Summary
- Celebrate 15 years of US Preclearance with Shannon Airport’s efficient and domestic-like transatlantic travel experience.
- Passengers fall in love with skipping immigration queues and delays with the unique and revolutionary Preclearance system.
- Shannon Airport continues to innovate, introducing a new Mobile Passport Control app for streamlined US Preclearance process.
Arriving in the United States after a transatlantic or transpacific flight can be a daunting experience for a tired and grumpy passenger, which is one of the reasons Australians and Kiwis are so keen to bypass a stopover at Los Angeles International Airport and hop on a direct service to New York.
Worth a big celebration cake
This is why passengers quickly fall in love with systems like the US Preclearance service at Ireland’s Shannon Airport (SNN), which is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this month. In August 2009, Shannon Airport (Shannon) became the first airport in the world, outside of the Americas, to introduce full Preclearance for passengers traveling to the US.
Photo: Shannon Airport
While the name says it all, it might be helpful for some readers to explain that Preclearance means passengers using the system from Shannon arrive in the US as domestic travelers. After arriving at the US airport, they can simply pick up their bags and leave without dealing with lengthy immigration queues.
Today, Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine said the airport has always focused on making life easy for passengers, so it’s wonderful to celebrate 15 years of US Customs and Border Preclearance at Shannon. She added that over the last 15 years, the airport has worked closely with its colleagues in the US on process improvements and technology upgrades.
“The US Preclearance system has truly revolutionised the transatlantic travel experience, with our passengers enjoying an efficient and uncongested airport experience at Shannon Airport, while they also avoid lengthy immigration queues and delays when they land back on US soil as domestic passengers.”

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A rare privilege at Shannon
Shannon remains one of only two airports in Europe to have US Preclearance facilities, and in 2010, it became the first airport in the world to offer full US Preclearance for passengers traveling on business jets. Not content with that, in 2016, Shannon earned the right to be the first airport to operate a combined European and US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) compliant checkpoint system.

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That system means passengers are screened only once to meet both regulatory standards, eliminating the additional screening requirements that apply at other Preclearance airports. Earlier this year, the airport introduced a new innovative Mobile Passport Control app (MPC) that reduces inspection time at the US Preclearance facility in Shannon Airport.
Photo: The Shannon Airport Group
US-bound passengers can use the app to complete part of the process before arriving at the airport, further streamlining the procedure. They can create a profile using their passport information, allowing them to submit their travel documentation, photo and customs declaration online, eliminating the need to complete a paper declaration form.
There are five daily transatlantic services from Shannon to the US, including a new Delta Air Lines daily service to New York JFK that commenced earlier this summer. In addition, Ireland’s own Aer Lingus operates daily services to Boston Logan and New York, while United Airlines flies from Shannon to Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).