag like the following attached to the bag.
I probably should add that the last time I was at MIA, immigration was on the automatic machines and really fast (though you have to be eligible to use them), and customs was efficient and friendly if a little odd. The officer asked us if we had brought jellied eels from the UK. Being northern we truthfully told him that we wouldn’t recognise them if we saw them!
When was that ? The machines have been off since the Orange Ones decree to prevent the spread of Covid in 2000 and certainly weren’t on in Miami five months ago.
It was 2018 – how absolutely ridiculous if they’re not being used now, it made such a difference to the entry process.
Hi there
I’m off to Peru (a Tui Holiday), flying with BA from Heathrow to Lima, with a 2hrs stop off in Miami to change planes
No plans to leave Miami airport, but will I need an ESTA
Thanks
That’s interesting. Did you book your holiday some time ago? We’ve been doing a lot of research on holidays to South America as my daughter is wanting to join us in Peru. We did look at Tui holidays recently and although they now go to exotic places, Peru was not one of them.
It was 2018 – how absolutely ridiculous if they’re not being used now, it made such a difference to the entry process.
Six years ago with a pandemic inbetween, come on Anna 🤣
Thank you everybody for your replies. ESTA it is then!
The flight from Heathrow to Miami is BA207, then it’s BA4984 (operated by AA) to Lima. 2hr 35mins at the airport, I’d assumed the airline would take care of the baggage, i’ll ask the question at Heathrow check in. The holiday is on the TUI website under Treasures of Peru – basically a glorified coach trip, but it does get me to visit Manchu Picchu, a place that’s always fascinated me. Thanks again everyoneBe careful who you believe. Last time I transited in North America (Vancouver, though, not USA), the check-in agent assured me that my bags would be checked to the final destination. Fortunately, I checked again in Vancouver. They weren’t.
@PeteM, this is MIA immigration for heaven’s sake, one of the busiest travel hubs in the world, not the flaming travellators at MAN 😂😂😂
Just looked at my bags and there’s a similar tag to the one e14 linked to above, in this case green and white with a full size letter T and the words “in transit”. Even if you are told that the bags will be checked to the final destination, I’d make sure that this tag has been attached.
My understanding of ITI is it’s available at some airports but subject to the airline you’re travelling on being part of the scheme. From memory I’ve heard MIA, IAH, DFW and ATL mentioned, but not suggesting this is accurate or complete, this sort of thing involving the US border authorities tends to be very fluid and stop without notice or much fanfare.
Be careful who you believe. Last time I transited in North America (Vancouver, though, not USA), the check-in agent assured me that my bags would be checked to the final destination. Fortunately, I checked again in Vancouver. They weren’t.
Even if bags have been tagged through to your final destination that does not mean you don’t have to colelct them and clear customs at your port of entry.
Even if bags have been tagged through to your final destination that does not mean you don’t have to colelct them and clear customs at your port of entry.
The ITI scheme is to avoid that. Bags are through checked, or should that be thru checked.
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