JFK Immigration wait time ?

I'm off to JFK next saturday on the VS45 - what sort of wait time should I expect for immigration? I will be UC and I have a visa (but this makes no odds with the queue )

[:(!]

[Neil]

It all depends, the best thing to do (and as you are in UC, it will help massivly) is get off the plane and have as quick a walk as possible to Immigration and then hope no other planes have just arrived. On my recent trip through JFK we were in PE and rushed to Immigration and was through within 10mins, but by the time the rest of our plane and another El Al flight that had just arrived got into the hall, the queue was massive and must of been well over an hour wait.

So the sooner you get there the better chance you have of a quick pass through, then you've just got to hope priority baggage works!

Neil:)

Neil

[fozzyo]

On our recent JFK trip we were amoungst first off the plane. We still had to wait over an hour! Depends on which flight your on, one of the crew on our return flight was saying that the previous day they weren't allowing people into the immigration hall it was that full.

But other flights the wait can be hardly anything. Luck of the draw and how many flights get in just before you.

Just to complete this thread - having spoken to my wife in NY, she got 'upgraded' to UC for the last hour and a half of VS045 (with two kids - nice one VS). She ran with both boys to immigration - and STILL waited 2 Hours

JFK immigration is certainly no exact science - sometimes it can be a matter of minutes and other times hours even at the sharp end;)

VS.

If you have a short transfer, is there a fast way through?

[ChuckC]

Last Sunday we switched from 45 to 3, which arrived two hours late, at 2pm local time in NYC. The immigration hall was absolutely deserted and we were on our way in about two minutes. Obviously not the norm.

Chuck-

[Scrooge]

Just to echo Chuck,last sunday I made it through immagration and customs with bags in under 15 mins !

[Neil]

Maybe its getting better, guy in our office just returned from 2 weeks in NYC & Florida said Immigration was dead when he arrived (on a BA flight[:I]) and he was through with bags in about 20mins[y]

Neil:)

I will keep my fingers crossed

So would I be right in assuming that it is better to be on the flight that arrives at 1230 rather than the ones that arrive in the late afternoon.

Anyone done both and noticed a difference?