TSA and CBP Announce Expansion of Preclearance Program

Flying into the U.S. from abroad could soon get smoother and easier for many people. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Tuesday they will invite new airports to participate in the Preclearance program for the first time since 2016.

“Preclearance is an excellent passenger facilitation program that complements our rigorous U.S. standards and strengthens global security through the development of key international partnerships.” said TSA’s Deputy Executive Assistant Administrator for Security Operations, Melanie Harvey. “This program is a win-win, allowing travelers to experience a streamlined approach that saves them time and frustration while reducing the burden on our domestic system.”

To be eligible for Preclearance, airports must host U.S. air carrier operations, have a suitable facility for Preclearance processing, and be prepared to share costs with the U.S. Government. Preclearance requires bilateral agreements between the United States and the host country, so it is essential for interested airports to coordinate closely with their governments throughout the application process.

Preclearance is a partnership through which governments authorize CBP to station personnel at airports to complete customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections of travelers before they board flights bound for the United States. Precleared travelers bypass CBP and TSA security inspections upon arrival in the United States, saving valuable time as they proceed to connecting flights or their destination.

The Preclearance program is also a big boost for airports that participate in it. They gain an advantage over competitors by making U.S.-bound travel more convenient and enabling direct routes to more than 160 U.S. airports with limited or no CBP facilities. Preclearance helped drive a 75% increase in Dublin Airport’s U.S.-bound travel volume from 2014 to 2018 for example.

Preclearance Airports

To date, CBP, TSA and their foreign partners have established 16 Preclearance airports in six countries. Preclearance cooperation enhances U.S. and foreign partner security while facilitating growing volumes of U.S.-bound air travel.