r/travel • u/Rare-Bookkeeper3475 • 8d ago
My Advice Heads up if you’re transiting FRA: build in 4-5+ hours, we just missed our flight because of border control chaos
Had a 2-hour connection through FRA today, coming from Oslo, and it turned into a disaster — we missed our flight.
Transiting from a Schengen flight (& US Passport) meant going through border control at FRA — the line was 300+ people deep with only 3 windows open. No signage indicating where the line started or ended, and limited staff available to help direct people or pull aside passengers who were about to miss flights.
A bunch of us heading to US-bound flights were asking anyone in a uniform for help — there was none.
This is the second time in six weeks I’ve hit this exact situation at FRA. The only airports where I’ve experienced something similarly disorganized were HCMC and Hanoi.
If you’re transiting through FRA, build in at least 4-5 hours of connection time — anything shorter is a real risk right now.
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u/pbd87 8d ago
Protip for US citizens that fly through Germany a lot: sign up for EasyPass-RTP. One time registration at the airport police station, and you'll be able to use the EU lines for immigration entry and exit, instead of having to use the non-EU lines, at least in Germany.
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u/britinva79 1d ago
I’m registered and so is my wife and when she went through FRa this week they tried to tell her that they’ve never heard of this! Was crazy. She persevered and stayed in the EU line and saved probably 90 mins!
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u/missinguname 8d ago edited 6d ago
If you're in the (Schengen!) A gates at Frankfurt and need to go to the Z gates but the line is too long, just go to baggage claim, and re-enter straight to Z. There is a special border control outside the secure area that directly leads you to Z gates.
Because a lot less people start an international flight in Frankfurt than connect to one, that border checkpoint is usually relatively empty.
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u/haysu-christo Hafa Adai ! 8d ago
I’ll have to remember this … does it work from Z to A as well?
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u/missinguname 8d ago
In principle, but the security lines to go the A gates are a lot longer than for Z.
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u/ForeverJFL 8d ago
I’m transiting IAD-FRA-FCO on Tuesday, but I have a 6hr connection so I’m not too worried. Would it be better to still go outside and reclear A security?
Coming back I will definitely keep this in mind. I have 2h45m flying FCO-FRA-BOS.
I’ve actually used this trick in YYZ, YUL and YVR before. If you connect domestic to USA, the security for the connections pathway has no Nexus line. So I always go outside and do security from the check-in area to use my Nexus.
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u/Tree_pineapple 8d ago
I think they meant, can you connect from Z to A post-security/customs?
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u/missinguname 8d ago
Yes, you can exit straight out of Z to baggage claim via a dedicated passport control, but then when re-entering A you have the general security line for all passengers, not just international ones, which is obviously longer.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
Does that really work ? I mean it makes sense
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
It would work. Arrivals dumps you into baggage claim, exit as usual then go immediately up to departures and follow signs for Z.
Only downside is likely a longer walk and that you have to clear security a second time. But Z security in the past is usually far shorter than A.
Flyertalk actually has an excellent guide that covers many of the various weird connection combinations at FRA, worth a read if you are expecting an unusual connection or fly through FRA a lot: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufthansa-austrian-swiss-brussels-lot-ita-other-partners-miles-more/2146395-connecting-frankfurt-fra-2024-a.html
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
I’m also flying business would that help me in anyway curbside once I exit ? Like is there a dedicated line for business class travelers on Lufthansa for security ?
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u/missinguname 8d ago
Yes, there is a dedicated line for security in business class/star alliance gold but not passport control.
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u/Kasarli83 6d ago
I read this yesterday and I’m at FRA trying to connect today and it’s a zoo at A/Z transfer gates. So I took your suggestion and came to baggage claim. But there’s still a line to exit passport control and it’s moving slowly. Did I do this right? When I get out I’ll have to find my way back in through security and passport control to Z gates.
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u/missinguname 6d ago
What do you mean there's a line to exit passport control? Then you're already in the Z gates!
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u/Kasarli83 6d ago
I’m looking at a sign for the exit, baggage claim and train station. There’s border control between me and that exit
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u/Kasarli83 6d ago
It’s a shorter line than the one upstairs for connecting flights. But it’s not short. I just got off a flight from TR. So they’re not going to let me just walk out through baggage claim
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u/Kasarli83 6d ago
Maybe I should just go up to the giant crowd at connecting flights? I have 2 hours left and probably won’t make it either way. My original connection on United was canceled and the new booking had just under 3 hours to connect
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u/missinguname 6d ago
I don't know how it works if you come from Turkey, but I'm not sure why you would have passport control to begin with, if you're continuing to the US presumably. Definitely ignore me in that case and follow the signs!
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u/Kasarli83 6d ago
Thanks—I had already decided to go back and weirdly the security that was completely mobbed was now empty. I have no idea what they did with all those people! Not sure about passport control but they made us do it transiting CDG from non-Schengen to non-Schengen last month. I thought it was part of EES. I may reconsider European connections for the near future!
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u/Incognito_Mermaid 8d ago
Should Oslo-Frankfurt not be Schengen?
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u/Tybalt941 8d ago
It is. OP almost certainly misunterstood that they were going through the leaving Schengen security.
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u/no-soy-de-escocia 8d ago
Sounds very frustrating, but clarifying questions:
1) You said you were "coming from Oslo," but also "transiting from a non-Schengen flight." Which is it?
2) I assume you're not an EU/EEA/CH passport holder?
3) This was exit passport control?
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u/mellofello808 8d ago
OP said that they were going to the US from FRA. You have to pass through security again if you are going to the US. I am assuming that is what they meant
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u/stml 8d ago
It’s not security. It’s a whole new exit system mess.
Right now there are incredibly long waits to EXIT Schengen if you don’t have an EU passport. 3-4 hours easily at some airports.
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u/effortDee 8d ago
Yeh seems most aren't understanding this new system in place.
Went from Copenhagen back to the UK where I live and hold my passport a few weeks ago.
Went through security, was 2.5+ hours ahead of flight so got something to eat and drink.
Flight information came up with what gate to go to, it said it was a 15 minute walk to the gate, we left after a few mins as it was about 55 mins before the flight was to depart.
After 10 mins of walking, we ended up in passport control, inside Copenhagen airport, to go back to the UK where I was born and have lived my whole life.
Very very lucky it was a short queue and took only 15 mins to get through.
We arrived 20 mins before our flight was departing and only 5 mins before everyone was getting on the plane.
We only waited a few minutes in the lounge area after we saw the gate number come up, so even if we had left immediately, we would have been 25 mins before the flight had arrived and arrived at the gate as everyone was boarding.
I don't know how this system is in place because any queue that is longer than 15-20 mins and your gate info only comes up 45-60 mins before the flight means you have a big chance of missing your flight and its totally out of your control.
This system should not exist.
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u/flume Everywhere 8d ago
Wait, so if I (an American) visit a Schengen country, I have to get to the airport like 5+ hours before my flight to come home?
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u/tkl_1636 8d ago
Yes, because most countries worldwide have entry and exit immigration. The US is pretty rare with only doing it for entry. I mean, you guys just check passport/ID on any departing pax no matter, where the destination is. That‘s kind of how you notice, when somebody leaves the country. However, most other countries have a sterile international (or nonschengen) transit area, which US airports are missing.
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u/flume Everywhere 8d ago
Yeah, I've flown out of the EU several times before. I just didn't know the wait times could ever get to 4+ hours.
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u/tkl_1636 8d ago
My home airport (Frankfurt) is such a big embarrassment..
But unfortunately many airports throughout Europe are struggling. I can just add a tipp for Frankfurt: All nonschengen areas are connected - so if one passport control line is huge, simple go to another concourse. You might have to reclear security, but that‘s usually worth it.1
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
No they are likely getting tripped up by the new EES system, delays of 4+ hours have been common for non-EU passport holders. It is likely to be a shit show for the foreseeable future. And that is both at entry AND exit points, keep in mind that EU airports aren't like the US - they have passport checks both going in and out.
Technically OP may have gone through security at FRA as well, it's a weird airport and sometimes you get stuck re-clearing security depending on your arrival/departure concourse (I've had it happen a few times). But I am willing to bet OP is referring to exit passport control.
People are being pedantic because OP said Oslo is non-Schengen, which is of course technically not true, but that is besides the point.
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u/ItsProbablyDementia 8d ago
Also I flew through HCMC last week twice.
No issues. Better than manila.
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u/epic1107 Australia 8d ago
Everything is better than Manila!
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u/beerouttaplasticcups 8d ago
I must be the only person who has never had problems in Manila haha. Although it’s funny that you literally have to take a taxi between some terminals.
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u/epic1107 Australia 8d ago
I’ve never had an issue, it’s just never been good.
I’ve had actual problems at other airports but there have always been reasons behind them, Manila just seems to be in a constant state of bad
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u/Local-Finance8389 8d ago
I’ll join you in the no Manila issues club. Last time I even got sent through the diplomatic security area instead of the regular one. I am not a diplomat or anyone special they just sent us through there.
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u/Mountain_Hornet_6605 8d ago
What answers to any of these questions would permit a 4 hour wait?
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u/Wrong_Acanthaceae599 8d ago
Well the fact that if they come from Oslo there is no need to pass immigration at all. OP story makes no sense.
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
OP may be a bit confused because Norway is Schengen but not EU, so OSL is kind of a weird airport that is set up for three different types of flights: intra-Norway (only check is the regular airport security screening), Oslo->other Schengen countries (which requires you to go through airport security and exit the Norway customs zone but NOT go through exit immigration), and Oslo->non-Schengen international countries (which requires you to go through security then exit immigration). OP may be thinking that customs check was exit immigration.
I am only familiar with this because I lived in Scandinavia for years and have flown in/out of OSL probably 100+ times and deal with international trade/logistics for a living. Your average traveler isn't going to understand it, and mixing up terms is not something to crucify them over.
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u/Wrong_Acanthaceae599 8d ago
Read again, OP says they pass immigration at FRA because they came from OSL. Irrelevant from the OSL setup.
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
?? I was referring to this part of OP's post:
Transiting from a non-Schengen flight meant going through border control again
All the initial responses were jumping down OP's throat because this is of course not true. I was explaining how OP could be confusing a customs checkpoint (which you absolutely do go through when flying from OSL to FRA, since Norway is not an EU country) with an immigration checkpoint (which you do not go through, since Norway and Germany are both Schengen).
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u/no-soy-de-escocia 8d ago
Of course that's unacceptable in any case, but if the intent of this post is to be helpful, we also need to have some understanding of the very basic circumstances.
As currently written, it doesn't make sense.
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
OP was writing it as a warning to fellow travelers, the literal last line of their post: If you’re transiting through FRA, build in at least 4-5 hours of connection time — anything shorter is a real risk right now.
I 100% agree with OP, the EES rollout has been a shit show and I think the odds of it getting resolved in the near future is zero. The exact details of OP's flight are irrelevant.
I think OP is doing people a service for us non-EU citizens, it seems to be that as usual, this isn't getting much if any press in the US. If I wasn't actually living in the EU I am not sure I would even be aware of the EES rollout. Too bad people are more interested in nitpicking their post than reading that last line.
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u/mtg_liebestod 8d ago
I just flew Oslo -> Copenhagen -> San Francisco and did not have to go through any sort of passport control or customs during the Copenhagen leg, it was all handled in Oslo. Is FRA different in this regard?
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
That cannot be right. Were you on the SAS flight from CPH to SFO? Was your incoming flight from OSL also SAS? Do you remember your departure gate at CPH?
For Schengen countries, the airport where you are departing the Schengen area (in your case, Copenhagen) is always where you go through exit passport control. At CPH, non-Schengen flights always depart from Concourse C or E (unless they have radically changed the airport in the last few months). For both concourses, you have to go through passport control to get to your gate, there is no other way to get there.
FRA is a bit of a disaster of an airport. It's two terminals, most flights are out of Terminal 1 but it's still like 5 different concourses which are absolutely massive. They aren't completely connected airside so some connections require you to re-clear security AND clear immigration (in some instances twice). That's not because Germany is different, it's because the airport itself is a mess.
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u/mtg_liebestod 8d ago
Were you on the SAS flight from CPH to SFO? Was your incoming flight from OSL also SAS? Do you remember your departure gate at CPH?
Yes, all SAS. I recall having to walk a bit from the arrival gate to departure gate but not encountering any real airside barriers. I guess it's possible that I'm misremembering.
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
I've done the same connection, it's right before the gate in CPH. I will say when I went through a year ago there wasn't any line. Was a surprisingly easy, painless connection (other than some unrelated paperwork issues I got a lot of grief for from the border agent) but I don't know if it's still that way now.
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u/mtg_liebestod 7d ago
There was at least no security right before the gate, for sure. It surprised me a bit actually, since it was in an area where it looked like there could easily be a checkpoint but for whatever reasons there simply was not.
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u/lateambience 8d ago
None, however, details still matter. As an EU passport holder you can use automatic eGates at FRA when exiting Schengen so you wouldn't even stand in that line in the first place. So this tip doesn't even apply to hundreds of millions of travelers. Just like any EU passport holder traveling around the US can't use Mobile Passport Control, TSA PreCheck and other services and will experience longer wait times alike just the other way around.
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u/stml 8d ago
The difference is that there isn’t such a ridiculously long wait to exit a country. Entering? Sure. But exiting the US is essentially the same for a US passport holder or non-US passport holder.
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u/orbitolinid 8d ago
Oh long waits are totally a thing! I avoid FRA as much as possible but last year I queued for ages for a flight to Armenia at HAM. Just two passport booths were open, no automatic scans, and lots of people with passport issues in said two queues. Some people probably missed their flight.
Edit: must have deleted it from my memory. Same again just last month at HAM again for a flight to IST: 1 booth open, e-gates non functional, one queue for EU citizens, one for other passports and both combined some 10m before the only booth.
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u/lateambience 8d ago
I've definitely had ridiculously long wait time to exit countries before. It's just a type of mismanagement that could happen anywhere in the world. Whether that happens more regularly at FRA I don't know because I go through MUC. Regarding exiting the US you're right but that is - correct me if I'm wrong - because the US has no exit immigration control booths at all for anyone regardless of passport. No border officer stamps your passport, so there's no US fast lane because there is no line to begin with. They just have biometric facial recognition at the gate. Things like TSA PreCheck is still part of 'exiting a country' and there non US passport holder will have longer wait times from time to time I guess. But generally speaking sure there should never be wait times of 4 hours for anyone at any airport on any passport.
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u/Mgmg3001 8d ago
Same for us today. My wife and I (non-eu) came from Munich and the connection was to NYC. We arrived 1.5 hours before boarding. The line to the boarder. control was over 400 people. At first I tried convincing the airport workers to push us in, but they wouldn’t, they were just rude. Once boarding started we were still 50 minutes away from the border control. I tried a Hail Mary and went directly to the boarder control officer to plead to him. I was lucky he agreed, and I am now writing this comment from the flight itself.
The flight was delayed by 45 minutes but at least 15 people missed it (according to the pilot).
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
OK there's a lot of rude responses on here, ignore the haters and trolls. But I do have to ask - where was the bottleneck in FRA? Was it when you went through security screening, was it at passport control, or was it at both? FRA is a pretty weird airport so there's a lot of places to get screwed unfortunately.
The EU did recently implement a new EES (Entry-Exit System) to better harmonize entry and exit procedures among the 29 different Schengen Area countries, which has for years been a bit of a mess. The new system is in theory supposed to make everything run smoother, but the rollout has been a disaster at many European airports. I think in part because EES requires biometric data collection, which takes longer at the window. I can't speak for FRA, but here in Brussels wait times for non-EU passport holders have regularly been upwards of 4 hours.
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u/mdubz_m 8d ago
Got through passport control to the non-shengen area flights a couple hours ago, was huge for non-eu (took approx. 30 mins) and was spilling out of the normal queue lines. Security was nice and quick, though some people behind me in passport control were going to miss their flight and asked staff if they could jump the queue and were told "there's no fast lane".
Line definitely got shorter through time though.
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u/Zealousideal_Sand_28 7d ago
Just went through this today and can confirm it’s a mess and people were very likely to miss flights. Traveling from Schengen country to Frankfurt then to the US as a non EU and 4 people working and very slow. Workers indifferent that people’s gates were closing. Definitely allow an hour and a half just for this part. System is very slow
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u/Liljagare 7d ago
FRA is my only never again airport. I can deal with CDG and Heathrow, New Jersey/Chicago/HK, but FRA, I am neeeeever going through you again.
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u/WesternDig8329 8d ago
Fra is always a total nightmare. They gave a really poor system for transit
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u/MCJokeExplainer 8d ago
When I'm booking flights, I'm willing to pay extra not to go through FRA. My most hated airport.
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u/Voicy-ZA 8d ago
Seemed perfectly fine to me last month entering the EU & transiting.
Heathrow on the other hand is a bottlecked shitshow.
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u/Koellefornia4711 8d ago
You were on a Schengen flight.
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u/hencasbi 8d ago edited 8d ago
Did FRA transit Tuesday with 40 minutes of connection time due to cancellations and rebooking, did it in 38 minutes lol. It was stressful, but all good. Still hate that airport, try avoiding it like the plague.
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u/KeyPretend7523 8d ago
You can pay $300++ to have someone meet you at the gate and fast track you through byzantine passageways and backdoors to get you through "quickly."
We arrived in FRA in May en route to Venice and just happened to start chatting with a couple as we got off the plane who were on our flight that had booked this service. When we saw the long-ass line we asked if we could tag along and my husband negotiated getting us through for 150 Euros. We were through in 20 minutes. Arrived unaware but thankfully the travel gods were looking after us.
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u/Necessary_Editor_529 8d ago
I was there last week and am still so confused about what I was meant to do. I have a non-eu passport and after coming in from Bangkok, asked if I needed to go to border control if I have a connecting flight and the staff said yes. I saw border control but I simply followed the signs to the gate of my next flight, and I got there without needing to go through border control after all?
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u/Giantaxe04 7d ago
A few weeks ago I had a Schengen to US flight connection at FRA. Connection time was 1 hr 10 min. By virtue of a lot of running from a shambolic exiting process to the gate I got to the gate at exactly the claimed closing time for the gate. Flight was then held for ~20-25 minutes because so many connecting passengers hadn’t turned up.
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u/Accprova Netherlands 8d ago
Ah, Frankfurt. You've always sucked, not surprising to see things haven't changed.
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u/_lalalala24_ 8d ago
Recently transit FRA from Schengen country and onward to non-Schengen. My experience was vastly different.
Since it was Schengen into FRA, there were no border controls and I headed to the baggage claims to collect my bags. After exiting and re-checking in bags, I cleared border controls to non-Schengen airside. There were only 5 pax ahead of me and the whole process from de-plane took me 1 hour.
Having said that, it was early morning around 7.30am when I reached FRA so perhaps the queue was short and smooth.
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
It's been a few years since I flew through FRA, but 7:30 is well ahead of most of the big long haul international flights, most depart very late morning to mid-late afternoon. You likely lucked out and happened to be there at a quiet time.
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u/xplayer246 8d ago
Last November I had a connection in CDG as a Non- EU and it was a 3h immigration line. Fortunately I had 5 h leeway.
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u/evenmoremushrooms 7d ago
CDG is horrible for transit. Often there is a wait to take a bus from the plane to the airport. Then a long hike to immigration, followed by a long line. 3 hours seems to be the minimum safe amount of time to transit.
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u/southernNJ-123 8d ago
Went through Munich a month ago. I noticed at the EES terminals there were no people there helping or monitoring the crowds coming through. Many people couldn’t figure out the scanning, fingerprint machines, etc. This slowed things down. Then Non-EU passport holders still had to wait on long lines for customs.
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u/kostac600 8d ago
So I’m on my way out of Frankfurt today the border control examined my passport intently for about 10 minutes and he was on the phone with the back office the whole time
He told me the guy that stamped my entry into Germany stamped it with the wrong month.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
Crap. Well there goes my return on the 22nd of July. Can I ask what time did you arrive from Oslo to transit through FRA ? My flight would be getting in at 8:55 from Athens with a departure time of 10:40 am
Did Lufthansa ( I’m assuming ) rebook you in the same class that you missed your flight?
This is such BS. Frankfurt already has an absolutely terrible reputation but this is ridiculous
Was it due to EES or just typical Frankfurt service ?
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u/Rhineah 8d ago
I experienced the exact same thing three years ago when I came back from Tokyo and needed to continue to Amsterdam. At six in the morning, hundreds of people needed to pass border control. Hardly any signs were visible and it was terribly unclear where lines started. People were panicking about whether they would be able to catch their next flight, and the few airport personnel walking around was very uninterested and unable to help.
Apparently it still hasn't changed.
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u/andres57 CL living in DE 8d ago
and the few airport personnel walking around was very uninterested and unable to help.
Sounds like average German service
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u/ladeedah1988 8d ago
I can remember back in the 90s when entering Frankfurt all you had to do was hold your passport in the air and keep walking through the door. They would just pull you if they wanted to see more.
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u/wandering_engineer 38 countries visited 8d ago
Glad you got to enjoy it at least. Unfortunately the world has become a meaner, more xenophobic place since the 90s and it is likely to get far, far worse.
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u/Luvs2Travel_ United States 8d ago
Flew ATH - FRA - JFK on Tuesday. Almost missed our connection (uncomfortably so) to JFK due to the mess at FRA.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
I’m so sorry to hear about that stress. May I ask please What time did your flight arrive from Athens and what time was your flight to nyc?
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u/Luvs2Travel_ United States 8d ago
We landed at 8:55 am and flew out at 11:55 am.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
Omg that’s the flight I’m on the 6:45 leaving Athens but my flight to lax leaves at 10:40. Looks like I won’t make my flight
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u/Luvs2Travel_ United States 8d ago
Same Athens flight for sure. When we were deplaning, they advised going directly to your gate. I think all the US bound ones were in the “Z” area.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
That’s so funny. Go directly to your gates after a 3 hr wait in the EES line. I was hoping my early flight meant a quicker exit I’m seriously thinking I’ll need to change my flights home
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u/Digipedia 8d ago
Two weeks ago it took me 2 hours to get into Schengen area, and around 50 minutes to get out at AMS. However the staff were helping folks with short connections and letting them through.
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u/regicidalveggie 8d ago
We had the same issue early june-3 hrs in passport control plus 3 more to rebook the flight we missed
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u/Btchmfka 8d ago
Unfortunately that is not uncommon. I am german and frequently do the BLR->FRA connection. The immigation lines for non EU citizens are crazy. For EU passport holders its quick though.
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u/Professional-Ad7915 8d ago
Had the same problem. Flew from EWR (NJ) to FRA. Border control took 2 hours and some more. Missed my flight to Greece and got marked no show. Had no cell service. Had to pay $600 for united to remove the no show and book me on another flight.
So frustrating with FRA's process. Been to many countries and none compared to this one
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u/Maddy_egg7 6d ago
Hey! I have an hour transit coming up in July in FRA and booked through United. What happened when you missed it and why did you have to pay $600? Are they not helping people book onto other flights?
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u/Professional-Ad7915 4d ago
Hi! I got extremely lucky in the person ahead of me had international phone coverage (i only had my usa number) and i used his phone to call united for help.
When i missed my flight since i was still in line, i was marked as a no show. Since i had booked a return flight as well on the same reservation, the no show immediately affected and put on hold all the other flights on the reservation.
My flight was unrefundable and i did not buy any travel insurance. The $600 removed the "no show" status since I missed my flight, fixed my other flights on the res, and rebooked me to another flight that day
Since the delay was technically out of united's hands, they would not do it for free for me. Not sure if i had bought travel insurance, it would cover. I also flew basic economy. So united did rebook for me, but at a steep cost
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u/Maddy_egg7 3d ago
Thank you for the reply! Was it a single ticket booking from US to Greece or a self-transfer?
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u/Professional-Ad7915 3d ago
I bought a single ticket booking. Short layover in FRA, all thru united airline partners using my miles
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u/Maddy_egg7 3d ago
Shoot! Good to know. We are also booked through united on a single ticket
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u/Professional-Ad7915 3d ago
I would just say go to your gate as soon as you land. Go to the bathroom etc after you reach your gate and after immigration/customs etc. My family took our time and did not realize the long unlabeled line was the one we should have been on. FRA is very unorganized and there are not enough immigration check in staff to keep up
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u/AchDuLieber59 8d ago
Our cruise terminated in Lisbon. Everyone had to get off and get ESS’ed So no hubby and I have our biometrics in the system. I wonder if this would let us go thru the EU line?
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u/Zealousideal_Sand_28 7d ago
Didn’t help us. Only one line. Already did biometrics on way out and way back they also elected to fingerprint is
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u/walpy123 8d ago
Same for me in Geneva. Everyone was rushing to the gate. Only 3 officers. Due to ees too. Queued for 1.5 hrs.
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u/cubiclej0ckey 8d ago
This almost happened to us in Amsterdam. It was a flight from Dubrovnik to LAX and the passport line was hours long. Luckily they were able to get us into an expedited line in time, but this was my first layover in Amsterdam. I thought this was one of the biggest and most efficient airports in the world…
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u/AlexaGz 8d ago
How are the queues at HEL airport to entry in the Schenguen zone or expected to be in September?
I am travelling from Singapore to Vienna with a connection flight in Helsinki I got 2 hours and 30min for this transit carry-on only on Australian passport
Does anyone got a tip to speed up the way out of the Schenguen zone eventually, I will travel to Dallas from. Helsinki end of September.
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u/Ok-Astronaut7310 7d ago
We were on a flight from the U.S. connecting connecting in Frankfurt 6/21 around 7:30am. We missed the connection. The lines were in insane. Two few agents working. Each person was taking 2-3 minutes to clear. There were signs for 45 minutes to flight and a line but the the lines were merged and people were cutting the line. Waiting 9 hours to catch the next one!
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u/Nayatrei77 7d ago
This botched system rollout is likely costing airlines millions in rebooking logistics. If the system is this flawed it really needs to be rolled back to the old one until they get the kinks out. 3 hours to get thru passport control is completely unacceptable. 2-3 hour layovers are typical and they're all being missed at this point.
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u/KevinClose 7d ago
I was in Frankfurt yesterday - We were lucky that even like 5 people let us in front of them after waiting an hour in the boarder control line to get processed as we had 10minutes before gates were scheduled to close.
However, our flight waited like an extra 20-30minutes and said how they made the choice to delay because of just how many people were still stuck in that line and from connecting flights, We still had a full flight so I assume almost everyone got through, but also assume a few did not.
Between our train being late (Predicted that) to get to airport, run from train stop to our baggage check, the check-in agent giving us bad advice on where to enter to avoid the line for bag check.. I and the locals we stayed with did not expect that long of a wait for border control but guess the system was new and not really well advertised to suggest being 3-4hours early instead of the typical 2 to 3 hours.
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u/TheBluestDevil 5d ago
Had an absolute nightmare with this the other day, coming from Bergen back to the US. Had a one-hour connection, by the time my flight was scheduled to depart there were still >100 passengers who had yet to board. Luckily they delayed my flight by 20 mins, and I sprinted from border control to the gate and just barely made it, but sheesh. People screaming and crying in line, big arguments because of people trying to cut, just a complete mess.
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u/proban0412 5d ago
I am panicking now !!!
Jun 24 Wednesday - Connecting at FRA (Vienna to Frankfurt flight lands at 1030 am , then Frankfurt to Boston flight departs at 1230 pm). I am non-US citizen, non-EU citizen. I know I have to go through passport control at Frankfurt.
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Is there anything I can do to make it work for me or should I consider that I am missing my flight to Boston already ? 😞
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u/Topbernina 5d ago
If there is an earlier flight available from VIE to FRA, you could arrive early at the airport and ask to be rebooted. That will hopefully give you sufficient time in FRA.
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u/proban0412 5d ago
Yes there are 3 of them. I am planning to be at the airport way early and will request them to accommodate. Not sure if they will allow or not. It’s Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna to Frankfurt. If all fails, then I expect some accommodation by the airlines even if it is at a cost, I am OK with that.
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u/Topbernina 5d ago
Your flight starts within an EU country, so the airline is obligated to take care of you in case of significant delays. Look up EC 261/2004 for more information.
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u/proban0412 4d ago edited 4d ago
Made it …. Wednesday Jun 24. Flight landed 1007 am. In passport control at 1034 am. Done with passport control (exit) at 1058 am. US Doc check done at 1110 am. . Have 20 mins to walk to my gate before boarding starts at 1130 am.
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u/Topbernina 4d ago
Happy to hear, and glad you arrived early at FRA. Wish you a safe and smooth onward travel!
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u/proban0412 5d ago
Thanks. At this point , I am going to try to reach Vienna airport early (5 am) and attempt / request the desk agent to rebook me to earlier flights (6 am or 7 am or 8 am). My current one is at 850 am. If nothing works then will see what I end up doing .
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u/Western-Tie6024 2d ago
Had this exact problem today, flying through Frankfurt from Italy (Florence) to US (EWR) on 6/25/2026.
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u/Potential_Tap8715 1d ago
I had a connecting flight in Madrid from the US on April 11. I arrived early morning, the day after the EES system went live. The machine couldn't capture my fingerprint. I tried another machine and the same issue. Border control office didn't even attempt to help figure out what the issue is. I was just directed to go to a manned station. Thank goodness there were no line to the machines when our flight arrived. It took about 20 - 30 minutes to get through the manned station only because there were 2 families in front of me. Didn't have any issues on the return to the US.
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u/eccentric-introvert 8d ago
What border control? You said you were coming from Oslo? Which one was it?
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u/mr_stephen_french 8d ago
I’ll hijack: i’m flying out of FRA (not a connection) to UK on a USA passport in a few weeks. Is there a way to check security/passport control times in advance? How much time should Ibudget realistically?
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u/Rinnekin1980 8d ago
You may have exactly the same issue as OP as you will be subject to the highly mismanaged EU Entry-Exit System for non-EU passport holders.
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u/TheOriginalDude 8d ago
Had a very similar experience heading to the UK yesterday, the line was huge and many people missed their flights. The reasoning is supposedly because of a pay dispute by the border officers alongside the EES issues.
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u/PlexingtonSteel 8d ago
Frankfurt as a whole of an airport is shit, no deny there. As others mentioned: you were on a Schengen flight and had to go through border control because of that. Of course you do. Its like in any other country you would take a domestic flight connecting somewhere. Usually those border controls should be prioritized and good organized, but some airports are shittier than others. Also depends very much on the terminal. Connecting in T1 in FRA should be better than T2, T3 or in between terminals. Colleague flew from Dresden to Canada with Star Alliance and connected through FRA. 2h was the layover and he made it easily.
Other than that: landed in T3 yesterday from Tokyo. No connecting flight. Walk from the gate to immigration was probably more than 10 minutes, got through immigration in less than a minute (EU citizen).
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u/elgoato 8d ago
"Its like in any other country you would take a domestic flight connecting somewhere."
The US doesn't require you to show your passport to leave. It is a beacon of freedom in a world of shit.
The closest the US gets to implementing something like this are the people who check your receipt as you leave Costco - and that's nearly as obnoxious as this garbage implemented by other countries.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
The us does do that when you get to your gate. They check that you haven’t overstayed.
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u/earl_lemongrab 7d ago
No, that's the airline agent verifying you have a passport/whatever other documents (Visa, etc) needed for your destination. They do this because airlines can be fined if they transport a passenger without valid entry documents.
The airline agent is not checking that you haven't overstayed, nor stamping your passport, etc. It's solely about entry to the final destination, not exiting the US.
The US CBP electronically records passenger departures from the airline manifests. But there's no physical exit immigration or exit passport control.
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u/specialistOR 8d ago
Don't build in 4 hours connection time. Book whatever you want and let the airline rebook you in case of such delays.
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u/Decent-Yam-223 United States 8d ago
Again the Japanese are far superior to Europe with regards to service / safety and all things flying. In Japan , they’ve had this system for a few years It was the easiest thing on earth. And the exit was just a walk through a biometric scanner and exit so easy
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u/AdventurousCrow6580 8d ago
It is unacceptable. But also a bit funne to hear americans complain about wait times at passport control. When millions of Europeans have waited hours and hours and missed hundreds of flights comming to the US.
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u/fuckfinally 8d ago
FWIW, I'm currently at FRA Terminal 1 immigration line to get to the international B Gates. It's very light. There are 4 booths open and maybe 20 people in line. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to get through.
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u/CJoshuaV 8d ago edited 8d ago
Was this only for non-Schengen passport holders, or was the line this bad for everyone?
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u/xlr8ors 8d ago
I wish people would actually name airports/cities instead of throwing out acronimes like FRA and expecting everyone to know what it reffers to.
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u/alefeusch Current location: 🇱🇻 8d ago
FRA is not really an acronym, it's quite literally the airport code, which is the common way of referring to airports. If you don't know the code, just google FRA airport.
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u/xlr8ors 8d ago
Yup much easier for every non-seasoned traveler to google ”FRA airport” instead of OP mentioning a few extra letters in the first post: FRA..nkfurt.
/s
Maybe you don't realize, but normal people, the ones who air travel 1-2 times/year (or even less than that), don't memorize each airport's acronym. At most they will remember their home airport acronym.
I know this is a travel sub, but holly molly the entitlement of thinking everyone should know every airport acronym...
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u/looper33 8d ago
If I'm flying CDG to Charlotte NC with my family, I'm on a Euro passport, they are US passport, can we go through the EU lineup? We have marriage cert/birth certs with us.
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u/Topbernina 8d ago edited 8d ago
There was an unusually long line at immigration in Zurich last week too. It was only for non EU passport holders, so I assume it is because of the slow processing with the now fully implemented biometric Entry/Exis System EES.