Confused about international flight that connects in US (before going to Canada)

You always go through customs and immigration if changing plane in the US.

(That's why the general advice is to not fly via the US if your destination isn't in the US.)

Unfortunately you will have to go through both immigration and customs, with your luggage, then recheck your bags and go through security again before proceeding to your connecting flight. They don't let you stay airside, even though you aren't stopping in the US.

OP you're flying United, I'm assuming into Dulles/IAD?

At IAD United has their own dedicated immigration & customs hall in the C/D terminal for those making a connection out of Dulles.

@VAP, yes IAD! I hope that will work OK...

Customs is a walk-through so no need to concern yourself about that. You will have to go through passport control which might have long queues.

Is this on one itinerary or do you have separate tickets?

OP -- Dulles will be a breeze

When your United flight disembarks, it'll be at the C/D terminal.

Pay attention coming off the plane, because passengers not making a connection and terminating at Dulles are going to go one direction to board the mobile lounges for the ride to the Arrivals Hall and immigration and customs procedures there. You'll go the opposite direction for the United immigration hall. Just follow signage directing you for a connecting flight.

The nice thing is the United immigration hall is smaller, with only United passengers going through. And the process tends to be much quicker.

After immigration you'll hit customs, where if you had a checked bag -- locate the bag, pick it up and put it on the conveyor belt so that it gets checked onto and loaded on your next flight.

After customs you'll go through security and once through the screening you'll pop back up into the C/D terminal.

Are you connecting onto a United or Air Canada flight/metal? If it's United you're in the C/D terminal and your flight will depart from there. If Air Canada some flights depart from C/D, but some will depart from A terminal. Just follow the signs to A terminal, and remember you've already been through security.

It's difficult to get from Edinburgh to Montreal without making numerous stops. And many flights go to the U.S. before they stop at Toronto and connecting into Montreal. On British Airways, you could fly thru LHR and take a nonstop flight to YUL

Some United flights send you through Newark before connecting to Montreal. That sure beats going thru JFK.

Allo on one ticket, yes, and united all the way

elizaoltremare,

Great, it'll be as I described. Disembark at IAD and head for United's immigration hall for connecting passengers. Your flight from EDI disembarkation, United's midfield immigration and your connecting flight will all be at the C/D Terminal.

Unfortunately, I think they're really short-staffed because it was a mess and a lot of people will miss their connections today... strongly recommend getting the mobile passport control so you can jump the queue. I didn't want to do it but would have missed flight otherwise...