What do I need for my flight?

SirMeow

Hey Guys,
So I just booked my flight to Florida for the 4th.
I just want to make sure I have everything before I go to the airport.
Could you guys list everything I will need for the checkout terminal people.
Thanks

endofrainbow

passport

check-in online completed

ESTA completed if applicable

API completed

Customs declaration form completed if flying direct from Ireland to US

SirMeow

endofrainbow wrote: »

passport

check-in online completed

ESTA completed if applicable

API completed

Customs declaration form completed if flying direct from Ireland to US

I still have to get the ESTA thing completed. How long does it take to receive it?

smellmepower

You fill it out online and should be instantly approved once you don't have any convictions etc.Think it costs $14 or so.

I'd do it ASAP.

SirMeow

smellmepower wrote: »

You fill it out online and should be instantly approved once you don't have any convictions etc.Think it costs $14 or so.

Sounds good.
I have to wait until Tuesday though because thats when I get my passport back.
Also could you explain the API stuff.
This is my first flight so ye

smellmepower

You're supposed to have the ESTA done at least 72 hours before you travel.

API is just filling out basic identity and flight info and the address of where you'll be staying in the states.

SirMeow

smellmepower wrote: »

You're supposed to have the ESTA done at least 72 hours before you travel.

API is just filling out basic identity and flight info and the address of where you'll be staying in the states.

Do I need a certain form for the API or can I just create my own?
Also 72 hours is the recommended time due to the possibility of a delay but its usually accepted instantly

angeldelight

SirMeow wrote: »

Do I need a certain form for the API or can I just create my own?
Also 72 hours is the recommended time due to the possibility of a delay but its usually accepted instantly

You do it on the airline website - there'll usually be a section called manage my booking or something along those lines

Stojkovic

SirMeow wrote: »

Hey Guys,
So I just booked my flight to Florida for the 4th.
I just want to make sure I have everything before I go to the airport.
Could you guys list everything I will need for the checkout terminal people.
Thanks

Jesus wept.
Would you like someone to hold your hand ?

smellmepower

That's helpful.

SirMeow

Stojkovic wrote: »

Jesus wept.
Would you like someone to hold your hand ?

First time flying or being in an airport..... I just want to make sure I have everything in order before I go.

anne burnell

you dont have to do it 72 hours before ya fly.... last year I had a problem when flying with american airlines even though my esta was in date for another year, I had used it the year previous when flying with aer lingus and no problem.... American airlines could not figure out the problem, but they would not let me board the flight, so they had to apply for another one at the airport about 2 hours before I flew....

dumac

I Can sypathasise with u worrying about the paperwork.

SPM1959

smellmepower wrote: »

You fill it out online and should be instantly approved once you don't have any convictions etc.Think it costs $14 or so.

I'd do it ASAP.

Sure it is more expensive than that.

shanec1928

SPM1959 wrote: »

Sure it is more expensive than that.

mine was €10.51 about a month or two ago it might be slight more depending on the rate for the day.

SirMeow

So where can I get the API app thing guys?

IrishHomer

anne burnell wrote: »

you dont have to do it 72 hours before ya fly.... last year I had a problem when flying with american airlines even though my esta was in date for another year, I had used it the year previous when flying with aer lingus and no problem.... American airlines could not figure out the problem, but they would not let me board the flight, so they had to apply for another one at the airport about 2 hours before I flew....

I had similar issue, my passport had been renewed so the new passport number was not matching my old esta so I had to run over to one of the internet pcs at airport and redo whole new estas 10 minutes before boarding flight!!! Lucky I am fast at typing, was very stressful and two women hogging the pay pcs having a chit chat

endofrainbow

SirMeow wrote: »

So where can I get the API app thing guys?

already answered - when you check in online, you will have to complete the API on the airline's website

endofrainbow

IrishHomer wrote: »

I had similar issue, my passport had been renewed so the new passport number was not matching my old esta so I had to run over to one of the internet pcs at airport and redo whole new estas 10 minutes before boarding flight!!! Lucky I am fast at typing, was very stressful and two women hogging the pay pcs having a chit chat

How had they allowed you check in without an ESTA?

SirMeow

endofrainbow wrote: »

How had they allowed you check in without an ESTA?

I just registered the ESTA like 20 minutes ago. You have to checkin with the flight like 24 hours before the flight. Then I have to add the passport number etc

coylemj

endofrainbow wrote: »

How had they allowed you check in without an ESTA?

The airlines have no access to the US Immigration systems so they can't tell if you have a valid ESTA or not. All they can check is that you have a current passport so whether you do or do not have a current ESTA will only be an issue when you get to the pre-clearance immigration people.

ESTA is not a piece of paper, it's an electronic approval stored on the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) systems and tied to your passport number - the 'E' stands for 'electronic'.

endofrainbow

thanks for that but my question was how was he able to check in,do a new ESTA, get through security, go through CBP and board the flight within 10 minutes...

SirMeow

endofrainbow wrote: »

thanks for that but my question was how was he able to check in,do a new ESTA, get through security, go through CBP and board the flight within 10 minutes...

My flight is tomorrow at 5 am?

endofrainbow

let me try again - question was directed at IrishHomer

Yamanoto

anne burnell wrote: »

you dont have to do it 72 hours before ya fly.... last year I had a problem when flying with american airlines even though my esta was in date for another year, I had used it the year previous when flying with aer lingus and no problem.... American airlines could not figure out the problem, but they would not let me board the flight, so they had to apply for another one at the airport about 2 hours before I flew....

Strictly speaking, no you don't need to do it 72hrs prior to departure.

But tbh, it'd be unwise to leave it longer than that. It's not uncommon for ESTA applications to be thrown back as 'pending', often due to pressure on their servers (as opposed to any security consideration). Under those circumstances, it can take anything up to 72hrs to receive a definitive answer back - though in practise you should have your reply far quicker than that.

If you have an ESTA with more than 30 days remaining on it, the CBP.gov site will flag that and ask if you wish to cancel the current authorisation & proceed with a fresh application.

It used to be the case where you could overlap your ESTA, but I think that disappeared when the mandatory fee was introduced.

coylemj

Yamanoto wrote: »

n.
It used to be the case where you could overlap your ESTA, but I think that disappeared when the mandatory fee was introduced.

It says somewhere on the FAQ that if you apply for a new ESTA, any current ESTA on the same passport is automatically cancelled so you can't have overlapping ESTAs.

Yamanoto

coylemj wrote: »

It says somewhere on the FAQ that if you apply for a new ESTA, any current ESTA on the same passport is automatically cancelled so you can't have overlapping ESTAs.

As I said...

It used to be the case where you could overlap your ESTA

coylemj

I didn't in any way suggest that you were wrong, my post was a simple clarification.

But since you choose to repeat only some of your original statement ...

Yamanoto wrote: »

As I said...

I feel it necessary to point our that you were less than definitive in the second half of the statement which you conveniently omitted from your quote...

Yamanoto wrote: »

It used to be the case where you could overlap your ESTA, but I think that disappeared when the mandatory fee was introduced.

Yamanoto

coylemj wrote: »

I feel it necessary to point our that you were less than definitive in the second half of the statement which you conveniently omitted from your quote...

Jaysus, really?

SirMeow

much chill you thread Nazi's...
My flight is in the morning so wish meh luck...
Also thanks to everybody who helped pre flight.