First International Trip (Flying Question)

I keep my passport handy in a neck pouch. Minumum passport checks::

On departure:
First encounter with airline.is
Entry to TSA security.

On arrival:
Passport control
If connecting, you may need it at security rescreening.

you usually show your passport when you check into the airline, you can use it through security, and then when you get to the country you are going to you show it at their border control.

for your other questions, it depends on if your layovers are in the US or in Europe. If they are in the US I would do an hour and a half or 2 hour layover. During that time you don't have to check in again or go through any additional security, you just walk from one gate to another. If your layover getting to Amsterdam is in Europe (ie. you have a stop somewhere else in Europe before a second flight to Amsterdam), you will go through border control/customs during your layover because at that point you are entering the EU. So for this layover I would plan on having a longer time, 3 hours would probably be good. Then you will get on your flight to Amsterdam and be on your way.

Let's do the passport issue. The simple answer is that you will show your passport a number of times. The checks can vary between airlines and airports but this is a rough estimate: You will give your passport to the airline agent when you check in at the airport. You may have to show it at the security clearance to enter the departures area. You may have to show it at the boarding lounge to get on the plane where there could be another security check of your hand luggage. If it is a big airport such as Charles de Gaulle there may be internal security points that you have to clear.
When you leave Europe the process is similar although there may be an immigration checkpoint to clear as well. I have not mentioned customs (which has to do with your baggage, not your immigration status) because those checks vary from country to country and are pretty rare these days unless you appear to be moving huge amounts of luggage or have been to exotic locations.
Now my question to you: Are you worried about this? I hope not, because it is all routine, as long as you've followed the rules and your passport is up-to-date.
Airlines suggest three hours in advance at CdG and I regard two as an absolute minimum.

Definitely keep your passport handy until you arrive at your destination. It may be my imagination, but I think I had to show my passport more frequently on my trip last month than I did last March.

On the first leg of the flight I had to show my passport when ....

• arriving at the International terminal in Atlanta.
• getting my boarding pass
• going through security
• boarding the plane

When changing planes, I had to show my passport when ...

• going through customs
• going through security (and I had to do it twice -- once somewhere between gates and again at the flight gate -- in the Amsterdam airport)
• boarding the plane

I would allocate 3 hours to make connections. Two hours is probably okay, but I am more comfortable with three.

Also, I noticed that security seemed tighter last month than it was 6 months ago. The underwire in my bra set off alarms on every time I went through security, which had never happened before. Also, I had to turn on my computer every time I went through security. It didn't take much time, but it was definitely a change.

Thank you for the information. Southam I am not worried about the passport (just received my first one last week) just had no idea and was curious. The real concern I have is the layover time I would have between the flight (home after trip) arriving from Paris in the US (either Washington, DC, Newark, or Atlanta) how much time I should feel comfortable with for my connecting flight to Jacksonville. We are flying directly from the US to Amsterdam. I will have my passport in a convenient location for just having to pull out when requested.

I flew out of CDG Paris in September. I didn't check any bags so I skipped this step, but the line to check bags was enormous. I also had to walk the length of the terminal to get to the check in area, go through security where bags were examined, take the airport train to get to my departure area, walk to my gate. So I would say at least 3 hours, especially if you are checking your luggage.

Carole,

I'll have a more detailed look at your questions later tonight, when I have more time. In the meantime, a few thoughts.....

• How easy is to get from your location to Atlanta? There are direct flights from ATL to AMS from there, which would eliminate the connecting flight issue.
• If you'd rather depart from Jacksonville as originally planned, you might consider using code-share flights so you don't have to deal with baggage between flights. With code share, you check the bags once and pick them up at your destination regardless of how many flights are required to get there. Once you've decided on the best travel days, you may want to consult a travel agent, as he/she will be able to help you avoid any pitfalls.
• With any of the tours, I'd suggest arriving a couple of days prior to the start of the tour, to help you acclimatize and get over jet lag (don't underestimate that). You will of course have to cover the extra hotel nights yourself, but when the tour starts you should be in good shape.
• With your departure from CDG, I'd suggest allowing about three hours on departure day. It's a large airport with multiple terminals and tends to be a bit confusing at times.

Regarding your Passport question, as the others have mentioned you'll have to show the Passport several times.....

• When checking in with the airline to receive your Boarding Pass.
• Possibly when you enter security (but not always in my experience). You will have to show your Boarding Pass though.
• When you go through the departure gate to board the aircraft, you'll need to have your Passport open to the photo page, and show both the Passport and Boarding Pass. I haven't been asked for a Passport when actually stepping onto the aircraft for many years (but I suppose it could happen). These days they don't even seem to need to see the boarding pass when entering the aircraft.
• When you land at the first destination in Europe (AMS), you'll have to go through Passport control as this will be your first entry to the Schengen common travel area, where your Passport will be stamped with the entry date. You'll also have to go through Passport control when you leave Europe (CDG), where it will be stamped again with the exit date. As tourists are only allowed to stay in the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180 day period, this is how they determine how long you've been in Europe.

Be sure to check the TSA website regarding the 3-1-1 liquids rules and lists of what can be taken in carry-on. If you're travelling with a Laptop, cell phone or other technology, you may have to be prepared to power-up the device to prove that it is in fact a working device. Therefore be sure the batteries are charged! If the device can't be switched on, it either goes in the bin or you don't fly! Note that Lithium-Ion batteries can NOT be carried in checked luggage.

Also, you may want to check Seat Guru or other websites to determine which seats you may want to use. Getting good leg room is important on a 10 hour flight, and with the constantly "shrinking" seat pitch these days that's something to think about. If you're flying Business Class, that won't be a concern.

One other point to mention, is that especially in Amsterdam you'll have to give some thought on the financial products that you travel with. In that part of Europe, you won't be able to use your older magnetic stripe credit card in many locations, as they ONLY accept the newer "Chip & PIN" cards. Magnetic stripe cards should still work at hotels and restaurants. Be sure to notify your financial institutions that you'll be travelling so they don't "freeze" your cards when they detect transactions in Europe.

Finally, as this is your first trip overseas, you may find it very helpful to read Europe Through The Back Door prior to your trip. It provides a lot of good information on how to travel well in Europe, and the differences you'll find there.

Ken thanks for the very detail answer you gave. It was very informative almost like you were sitting next to me explaining everything. I thought about Atlanta also when I first started looking at airlines and was surprised that those flights were more expensive than leaving from Jacksonville. I would also have the extra cost of parking the car for almost a month. Leaving from Jacksonville is like leaving from my home, have family that will take me to the airport and can park the car for free. We will not have any checked baggage (doing the RS thing packing light) so having to hope the bags get to Amsterdam with us should not be a problem. We are arriving two days before the tour starts. Staying in Haarlem for the two nights (Friday and Saturday night before tour starting on Sunday). We have reservations for the hotel that is different from the place we will be staying at with the tour (since we do not have the information as of yet). Will hang around Haarlem the day we arrive, go to Amsterdam on Saturday, and relax maybe take a bike ride on the Sunday morning before hooking up with the tour. As for the credit card I will be checking on making sure I will not have any problem using it. I plan on using cash as much as possible (the hotel only requests cash payment). Definitely will be calling the banks before leaving. I did read Europe through the Back Door and plan on reading it again (maybe more) before leaving. Plan on being at CDG about 3 hours before flight due to everyone's comments. Feeling much better about the passports (not that I was worried) will keep that handy to show whenever I am asked. Once again I appreciate your advise.

Regarding your flight home from Europe: You will go through US passport control at your first US port of entry. If you do check luggage on the return trip, and if you do have a flight connection in the USA, then you do have to re-claim that luggage and take it through the next step, US customs, before your connecting flight. That is different than when you are heading toward Europe.

I will just add that coming back I would probably try to go CDG to Atlanta as I am guessing there are more frequent flights from ATL to JAX if something goes haywire. Delta would put you on the next flight so great if there are some choices.

Carole,

You're very welcome! I'm not overly familiar with the flight options from your area, so was just offering a few thoughts on the subject. As you have family in Jacksonville, that does indeed sound like the best plan. I generally try to get direct flights whenever possible as layovers are such an ordeal (especially when jet lagged). In my case, I'm resigned to the fact that it always requires three flights each way, but they're relatively easy in my case. One point to mention though - others here have commented that it's best to avoid JFK or EWR whenever possible - hopefully one of the group can chime in for the reasons behind that.

Wow! Carry-on only for a month long trip, and especially a first trip. That's very ambitious and something I haven't been able to master yet.

Regarding the credit cards, the Netherlands seems to be farther along than other countries in Europe on the conversion to "Chip & PIN" technology. Consequently, C&P is the ONLY option in some places. One example is the staffed ticket windows at Amsterdam Central station, where they will only accept C&P cards or cash. Many unattended facilities in other countries (ie: fuel pumps, ticket machines) will now only accept C&P cards. I understand that U.S. Banks are starting to issue the new cards, but this will likely be a slow process. Some members of the Forum have obtained a C&P card from the Andrews Federal Credit Union, but I don't have any details since financial products are different here.

There's always some debate about this on the Forum, but you may want to arrange with your Bank to obtain about €50-100 for "travel expenses" until you get settled in Europe. I've always found that useful for buying a meal, Taxi fare or whatever.

Carole and others considering long-term parking, instead of leaving a car anywhere for a month, I suggest looking into airport limo service. My departure airport is an hour away, so I book a limo to pick me up for the return trip so friends don't have to deal with flight delays/disruptions. I usually get a ride to the airport with friends, but the ride back is never certain (delays on the last three flights).

I don't know how expensive that would be to/from Atlanta, though.

Carole, try to fly back into Atlanta. All airports are a pain to some degree, but it is much easier to navigate and is much more user friendly than the other two. Also, Delta flies to your home fairly frequently. If need be, you could also rent a car and drive from Atlanta. TC

And you CAN travel carryon for 30 days. We just did it and still had clothes we didn't wear that much. April may be more of a challenge than October which we did but if you wear your heaviest clothes, it is totally possible if you want to do that.

On my trip last month I had to show my passport:

On check-in at O'Hare (online check in requires passport number).

When going through security, with my boarding pass (maybe could have used drivers license for this, they just want ID)

At boarding

Arrived at JFK. Due to that airport's layout, I had to go out of security, get on the airport train and go to a new terminal. Therefore, back through a new security check where they needed ID.

Boarding next plane

Arrival in Madrid, showed passport at immigration desk. Cursory glance and I was on my way.

So it really depends on the airport if there's another security check. If the airport is designed so that you need to exit the secure area to change terminals, and you change terminals, then you need to go through security again. O'Hare has this, as does JFK. Charlotte does not. Not sure about other airports. I'd leave a minimum of 2 hours if it's a US airport (i.e. you're going from Jacksonville to Atlanta).

I HATE De Gaulle airport. Get there like 3 hours before your flight, I've run into some ridiculous delays and confusion there. Then if your Paris flight goes direct to the US, leave 2.5-3 hours before your flight back to Jacksonville. Often not needed (I've done it comfortably in 2, and once in 45 minutes due to a late plane), but personally I'd rather have more time waiting than worry about missing a connection. Just a note, when you fly back from Paris to the US, you WILL need to go through security again after clearing immigration/customs. So if your flight goes Paris - Atlanta - Jacksonville, you will go through immigration in Atlanta, then go back through security before getting on your plane to Jacksonville.

Carole,

I always try to be at the airport 2 hours before my flights, especially International flights. ONce over there, i try to do 1 to 1.5 hours before departure. If you have an O-dark early flight and you need to check in your luggage you may want to readup on when their checkin desks open.

as far as how long customs/immigration take. I dont know since i feel it takes a long as it takes. If they happen to get another or several arrivals at the same time i can see it being a mad house.

as far as flight transfers go, that will depend on who and how the flight is booked. If the flight and connections are booked as one ticket, then im "assuming" that the connection times will be doable IF everything goes according to plan.

happy trails.

Skytracs gives airlines worldwide stars based on standard criteria. Delta, United, and USAir get three stars; Lufthansa, British, Air France, and KLM all get four stars. In addition, they show the average rating based on customer feedback. United 6/10, Delta 5/10, USAir 3/10. Lufthansa 7/10, British 6.8/10, KLM 6/10, Air France 5/10. I've personally flown all three American airlines to Europe. Of the three, Delta, 12 years ago was OK; United 2012 and 2013 was fair; USAir 2007 was terrible. I've flown Luftahansa 5 times since 2001, latest 2013; always better than the others.

Hi Carole!

I flew to Amsterdam (from Nebraska) in July 2012. I flew Delta/KLM and was pleased. I was pleasantly surprised (having never flown internationally before) at how comfortable the seats were and how roomy (especially after the puddle jumper from NE to Minneapolis). The KLM flight had good food, nice attendants, and nice little TV's built into the seats that played games as well as movies and TV shows. Between that and my kindle for reading (and my napping pillow) I was as comfy as one can be on a crowded plane for 8 1/2 hours.

I'm taking a Delta flight again because I too am taking the RS 21 Day Best of Europe tour the first week of May. I'll be arriving in Amsterdam the last week in April and spending 5 days- 3 in Amsterdam and 2 in Haarlem- before the tour begins. You will love Amsterdam and Haarlem. The people are very friendly (as long as you don't step in the bike lanes!) and helpful. The city is easy to navigate. I had little trouble with my ATM card even though it wasn't a chip card. It worked fine at the ATM's and I paid cash everywhere else. I set up my day trips in advance of the trip so they were all paid for before I left. I even paid for a meal at the Hard Rock Café in advance- knowing I might want some familiar food (my daughter and I were heading to Russia for two weeks). I always made sure to ask in advance if they took a regular debit card or credit card. I also ordered a certain amount of Euro from my bank ahead of time to cover expenses I knew I'd have to pay in cash and to cover me for a time if I had trouble with an ATM (which I didn't). I only had one little café that couldn't take the debit or credit card. It could be different now, but I'm hoping not, as I still have the same cards!

I remember security being difficult at Schiphol. My teenaged daughter kept setting off their alarms and it took forever for them to clear her (without ever finding out what was setting off the alarms)(we suspected the decorative studs on her jeans, but they insisted it wasn't that). She was patted down and hand scanned and they finally let her through- she was in tears). The signs weren't clear for me at the airport and I couldn't find customs. Some guy stamped our passports and waved us on, but on to where? We made our way out of the airport and still weren't sure we were legally in the country, lol!

Wear comfy warm clothes on the flight- it gets cold! I wore "yoga" pants, a t-shirt and a hoodie zipper sweatshirt. I'll wear warmer socks this time, as my feet got really cold!

You're gonna have a great time! It'll be fun to compare notes when we get back from our tours!
Lisa

You'll be asked to show passport at boarding for pretty much any international flight. It's not really about security; it's about the airline facing huge fines if they have a passenger that gets refused entry on arrival due to lack of correct documents, and people actually do manage to lose passports between the TSA/security checkpoint and the gate.

Our flight back home will be leaving Paris, Charles De Gaulle....

Be familiar with airport and terminal layouts:
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Home/

Also review Formalities & Practicalities tab for check in information.

To use that self service check in machines you will usually scan your passport, or input your confirmation code (6 character code) or ticket number.

Carole,

I realize there's a good reason why you want to depart from Jacksonville, however it might still be an idea to at least consider Atlanta, as it's a larger airport and there are a greater number of direct flights available there.

A few thoughts on transportation so you don't have to leave your car parked at the airport for a month.....

• There appear to be flights from Tallahassee to Atlanta, but they seem to be on the pricey side so that's probably not a realistic option.
• The least expensive way to travel to Atlanta would probably be via Greyhound, although you'd likely have to go the day prior to your flight and spend one night in a hotel. There appears to be a direct departure from Tallahassee at 13:15, arriving Atlanta at 19:20 (time 6H:05M). I noticed this item on the ATL website....

"Greyhound Flightlink is located at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and conveniently ready to provide transportation services from the Airport to selected cities and states."

• Another option that occurred to me is a one-way car rental, but I'm not sure what the costs might be for that.

You may find it very helpful to discuss your plans with a travel agent, as they will be more familiar with the transportation options from your area, and may be able to suggest something that you haven't considered. Especially as it's your first trip, eliminating the layovers might be prudent.

Carole,

It's great to hear that you've now got your flights booked for your tour, and that you'll be flying out of ATL. I always find it a bit of an ordeal to sit in the aluminum tube for nine hours, but the movies tend to provide a bit of entertainment to pass the time. The meals have been satisfactory, but not gourmet (I'm sure they would be much better in Business Class).

Be sure to get up periodically to stretch your legs, as Deep Vein Thrombosis can be a problem for some people after sitting too long. Also, when ever you're in your seat, it's a good idea to keep the seat belt at least loosely fastened. The airlines encourage that, but I would do it anyway.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!