Ask AC-U-KWIK: CBP "Designated" Airports

I’m familiar with “Landing Rights” and “User Fee” classifications that the Customs and Border Patrol assign airports. But why do I sometimes see the word “designated” added to these descriptions?

There are currently 31 airports that have been deemed “designated” airports by the CBP. These airports are located along the southern border of the United States. If you are flying from the Caribbean or from Mexico, you are required to land at one of these “designated” airports before you proceed to your final U.S. destination. While the possibility of contraband (such as illicit drugs) entering the U.S. is a reality for all customs agents, incidents involving aircraft coming from Mexico and the Caribbean are much more common, and specialized inspection procedures at these airports focus on that fact. However, it is possible to receive a “Southern Border Overflight Exemption” from the CBP that allows a flight to bypass this rule. Please see the CBP website for details and an application at www.cbp.gov.