TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Sxm to toronto via atlanta

We are travelling delta thru atlanta from Toronto. Coming home we have 2 1/2 hr layover in atlanta. Flying from atlanta with a different delta plane will we have to go thru customs again in atlanta or will be lucky enough to stay in security area ?
Thanks

Sorry, what do you mean, go through customs again? Atlanta would be your first arrival into the US, so obviously you have to go through US customs and immigration there. Then once you are in Atlanta, you re-check your checked bags and proceed to your gate.

You will have to retrieve any checked luggage and go through US Customs upon arrival. Then you can recheck your bags. As you exit Customs, because you had access to checked luggage, you will have to clear TSA before proceeding to your departure gate.

Ok. We are used to nonstop flights & since we go thru customs to get on the delta flight i thought our bags might go onto the other plane. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />
Thanks!
Hope the time frame is enough! We get into toronto around 12:30 a.m. if we make the flight in atlanta.
Wish us luck.

Our Daughter and her Boyfriend is using this same flight for Christmas and is only taking carry ons with them.

You should check . Several years ago we flew SXM to Toronto via Charlotte. While we did have to go through immigration, we did not have to claim our luggage. The luggage went right through to Toronto.

I think you're mistaken. Either that, or it was before 9-11.

Nope. Was 2008 or so.

ok

For what it's worth, this is from the Miami International (MIA) website:

• If you’re on an international flight and connecting to an international destination—you need to check with your airline about your luggage. Find out if it was checked directly to your final destination or if you have to collect it before clearing U.S. Customs.

As a Canadian, your luggage should be checked right through to Toronto. That is your point of entry for Canadian customs. Why would you have to go through US customs when you are in transit to Canada? Perhaps a call to Delta would clarify the situation.

There is no US customs in SXM, when changing planes in the US you have to claim your baggage & go thru US customs then re-check baggage.....if you where flying non-stop then your bags would be checked thru to Canada.....different going down at YYZ, we have US customs & bags can be checked thru.....kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Kate. I guess that is a good reason not to fly through the US from SXM.It is a real pain claiming your luggage ,rechecking it , and then going through security again. Travelling used to be enjoyable, but not anymore! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

If it increases our safety I'm all for it.

You have to go through US Customs when you enter the USA (that is very normal)....you will than also have to go through Canadian Customs when you enter Canada (that is very normal)....your luggage will not be checked through to Canada....you will have to claim your luggage at the US stop and recheck it (that is very normal)......when you fly from Toronto to the US you go through US Customs in Toronto (that is normal)..... you also have to go through SXM Customs when you arrive there (that also is normal).

Its the only way we can get there this year. Much prefer nonstop but its not available.
Thanks for info. It is confusing that customs is good enough in st maarten to board delta to atlanta but not good enough to transfer to another delta plane on to toronto.

We have always had to claim our luggage and clear customs when transiting through the US from SXM (and other countries). When we transit through the US to get to SXM from major centres in Canada such as Vancouver, we clear US customs before boarding the plane which makes connections and the trip down a bit easier.

This is our experience as us citizens who flew from YYZ to SXM and return june 2017 and June 2016.


To SXM. Your bags will be prechecked by us customs in toronto to SXM.


Return from SXM to YYZ vis U.S. . Our bags were checked all the way through to YYZ. We did not claim them in either Charlotte or Miami the last two summers.

You and your carry ons go through immigaration customs and security to cathch your connecting flight.

Islandgem, Your view is our actual experience as us citizens going from sxm to yyz two years in a row.