QF to Fort Lauderdale via Dallas Fort Worth - 2 hr layover enough?

Hi, I read in a thread that if your final destination in the U.S is other than LAX, JFK or Dallas-Fort Worth, you need to clear Immigration/ Customs, get your bags and then check-in for Domestic connection? Is this correct? If this is the case, I only have 1 hour and 50 minutes between landing at Dallas-Fort Worth (QF7 from Sydney) and my connecting AA flight to Fort Lauderdale. Is this enough time? Or should l ring QF and change the connecting AA flight to a later flight?

Yes, that is correct. You need to clear immigration, collect your bags and re-check them, then go through security.

If your connection was LAX, I’d say you can’t do it in 1h50mins. Being DFW, you most likely can. The process is much more streamlined at DFW. You bag will be pre-tagged, you collect it and just drop it off on a conveyor metres away. Immigration is biometric, so much quicker than LAX. And security uses 3D scanners, no need to remove items from the bag.

On any flight arriving in the USA you must clear Immigration & Customs including collecting your bags from the carousel. No exceptions. Never rely on an airline's minimum permitted connection time.

That is plenty at DFW.

Plenty of time for DFW on a normal day.

If it is one ticket, AA will pop you on another flight if QF is delayed (automatically). Immigration is a breeze, especially with MPC app (DFW is super fast regardless), taking the train to another terminal may take 10mins, and make sure you go in the right direction, to avoid further delays. Also AA board close to 50mins before departure unlike australia, which is usually 15-20mins prior.

Is it a connecting flight purchased on the same ticket? Or you purchased them separately? If purchased together i.e. the airline allowed it to be booked like that then it would be fine because even if you missed its their responsibility to rebook you or send the bag on. If you chose to book them separately then the risk is higher, but in general it would be enough - with caveats as usual!

BTW a quick check online shows that it allows you to book with a 1:55 stopover as a single ticket, so seems OK to me.