As the only person in the queue, it took me approximately two minutes and 15 seconds to whip off my shoes, pass my baggage through the x-ray machine, pick up my things, and pass customs.

When it comes to entering the United States, that’s an astounding time frame. At this point, I’ve entered the country 11 times and I’ve had a wide range of experiences – most of them easy, but lengthy.

I’ve waited in line for four hours at Dallas-Fort Worth while two exhausted customs officers processed thousands of people coming off dozens of flights. I’ve walked straight off a plane into a customs queue at New York’s JFK, waiting for more than two hours without being able to nip to the loo before facing the border officers. I’ve read an entire novel in the arrival hall at Los Angeles. I’ve been pulled over and asked to come in for questioning while driving into the United States on the Alaska Highway, quizzed on every aspect of my trip intention. Of course, I’ve happily breezed through plenty of times as well.

But my most recent entry, in September 2022, set a new record. Why? Because I found the easiest airport to enter the United States… and it’s not actually in the United States at all. It’s in Canada. 

If you fly to the US from Vancouver, you walk to a separate part of the terminal, complete a separate security screening, and pass US customs before stepping onto your flight. And let me tell you, whoever decided to plan it out that way was a genius. It was fast, easy, and I even had a giggle with the officers.

“Any laptops, aerosols, or batteries in your bag?” asked the middle-aged lady behind the counter. I shook my head. “Anything in your pockets? Belts go in the tray and you need to take off your shoes.”

Since I was the only person in line, and she seemed friendly, I lifted my foot – clad in slim Converse sneakers – to viewing height. “I always wonder what they think I’m going to hide in here,” I said. 

“I know, right, but the Americans make us do it,” she said, with a theatrical eye roll. Her co-worker, a younger woman who was sitting down and scrolling through social media, looked up and laughed. A quick follow-up question revealed the agents were local people contracted by the US government.

I untied my laces and popped my shoes into a tray. As I collected them at the other end and paused to quickly lace them back up, the lady told me to have a good day and travel safely. That’s Canada for you.

Is it wrong to say the whole vibe was… fun? Obviously it was thorough, safe, and totally compliant with their guidelines, but even the guy who stamped my passport gave a quick, “How’re you doing today?”

Travelling to the United States can be intimidating, even for experienced travellers, because customs agents have a reputation for being very strict. The very last thing you want after 14+ hours in the air, and more hours in the arrival queue, is the prospect of being turned around and sent back to Australia.

However, the truth is that as long as you’ve lined up your paperwork, including return flights and your Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), you’ll be absolutely fine. The USA welcomes about 79 million visitors each year (according to pre-pandemic data) who pour about USD $155 billion (AUD $238 billion) into the economy every 12 months. Border agents know exactly what they’re looking for.

Most Australians enter America through Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, or Honolulu. However, based on my recent experience, I couldn’t recommend Vancouver Airport highly enough. If you have the time, I’d suggest flying directly from Brisbane or Sydney (Qantas and Air Canada have non-stop flights) and hitting up all the good spots in British Columbia and Alberta before heading south.

And who knows, maybe you’ll set a new record, but for now 135 seconds is the time to beat.

Kirrily never sits still for long. She spent the last decade travelling anywhere/everywhere, living for a while in Padang, Indonesia, and Anchorage, Alaska, along the way. She's the queen of off-beat adventures and is currently road-tripping her way around Australia in a personality-filled Hyundai iLoad called Ivan.

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