One million use Dublin Airport U.S. preclearance facility in a year

Celebrating the big number, from left, Tish Lagerwey, CBP’s Dublin port director, Philamena Linton, the1 millionth passenger, and Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport managing director. Photo by Willie Dillon, Fingal Dublin Chamber

One million passengers have been processed using the U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility at Dublin Airport in a single year.

Celebrating the big number, from left, Tish Lagerwey, CBP’s Dublin port director, Philamena Linton, the one millionth passenger, and Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport managing director. Photo by Willie Dillon, Fingal Dublin Chamber

Dublin Airport has welcomed its one millionth Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance passenger in a ceremony marking the occasion. Selected passenger Philamena Linton was presented with a bottle of champagne on the 15 December shortly before boarding her Delta flight to New York. For the first time since the facility opened in 2010, a million people have been processed in a single year.

Dublin Airport preclearance facility opened in 2010

The milestone has been highlighted as a significant achievement in the airport’s 75-year history not only for volume but also because it’s the only major airport in Europe to offer preclearance service. According to the airport, Dublin preclears up to 20 flights per day to ten destinations in the United States.

Commenting on the facility Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport managing director, said: “Preclearance enables passengers to save time on arrival in the U.S. by completing all the necessary immigration and customs checks prior to departure.

“After landing, precleared passengers pass through their airport as if they were on a domestic flight—they just head for the door. The only line passengers may find after arriving in the U.S. is for the taxi to get to their final destination,” Harrison added.

Remarking on the achievement of recent figures, Tish Lagerwey, CBP’s Dublin port director, said: “This was reached as a result of hard work and the successful partnership between all parties and we are looking forward to continued growth of Dublin preclearance.”