It’s official: Brussels airport set to become next Preclearance airport
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Brussels Airport appears to be next in line to join the United States’ “Preclearance” program, the addition of the Belgian capital confirmed by U.S. authorities on Monday.
The program, run by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), puts U.S.-bound travelers through customs and immigration and security at their foreign airport of departure. Once cleared, flyers are sent to board their flight and then arrive in the U.S. essentially as domestic passengers.
That means travelers can walk off the plane and immediately leave the airport or go directly to another gate for a connecting flight since they’ve cleared customs and border controls prior to departure.
Want more airline-specific news? Then sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter!
Reports that Brussels would join be next to join the ranks of Preclearance airports surfaced this summer, but Monday’s announcement from the CBP makes it official. Brussels Airport had been under consideration by U.S. officials ever since the agency released a list of 10 potential Preclearance additions in 9 countries back in 2015.
“Precleared travelers will bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security inspections upon arrival in the United States, saving valuable time as they proceed to connecting flights or their destination,” CBP said in a statement announcing the agreement to add Brussels.
Still, travelers eager to avail themselves of the new option will have to wait just a bit longer. The CBP said Preclearance checks would only commence after “the signed agreement is ratified by the Belgian parliament” and government and airport officials “complete all necessary internal procedures.”
More: Salt Lake City’s spiffy new terminal just opened — here’s what it was like on day 1
CBP did not offer a more-specific timeline.
Aside from the travel experience, CBP officials say Preclearance helps security officials by allowing the U.S. and partner countries to “stop bad actors at the earliest possible point in the travel continuum.”
Still, Brussels joins a growing list of foreign airports to be included in the program, which debuted in 1952 at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport in Canada. (Toronto’s downtown Billy Bishop airport is still waiting.)
Brussels will be the 16th airport in the program. Most are in Canada, where eight airports have Preclearance facilities. There are seven additional cities with Preclearance spread across Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates. There’s also a Preclearance facility at the passenger ferry terminal in Victoria, British Columbia.
More: Eastern Airlines adds new route to Mexico, will go up against United
A full list is below (and includes one non-airport location):
Canada
Calgary (YYC)
Edmonton (YEG)
Halifax (YHZ)
Montreal (YUL)
Ottawa (YOW)
Toronto (YYZ)
Vancouver (YVR)
Victoria (passenger ferry terminal)
Winnipeg (YWG)
More: American Airlines adds Athens, Tel Aviv routes from New York under new JetBlue pact
Ireland
Dublin (DUB)
Shannon (SNN)
Aruba
Oranjestad/Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
Bahamas
Freeport/Grand Bahama (FPO)
Nassau (NAS)
Bermuda
Hamilton/Wade International Airport (BDA)
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi (AUH)
Editor’s note: The above post has been updated with the correct location of the Preclearance facility in Victoria, British Columbia, and to show the number of airports that currently have Preclearance facilities as 15.
Featured photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in the first three months of card membership. Offer ends 11/10/2021.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer expires 11/10/2021.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.