Delays in U.S. Airport Customs Take Economic Toll

Hurry Up and Wait.

The time spent in Customs lines in U.S. airports equates to an economic loss of $416 million annually, according to a study just released by the United States Travel Association.

The report, entitled “Gateway to Jobs & Growth,” examines the effect the U.S. entry process has on the U.S. economy. Some of its other findings include an estimated 2.7 million international travelers do not even attempt to cross U.S. borders due to perceived or, in some cases, actual red-tape involved in the Customs process. The USTA estimates this translates into a 11.1 billion economic loss.

In addition to identifying current problems, the study contains 20 policy recommendations on how to improve the entry experience for international travelers coming to the U.S. and to better support hard-working officers at Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) who strive daily to keep our nation secure. 

The U.S. Travel Association’s report proposes hiring an additional 3,500 Customs officers and implementing new technology to reduce peak wait times by 50 percent and process each international traveler within 30 minutes of arrival. The findings were compiled in a letter to Congress and signed by prominent travel industry executives.

The average Customs wait time at the Miami International airport is 4.48 hours.