Fresno’s airport ranks high in shortest wait times list

Alyssa Saldivar
·2 min read

FRESNO, Calif. (KGPE/KSEE) – Fresno is ranked the top five airports in the United States when it comes to the shortest wait times for immigration and customs wait times, officials announced on Wednesday.

According to Alex Miller from Upgraded Points, in his article “The Worst Airports for International Travel This Holiday Season” International travel has skyrocketed in 2023, driven in large part by pent-up demand from the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the winter holiday season is not as busy as the summer months, December is still a very popular time for U.S. travelers to head abroad.

Apart from higher ticket prices and longer flight times, one of the biggest inconveniences of traveling internationally is the ever-dreaded wait at immigration checkpoints.

“Being stuck in a traffic jam at customs after an already lengthy day of travel can really sour an otherwise great vacation,” explained Alex Miller, Founder and CEO of Upgraded Points.

This article gives a list of the top five immigration and customs wait times airports’ shortest and longest wait times.

Rankings for the shortest wait times are:

  1. John Wayne Airport – average wait time of 4.6 minutes.

  2. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – average wait time of 5.9 minutes.

  3. Palm Beach International Airport – average wait time of 6.6 minutes.

  4. Baltimore/ Washington International Airport – average wait time of 9.2 minutes.

  5. Fresno Yosemite International Airport – average wait time of 10.9 minutes.

Rankings for longest wait times are:

  1. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport – average wait time of 31.6 minutes.

  2. Miami International Airport – average wait time of 30.6 minutes.

  3. Auston – Bergstrom International Airport – average wait time of 29.2 minutes.

  4. Orlando International Airport – average wait time of 27.8 minutes.

  5. John F. Kennedy International Airport – average wait time of 27.4 minutes.

Additionally, Miller says arrival between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. results in approximately 20% longer wait times compared to other hours of the day. Likewise, non-U.S. citizens can expect to wait roughly 66% longer than U.S. citizens, with non-citizens averaging over 28 minutes and U.S. citizens averaging 17 minutes for clearing immigration and customs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.

Recommended Stories