On our trip to Ireland, we have a layover of 2 hours 30 minutes (when returning from Shannon to Atlanta) between segments of our flight. Is this enough time to get through customs and still make the next leg of the trip on time? There's only 1 hour 45 minutes between segments going to Ireland. Does it matter as much for the outgoing flight? Thank you!
I really can't see you having any difficulties. I was flying out of Dublin in April to NYC and my customs sheet listed that I had been in Ireland since January and during that time had visited a few other European countries. I think I spent *maybe* fifteen minutes going through customs. When I checked in at Dublin I was given the customs sheet; I filled it out quickly and the customs officer simply read through it and let me pass. When I landed in NYC, because I had already essentially gone through customs in Dublin, they looked at my paper once more and let me through.
I live in Atlanta and travel through the airport frequently. It depends on if a lot of international flights all arrive at the same time. If they do there can be quite a crowd and slow-going. You do clear customs in Shannon, however there can be a lot of people going through security. All international arrivals must pass through security before entering the main airport. You have to pick up your luggage and recheck your luggage on the other side of security (Be sure the tags display your final destination). It is the picking up of bags, waiting in line, going through security and then re-checking bags that take the time. I suggest you do everything as quickly as possible and don't dilly dally along the way. You must then take the train to whatever concourse your other flight is departing from.
Going to Ireland check your luggage all the way through to your final destination. That way you can hustle out to your gate as soon as possible.
I didn't realize that coming home we'll go through customs in Shannon and not in Atlanta. Or that we'll need to claim our bags and recheck them for the next part of the trip. Yikes. We arrive in Atlanta at terminal S and need to get to terminal M. I looked at the airport map and didn't even see a terminal S or M. Hope they're not far apart.
I got the terminal letters from expedia.com. Guess they aren't very accurate. We'll see what the actual ticket says. Are you familiar with the Park House in Bunratty? That's where we're staying for our first night.