Flight Guide
Booking guide
Freshmen can check the ticket on the relevant website in advance when purchasing tickets. Generally speaking, tickets should be booked 3-6 weeks in advance.
Starting dates for spring and fall semesters are different. The recommended time is to arrive in Syracuse should be one week before class. Most schools will have 3-7 days of fresh Orientation activities before the official start of the school, so it is best to know the exact time before starting the ticket purchase. At present, you can purchase international air tickets in the following ways:
- Purchasing points through third-party tickets: It is a window similar to train tickets and ticket sales points. In this way, the staff will charge extra fees, and many sales personnel in order to win a higher commission, students and parents are not really advised to buy a value-for-money ticket.
- Purchase through the official website of the company or official phone.
- Purchase through domestic Ctrip, Qunar: This kind of website is a third-party service platform. The comprehensive comparison is quite convenient, and you can shop around. But the bad thing is that although the price is cheaper than the sales window, but it is not cheap enough. Below are a few commonly used bookings for booking tickets.
JFK Air train
train
greyhound
flight
Boarding
The first step:
Consign the baggage, get a boarding pass. When you check in (for boarding pass and checked baggage), you will need to show your passport (w/visa), ticket (if it is a paper ticket), or you may be required to show the I-20. The airline staff will attach or hang a barcoded bar code to each of your checked baggage boxes and give you a baggage barcode stub. Take a look at the information printed on it (eg: where your baggage will end up.) If you want to transfer your flight, please carefully understand where your luggage needs to be picked up and where you need to check-in again. These staff will explain it to you in detail. If you don’t understand, you must ask for it in time. Please also check the boarding pass (Caring Pass), such as which gate to board and your seat number, when to start boarding, and the end of the boarding Deadline, etc.
The second step:
Say goodbye to friends and relatives. Say goodbye to your relatives and friends, and then you will enter the joint inspection area (the joint inspection area is the customs clearance + security inspection area). There will be airport security guards at the entrance of the joint inspection area. Those who have a boarding pass can enter, which means that this is the last place for you and your relatives.
The third step:
Security check out. After completing the customs declaration, the next step is to queue up (Immigration). Please take your passport (w/visa) and boarding pass. After the customs border officials check, you will stamp the passport with the “China Border Inspection”. After the customs clearance, a security check (X-ray scan) is carried out on the carry-on baggage, and the person must pass the probe door. Liquid items should be placed in clear plastic bags (provided by the airport) for separate safety checks. Laptops may also be required to be taken out of the bag and placed in a plastic basket alone. In the peak season of overseas travel, such as summer vacation, the customs clearance and security check will be long queues. Remember to make sure enough time for yourself. Don’t talk to your relatives and friends for a long time. As a result, the time will not be enough. If you find yourself can’t catch up with the plane, you can ask passengers to let you plug in the team or find the airport staff to get you to the front. After the security check, you will enter the airport’s control area (Airside, or Secure Area / Sterile Area). Find the boarding gate of your flight and wait in the appropriate waiting area, usually starting 45 minutes before departure. You don’t need to show your passport when you board the plane, just show your boarding pass.
Fill in the entry form
In general, the flight attendant will issue this item declaration card during the flight. Of course, you can also download on the official website of the US Immigration Service Fillable. If you are leaving the country for the first time, it is recommended to download it in advance to prevent any doubt when filling in the plane.
In this form, a family or a couple can fill in only one piece, despite of basic personal information, it also asks if the baggage contains vegetables, fruits, meat, soil, etc. Please try to avoid carrying prohibited items. If you have to carry them, please be sure to declare them. If a family carries more than $10,000 in cash, you need to declare it truthfully~
Customs
After getting off the plane, look for the arrival hall and queue up at the Non-U.S. Citzen or the team with Visitors. Submit the corresponding materials to the customs, and record fingerprints, answer the questions raised by the customs. Customs in general need to be reviewed by immigration officers and customs officers. The former mainly examines the qualifications for coming to the United States, while the latter examines the luggage. When it comes to you, first show the passport, I20, I94, and the customs declaration form to the immigration officer. The immigration officer will ask questions about the purpose of being in United States, the residence, and carrying cash. The F1 visa is one of the non-immigrant visas in the United States and is the type of visa held by all international students, whether high school, university or graduate student. When entering the United States, the Customs will make inquiries based on the type of visa and the school’s professional information on the I20. As long as the answer is true, the entry process is easy. Here are some common questions.
What is your purpose of entering USA?
What school you are planning to study?
What major are you studying?
What year are you in school?
How do you support your education?
Transfer
Step 1.
After the plane is arrived at the airport, check the entrance at the airport. Regardless of whether your flight is transferred several times, the first stop after arriving in the United States will be subject to immigration inspection. International students are required to take the Visitor Pass, unless you have a green card or a US citizen, you can take other appropriate channels.
Step 2.
The US Customs staff will ask you the appropriate questions and ask you to take photos and record your fingerprints. Don’t worry that the customs staff will deliberately marry, as long as you don’t bring contraband, you can successfully pass the question if you answer the question truthfully. In general, Customs may ask if you have brought meat and wine, or ask you how much cash you have. During the security inquiry process, the customs will also check the student’s passport, visa and I20, which must be carried with you. In addition, it is also necessary to take off the glasses when taking pictures. When entering the fingerprint, according to the requirements of the staff, the fingerprints of the left and right hands are simultaneously recorded (four fingers are closed).
Step 3.
After passing the customs, you have to collect your own luggage. Find the baggage conveyor corresponding to the flight and wait to pick up your baggage.
Step 4.
Check the baggage again after picking up the baggage. This time, checked baggage will not be inspected. You only need to find the place where the checked baggage is according to the airport guide.
Step 5.
After checking the baggage, go to the boarding gate of the next flight. The information at the boarding gate will change at any time. Students should pay attention to the radio and check the airport electronic notice screen. It should be noted there. The transfer time will be sufficient. As long as the student arrives at the first stop and does not delay the time, he will not miss the second flight. However, the students will encounter the first flight delay, then there is a risk of missing the second flight. When a flight delay affects the transfer, the flight company will arrange the next flight for the student to ensure that the student can reach the destination. Therefore, students should not panic when they encounter flight delays.
Pick-up service
Before arriving in Syracuse, you can contact local student organizations. In addition to the school’s freshman’s office, the school and some college student unions will also provide pick-up service. The pick-up from New York JFK airport to the temporary accommodation is about 50 dollars. The school provides safe and reliable services for the new students. Of course, it is better if you have a friend who is available to pick you up.