Changing Planes en Route to USA

Hello,

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I've had a look though old topics and couldn't find it...

I'm thinking of going back to the USA for a visit in October, and the flights I was looking at either change in Washington, Newark, Philadelphia or Charlotte, and from my understanding I need to go through Immigration, claim and re-check my bags during my stop-over. 

How long should I allow to do this?  My first choice of flights allowed 1 hour, 42 minutes between flights at Washington- should this be enough?

Thank you in advance for your help!!

That should be enough.

I am not familiar with Washington Airport, so I will bow to Geeta's superior knowledge that it should be enough time.  However, if you have delays (like Fridays's delayed and cancelled flights at Heathrow because of the emergency landing) you will want to make sure your connecting flight is the same airline.  If the airline is the same, and delays mean you miss your flight, the airline has the responsibility get you on another flight at no cost to you.  (Code share airlines work this way as well)

I have friends who flew in one airline with a connecting flight on another airline.  Because the plane was late and it took a while through customs and immigration they missed their connecting flight.  The second airline had no responsibility to them and they had to purchase new tickets...which at the last minute were not cheap.

This only works if your ticket is a through ticket.not seperate tickets...which is why your friends might of had to buy new tickets....

I am not familiar with Washington Airport, so I will bow to Geeta's superior knowledge that it should be enough time.  However, if you have delays (like Fridays's delayed and cancelled flights at Heathrow because of the emergency landing) you will want to make sure your connecting flight is the same airline.  If the airline is the same, and delays mean you miss your flight, the airline has the responsibility get you on another flight at no cost to you.  (Code share airlines work this way as well)

I have friends who flew in one airline with a connecting flight on another airline.  Because the plane was late and it took a while through customs and immigration they missed their connecting flight.  The second airline had no responsibility to them and they had to purchase new tickets...which at the last minute were not cheap.

Washington Dulles is fairly easy to clear immigration/customs and transfer to a connecting flight, plus it's not subject to as many delays as Philadelphia, based on my experience. I made zillions of stops in both PHL and IAD during my work life, and PHL can be disrupted at the drop of a hat.

If the airline offers a particular time connection, barring extraordinary weather events, you should be fine with nearly 2 hours.

I agree that Dulles is an easy airport to navigate. It's actually not a very big place. Personally, I would avoid Newark if possible.

Thank you all for the info :-)