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Some changes to US Pre-clearance procedures at Dublin Airport

I last went through the US Pre-clearance process in Dublin Airport on New Year's Eve 2023. It seems like they have changed the part where everyone needs to go through a TSA style security screening before CBP.

Typically, the Americans require a secondary security check as part of the Pre-clearance process, after which everyone goes through Customs and Immigration (and Global Entry, if eligible), and then the final departure lounge. But now, a significant portion of passengers get to bypass the Pre-clearance security, with some others still going through the old process.

After reading through some forums and articles, it looks like there has been a trial going on, where outbound Dublin passengers are generally given waivers for the TSA security screening, with connecting passengers and possibly SSSS selectees (if they even do this, nowadays) needing to get checked for a second time before CBP.

Sources:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k14363184-US_pre_clearance_Dublin-Air_Travel.html
https://www.turningleftforless.com/reader-review-dublin-airport-us-pre-clearance-and-american-airlines-b777/
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aer-lingus-aerclub/2087220-dublin-tsa-screening-pre-clearance-3.html

Posted by
94 posts

My mother and sister will be traveling home from Dublin on this coming Sunday after a short Irish
holiday. I can report back here on what procedures they needed to go through. In the past of course we have been forced to do the security check and the customs which was always an annoyance.

Posted by
2759 posts

When I went through pre-clearance two months ago with a carry on bag— once I showed my Global Entry card they just waved me completely through any and all questions or screenings.

Posted by
94 posts

Very good to hear. We have Global Entry and I've never seen any purpose in pre-clearance. Frankly, I would much rather do this on arrival at JFK. I've got plenty of time to waste once I get home rather than have to show up early at DUB with the added anxiety of making it to my flight on time.

Posted by
94 posts

The secondary security check at the US customs gates is gone now according to my sister who flew home on Sunday. She had the normal security to get into the general gates. Then the American customs pre-clearance but no extra security search and scan. This is the way it was in the earlier years of the US Pre-clearance but in recent years you had that second security US check.