I am planning a trip to France in September 2019. We plan to fly from San Francisco into Paris and at the end of our travels, fly out of Nice to San Francisco. For our return trip, there are several flights with transfers in Amsterdam or Frankfurt (one ticket). If we chose one of these flights, will we need to go through customs and/or security with our luggage before boarding our flight to the US? Or is this not necessary because we will be in the Schengen district? I want to make sure that I choose a flight with sufficient layover time if we will be going through security/customs with our luggage. Thank you!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7179 posts
If on same airline- your baggage will be checked thru to SF. You do not go thru customs until you reach the US.
We took a flight home from Nice with plane change in Paris- Air France- and we just had to go thru passport control when we changed terminals/left Schengen- Air France was very good about herding all of us thru the terminal on to the bus to other terminal and getting us all thru to our next gate on time.
The airlines would not sell a flight connection that they don't believe you can make.
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
3991 posts
You will check your bags to the US in Nice (assuming one ticket) and then go through security. Customs is something that happens upon arrival so that will happen for you in the United States. You will go through passport control in Frankfurt or Amsterdam or wherever it is that you exit the Schengen Zone. I'd do the connection to the flight to the US in Paris although a lot of people prefer Amsterdam or Frankfurt.
Posted by
Chicago
8166 posts
You go through security in Nice. If you do a carry on you will just go through passport control in Amsterdam or Frankfurt and get stamped showing you leaving the Schengen Zone.
Posted by
OP
23 posts
Thank you so very much for your responses! Happy traveling to all of you.
Posted by
Bay Area, California
34 posts
Flights from Oakland to Paris on Norwegian Airlines were $159 last week.
Posted by
OP
23 posts
Thank you, Traveler, for reminding me to look at Oakland and Norwegian Airlines!