Hello fellow Ireland travelers,
We just returned from a wonderful two-week trip to N. Ireland and Ireland. I already want to return!
Here's a heads up on our Dublin Airport experience for those who will be traveling there soon. I hope this will save you some grief.
Get to the airport early!! If you're staying in Trim, as we did, plan on an hour's drive from Trim to the airport. We encountered rush hour traffic on our way, as we left Trim at 7:30 am.
I suggest arriving at DUB at least 3 hours early, depending on what you want to do while you're there. Here is our experience (and that of our adult children, who joined us for the first week). Add more time if you are returning a car, as we were. Car return is typically very quick, but we had to wait for others to get on the shuttle to the terminal. Once the shuttle goes, it's a quick trip over to the terminals.
Lines to plan for:
Airline check in - we had to check in three times: once at the "quick" kiosks (since we couldn't check in the night before - it's unlikely, for security reasons, that you'll be able to do so), once with an airline rep who put pre-check stickers on our passports, and once again at the desk so they could print our boarding passes (the kiosks weren't working). We were not checking bags, but if we were this is where it happens.
Security - after going up two levels, you will enter the security lineup. Shoes off are not required, but it is the standard x-ray the bags/show your liquids and electronics procedure.
Duty free - once you're through the security you will enter the duty free shopping area. There are a few restaurants also. This is also the place you'll apply to receive your VAT refund, via the Horizon card kiosk near the back of the area. Don't linger here long - you'll see why. If you were planning to do some duty free shopping, figure this into your time and plan accordingly.
Next you'll travel through US Customs and Immigration. There will be less shopping/food on the other side. Use the restroom before heading into this "experience" - you'll be glad you did. You are now lining up with everyone who is heading stateside, both Americans and non-Americans. It means you won't have to do this when you land in the U.S.
Security (again) - same deal as what you've already done once, except now it's shoes off, bags x-rayed, show your liquids, show your boarding pass and passport.
Customs - you will line up again after security to scan your passport again and answer questions at a kiosk. There will be print outs, including a section where it takes a photo of your face. Keep the paperwork handy, and make sure you have all the paperwork for each person traveling with you.
Immigration - you will proceed to another line up where you will show the paperwork you just completed at the customs kiosk. An immigration officer will question you accordingly.
At this point, the airport staff will be calling for all the folks whose flights are boarding and waiting for them to clear this area. They will move ahead in the line according to flight schedule. There is stress and pressure for those who did not know how much time they needed to allow. It was a large crowd, since U.S. bound flights tend to depart in groups (ours was around 11:30 am bound for JFK - there were at least 6 other flights departing within 15 minutes of ours).
Once through all these lines, you exit into the gate area where you will meet your flight. We were moving pretty fast at this point to join the boarding line for our flight. I saw one restaurant and one small store - but that's all I had time to see.
All staff from both Dublin airport and US Customs and Immigration were friendly and helpful. But you will have stood in many many lines at this point. I strongly suggest you plan at least 3 hours at the airport before departure, if you want to have time to eat, pee, shop, or do anything but stand in line.