This app makes international travel easier

One of the most tiring things about international travel is going through customs once you’ve returned to the United States. You’ve spent hours upon hours on a plane, and all you want to do is go home and lay in your bed. Depending on your home airport, going through customs can take hours based on the length of lines and time & date you return home.

Prior to our trip to Ireland and Scotland earlier this year, we heard about the Mobile Passport Control app. This app can be downloaded onto Apple or Google devices and significantly streamlines the entry time back into the United States. When we arrived back at O’Hare after our flight from Edinburgh, we were able to bypass lines of hundreds of people thanks to having the MPC app.

How does it work?

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you will be asked to create a profile with your passport information. You will have to select your point of entry based on your arrival airport or seaport. Travelers then need to take a photo of themselves and complete the traditional screening questions. Similar to a customs form, you can complete one questionnaire per family re-entering the United States. Once complete, you receive a QR code to show the Customs Officer along with your passport.

Where can you use it?

The Mobile Passport Control app can be used at the following locations:

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
• Aruba Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
• Bermuda L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA)
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
• Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
• Houston William P. Hobby International Airport (HOU)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
• Las Vegas Harry Ried International Airport (LAS)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Miami Seaport
• Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
• Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Oakland International Airport (OAK)
• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Ottawa International Airport (YOW)
• Palm Beach Seaport 
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
• Port Everglades Seaport
• Portland International Airport (PDX)
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
• Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
• San Diego International Airport (SAN)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• San Jose International Airport (SJC)
• San Juan Airport (SJU)
• San Juan Seaport 
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Tampa International Airport (TPA)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Winnipeg James A Richardson International Airport (YWG) 

Is it worth it?

It’s free to download, so there’s very little downside to adding this app to your phone. While wait times may vary, we had success the last time we used it! If your home airport typically has long waiting lines in customs, we’d suggest trying it out.