I know that some airports like Frankfurt have a special fast track line for security for Star Alliance Gold passengers.
I was wondering, do any airports extend this perk to immigration too? Somehow I waste more time at immigration than at security.
asked Dec 15, 2023 at 2:59
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The difference is of course that immigration is a governmental service, not something the airline does. As the answers show this does not necessarily mean that the airline can't help with getting it done faster, but in some countries (e.g., here in Sweden) there is a bit of a ethical smell around the government providing better service to people who paid more. Does not mean it never happens, but it's not something people want to acknowledge too much ...– xLeitixCommented Dec 16, 2023 at 8:09
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@xLeitix I get what you mean. But on the other hand isn't airport security in most places a Government service too?– curious_catCommented Dec 16, 2023 at 9:33
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Good question. To me the difference is that airport security, at least in Europe, is normally done through some private company paid by the airport (and, transitively, the airlines), whereas immigration and customs is manned by actual uniform-wearing government agents. It feels different if these guys say "those that paid more for their ticket, please step to the front of the line".– xLeitixCommented Dec 16, 2023 at 18:23
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(but I do get that the border between private companies and government agents is rather muddied at privately owned critical infrastructure, such as airports - as can be seen by the fact that it takes about 2 minutes of misbehaving against airport staff for a bunch of uniformed policemen to show up wanting to have a word with you)– xLeitixCommented Dec 16, 2023 at 18:25
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....and in the US the TSA are essentially direct Government employees?– curious_catCommented Dec 17, 2023 at 9:43
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2 Answers
KLIA does that, both ways. On the plane, biz and first passengers are given a pass for arrival Immigration. I only have experience with OneWorld (CX and MH), but these passes also get handed over to Diamond members, not Gold. I managed to snag these passes on the way out a few times, either because I was traveling in Business class, or because I was extra nice and even though my gold status wasn't enough, a big smile and 10 words of Malay helped... 😇
Thai does that too, in a sneaky way. Whatever class you are flying in, if you're a higher-tier member and can check in at the Business class counters, there's a dedicated security + Immigration lane right behind the counters. Only available if you fly TG. And the lounge is right after Immigration.
Also in BKK if you're flying Business class (or First) with another airline, or are a Diamond-level member, you can also pass through expedited security and Immigration, both ways. The entrance is on the same floor as the counters, instead of upstairs for the plebes.
It used to be a pass, but people often "forgot" to give them back. Passes would be handed over in the planes, and at check-in counters. After a couple of attempts changing their designs, they did away with it, and instead started checking the boarding pass instead, letting in Business and First passengers, and higher-tier members.
I seem to remember Fast-Track lanes for both security and Immigration at CDG2, but my memory is a bit fuzzy.
Side note, I wish HKG had security priority lanes, as security is the longer process, rather than Immigration...
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1Yes CDG has fast track for security and immigration (both ways), it’s called “Accès N°1”, and they have it at least in 2E (on departure it’s a bit hidden), don’t remember about the other terminals. No idea if it works for Star Alliance Gold though.– jcaronCommented Dec 15, 2023 at 8:52
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Indeed! I'm happy to see my memory isn't failing yet. Last time, early 2020, I passed through Accès n°1 on a CX Marco Polo Gold card. So I suppose Star Alliance should work.– user138870Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 8:56
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1@jcaron All ADP airports (CDG and Orly) have Accès n° 1 at all terminals (saw them personally at CDG 1 and 2F and at Orly 1-2-3), AFAIR they can also be called SkyPriority (because of AirFrance hubbing there) Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 13:09
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With regard to CDG, it definitely does have priority security lanes for business-class and frequent flyer passengers, but the e-gates are faster than the priority lanes by a pretty significant margin (though they are still nowhere near as fast as Global Entry in the U.S.)– reirabCommented Dec 15, 2023 at 22:28
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CDG 1 is currently (December 2023) a complete shitshow. I used it twice last two weeks, once for a non-Schengen flight and once for a Schengen one and the chaos is incredible. There is a crew all around to guide you through the maze (such as going through the "non-French passport" for French, and vice-versa, with vastly different queues because they end abruptly. I hope it will be back to normal after the Olympic Games.– WoJCommented Dec 16, 2023 at 9:13
According to the official Star Alliance site, the following airports offer "Gold Track Immigration" lanes:
- Addis Ababa - Bole International Airport (ADD)
- Amsterdam - Schiphol Airport (AMS)
- Brisbane - Brisbane International Airport (BNE)
- Cairo - Cairo International Airport (CAI)
- Istanbul - Istanbul Airport (IST)
- Istanbul - Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)
- Melbourne - Melbourne Airport (MEL)
- Panama City - Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
- Paris - Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG)
- Sydney - Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)
All Star Alliance Gold Customers (including those traveling in Economy Class) and customers in First or Business Class on a flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline are eligible for Star Alliance Gold Track access. Simply present your boarding pass to use this immigration fast lane.
FWIw, I fly through SYD international regularly and have never noticed this "Gold Track" lane. Then again, if you're eligible for the autogates, it takes only seconds to get through anyway. (The regular lines can be much, much longer.)
answered Dec 15, 2023 at 7:15
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1On the final point, I can’t comment on SYD, but at least in the US it’s not unusual for the expedited lanes (TSA Pre-check and CBP Global Entry) to only be available some of the time, often because of staffing requirements (you need to have staff for the regular lanes, so being short-staffed means the expedited lanes are the logical thing to cut first). I would expect similar in most other places that have expedited processing options. Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 12:06
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2SYD definitely has this line. The entrance is further to the left than the normal entrance.– DocCommented Dec 15, 2023 at 13:37