Meeting Family Who Don't Speak English at Dulles: A Pickup Plan That Works

Before They Fly: Preparing Your Traveler

The most helpful thing you can do is give your traveler a clear picture of what will happen and the information they need at each step.

• Explain the arrival process in their language: passport control, baggage claim, customs and the exit into the arrivals hall.
• Write down the address where they are staying, your phone number and the chauffeur's details on a card they can show to anyone, in English and in their language.
• Prepare a short note in English explaining who they are, why they are visiting and who is meeting them - useful if they need to ask for help.
• Make sure their phone works in the U.S., or that they know how to connect to the airport's Wi-Fi to message you.
• Pack documents they may need for immigration, such as the address and contact details of the person they are visiting, in an easy-to-reach place.

After Landing: Immigration and Customs

After an international flight lands at Dulles, passengers go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection passport control, collect their checked bags and pass through customs before exiting. Depending on the gate, they may take the AeroTrain or a mobile lounge to the international arrivals area. Signs throughout the airport include pictograms, and airport and airline staff can direct travelers who need help.

CBP officers may ask questions about the purpose and length of the visit. If your traveler does not understand a question, it is fine for them to say so; CBP has language-access resources, and officers can often arrange interpretation when it is needed. Remind them to declare any food they are bringing - homemade food from home is a very common gift - and to answer questions honestly.

Processing time varies, sometimes widely, depending on how many flights arrive at once and whether bags are inspected. Your traveler may need more time than other passengers if they are unsure of the process, so build that into the plan.

The Meet and Greet: Someone Waiting at the Exit

The moment that worries families most is the exit into the arrivals hall, where a traveler who does not speak English may not know where to go or whom to look for. A meet and greet solves this. With our meet and greet add-on, the chauffeur waits inside the terminal at the international arrivals exit with a name sign, greets your traveler, helps with luggage and walks them to the vehicle.

To make the meeting as easy as possible, share in advance a photo of the chauffeur's sign, or tell your traveler exactly what name will be on it. You can ask for the sign to show the traveler's name the way they will recognize it. When you book, give dispatch the traveler's name as it appears on their passport, a photo if you are comfortable sharing one, and any language they speak.

Staying Connected During the Pickup

Even with a name sign, a phone call can help. Plan to be reachable by phone during the arrival so the chauffeur can call you and put your relative on the line if needed - a familiar voice explaining who the chauffeur is goes a long way. Share the chauffeur's phone number with your traveler, and tell them the chauffeur will be the person with the sign showing their name.

Our dispatch team is available 24/7 at (877) 609-1919 and can relay updates if the flight is early or late, if your traveler is delayed in customs, or once they are in the vehicle.

Timing: Why Waiting Time Matters

We track the flight from departure, so the chauffeur adjusts to early or late arrivals automatically. International airport pickups include 60 minutes of complimentary waiting, counted from the flight's actual touchdown, which covers most immigration and baggage waits. If your traveler takes longer, extra waiting is billed in 15-minute increments and disclosed before you confirm.

If you know your traveler may need extra time - an older parent who walks slowly, someone using wheelchair assistance from the airline - mention it when you book. Airlines arrange wheelchair assistance through the airport if requested in advance, and the airline's staff typically bring the traveler through the arrival process to the exit.

Choosing the Right Vehicle

Long visits often mean big suitcases and boxes of gifts. For one or two travelers with standard luggage, a Business Sedan or First Class Sedan seats three passengers with room for two bags. For more luggage, a Lincoln Nautilus seats three with room for four bags, and a Chevrolet Suburban seats five with room for five. For a larger family group, a Lincoln Navigator seats six, and a Mercedes Sprinter seats up to 13.

If you are riding along to meet your relatives yourself, include yourself in the head count. If you will be at home or at work, the chauffeur brings your traveler directly to your door.

The First Days of a Long Visit

A relative who arrives for a long stay may need rides beyond the airport - to a family celebration, a doctor's appointment, or back to Dulles at the end of the visit. If you book those trips with us too, give dispatch the same notes about language and mobility so every chauffeur knows what to expect. For the return flight, plan to have your relative at the airport well before departure, since international check-in and security take time, especially for travelers who are less familiar with the process.

A Simple Checklist

Before the flight: share the flight number with us, book meet and greet, prepare the card with addresses and phone numbers, explain the arrival process, and tell your traveler the name on the sign. On the day: keep your phone on, watch the flight status and expect a call from the chauffeur or dispatch once your traveler is in the car.

We provide international arrivals pickups at Dulles with flight tracking and a flat rate confirmed before you book.