I was reading a post that someone wrote about trying to catch a tour after landing within an hour and a half. Anyways my question is this.

Someone replied to the post that you go through customs when you enter? is this true. I flew once before to aruba and all I did grab my luggage and go. I didnt talk to anyone at the airport.

did things change? chris

You must be dreaming, I've been going to Aruba since 1983 and I've always went through customs upon entering their country.

Yeah Chris,you need to go through customs when you enter,they give you a card to hold and present when you leave Aruba.it keeps track of people that arent citizens on Aruba.

Think back.....after getting off the plane there's that looong trek including going up the escalator, the long walk down the halls and back down the escalator...when you got to the bottom of the escalator you got in line to go thru immigration where you showed your ID....after you picked up your luggage and just before exiting the airport is customs...which is usually just a walk thru and on out.

You go through customs in aruba so you do not have to do it when you get back to the states.
YOu do go through customes when you get to aruba. get off plane get stamped then get luggage and go.

Well i ask because when I landed in Aruba I was confronted by someone who worked there. The person I went with lied to his job and said his father had a heart attack to go, so after landing at 3:15 I had to get back on the plane at 3:45. All i did was get on the plane, grab my luggage and get back on,. Hence why I asked. It was the DAY FROM HELL.

Thanks everyone,
Chris

You will have to go through customs when arriving in Aruba and in the US, upon your return.

Chris from CT..are you saying that your travelling companion and you were told to get back on the plane and return to the States right then and there?

What you go through when you arrive is
( Immigration ) That is where you show
You I D's. and give them the card you fill out on the plane. Customs is after you get the luggage and walk out, they have never check or stopped me ever in all the years I have benn going to Aruba

Aruba has its own IMMIGRATION and CUSTOMS checkpoints upon entering Aruba.
You go through Immigration first, where your landing card gets stamped and you get the stub back. This line, depending on how many planes have arrived, can be very long (but still no where near as long as Miami/JFK!!!)
After picking up your luggage you go through Customs. Customs officers generally don't stop tourists, so there is no line.

When leaving Aruba, the checkpoints are as follows:
Aruban Immigration
Aruban security
(pick up checked luggage)
US Immigration
(possible luggage search, drop off checked luggage)
US security