Domestic to international Transfer SFO

Australian friends are looking at a flight for a Tuesday afternoon in May with a 55 minutes connection in SFO (all United metal) as part of a TUS- YVR itinerary. I assume the connection is legal but they are concerned about whether there is enough time to go one from terminal to another (if necessary - domestic to international) and clear customs and immigration. Has anyone had any recent experience at SFO that can shed some light on how comfortable they should or should not be with this connection? They have not yet booked this flight.

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I wouldn't be comfortable with it. A little too tight.

Clarify...the person is flying TUS-SFO-YVR? There won't be any Immigration or Customs issues at SFO, other than showing a passport at the gate to prove eligibility to enter Canada.

If they are flying YVR-SFO-TUS, no Immigration or Customs. That is handled in YVR (pre-clearance).

I am curious about this on a flight from on KLM AMS to SFO to a domestic flight DL SFO to SLC with 2 hours transfer time.

Thanks

Kathy

2 hours should be fine.

Thanks Bruce - I didn’t think they needed to clear customs and immigration but promised to phrase the question as they asked it. I’ll suggest they look for a flight with more breathing room.

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I am curious about this on a flight from on KLM AMS to SFO to a domestic flight DL SFO to SLC with 2 hours transfer time.

You will go through immigration and customs in the International Terminal. Assuming your bags are through checked to SLC, you will drop them off at a re-check belt. You will then be outside the secure area, so walk through Terminal 1 until you get to the Delta concourse (Gates 40-48, IIRC). Security screening there, then to your gate area.

So, your process will be:

Immigration

Luggage retrieval

Customs

Luggage drop-off

Walk to DL concourse in Terminal 1

Security screening

Walk to gate

Thank you FlyerTalker - sounds doable in 2 hours. It's an afternoon arrival.

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Same question with different itinerary.

CLE/SFO/AKL on 2/8/19 arriving at SFO at 9:12p also all United metal.

I think we can get to the international terminal without going through any TSA or other checking.

Does everyone agree and how much layover time do we need?

Thanks

Yes, you can get to the International Terminal from T3 (United's Terminal) without going through TSA security. You will have to show your passport at the gate when boarding.

I would prefer a minimum of 75 minutes of layover, hopefully more than 90 minutes. Winter can cause havoc at SFO.

Thanks CruiserBruce

We sweat delays at SFO after we go wheels up in CLE!

Australian friends are looking at a flight for a Tuesday afternoon in May with a 55 minutes connection in SFO (all United metal) as part of a TUS- YVR itinerary. I assume the connection is legal but they are concerned about whether there is enough time to go one from terminal to another (if necessary - domestic to international) and clear customs and immigration. Has anyone had any recent experience at SFO that can shed some light on how comfortable they should or should not be with this connection? They have not yet booked this flight.

 

 

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What is United metal, and why do you say the connection is legal? I don’t understand what you are saying.

IMO, it is not too much risk of missing the connecting flight.. You’ll have plenty of time to walk from Domestic to International terminals to make your connection

Good luck.

What is United metal,

It's shorthand for saying that the flight is actually operated by United, and is not a codeshare being operated by another carrier. In effect, the aluminum is owned and operated by UA (though sometimes, it's composite).

and why do you say the connection is legal?

A "legal" connection means that it is as least as long as the published MCT (Minimum Connection Time) for flights at that specific airport and specific carrier(s). Airlines are not to sell connections less than the MCT and do not warrant that passengers and/or bags should make the connection in standard operating conditions.

I don’t understand what you are saying.

Hopefully this clears up some things.

IMO, it is not too much risk of missing the connecting flight.. You’ll have plenty of time to walk from Domestic to International terminals to make your connection Good luck.

You must walk much faster than most folks. And you've apparently never gotten caught in delayed operations at SFO.

It's shorthand for saying that the flight is actually operated by United, and is not a codeshare being operated by another carrier. In effect, the aluminum is owned and operated by UA (though sometimes, it's composite).

 

 

 

A "legal" connection means that it is as least as long as the published MCT (Minimum Connection Time) for flights at that specific airport and specific carrier(s). Airlines are not to sell connections less than the MCT and do not warrant that passengers and/or bags should make the connection in standard operating conditions.

 

 

 

Hopefully this clears up some things.

 

 

 

You must walk much faster than most folks. And you've apparently never gotten caught in delayed operations at SFO.

Thanks for explaining the terminology.

BTW, I should have said that’s on a good day without luggage.. I myself, would allow more time to make a connection, Agree, SFO can be really busy. I don’t like to take chances missing a connection.

Flyertalker thanks for providing the explanation to Kingofcool regarding the terms I used. Now to follow up = unfortunately people do not always make rational decisions. I relayed the comments from this thread to my Aussie friends and suggested they book another flight. They booked the original one and said they will just hope all goes well. Yes, I know. Sigh! Hope is not a strategy.

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Our situation is the opposite, International to Domestic.

We are flying from Sydney to SFO on March 1, 2019. Coming in on AA, flight operated by Qantas. Our connection time is only 1 hr 45 minutes, and we have to get off the plane, collect our luggage, go through immigration, recheck our luggage, and go from the International terminal, over to AA terminal. I know it is a short time with all this to do, but it is on our way home. SFO to ORN then ORN to CLE. Very attractive price with Choice Air, and it's on our way home, so we will roll with the punches if we miss a connection, or bad weather.

Our flight over is CLE to DFW, with just over 2 hours layover. Then DFW to SYD. Since we are flying on 1/26/19, never know the weather in CLE, but our ship doesn't leave until 1/31 from Sydney.

Our situation is the opposite, International to Domestic.

We are flying from Sydney to SFO on March 1, 2019. Coming in on AA, flight operated by Qantas. Our connection time is only 1 hr 45 minutes, and we have to get off the plane, collect our luggage, go through immigration, recheck our luggage, and go from the International terminal, over to AA terminal. I know it is a short time with all this to do, but it is on our way home. SFO to ORN then ORN to CLE. Very attractive price with Choice Air, and it's on our way home, so we will roll with the punches if we miss a connection, or bad weather.

Our flight over is CLE to DFW, with just over 2 hours layover. Then DFW to SYD. Since we are flying on 1/26/19, never know the weather in CLE, but our ship doesn't leave until 1/31 from Sydney.

Lets clarify a couple things. First, 1:45 is good time at SFO. No issues there.

Second, you are flying a Qantas flight (its their plane), that happens to be codeshared with AA.

Do you mean you are flying SFO-ORD-CLE? ORN is in Algeria. ORD is Chicago O'Hare.

Lets clarify a couple things. First, 1:45 is good time at SFO. No issues there.

 

Second, you are flying a Qantas flight (its their plane), that happens to be codeshared with AA.

 

Do you mean you are flying SFO-ORD-CLE? ORN is in Algeria. ORD is Chicago O'Hare.

We flew through SFO on United in Nov from Singapore, with a 2 hr layover, and just made it. I was a little concerned with the shorter time on Qantas to AA, but I know it's a codeshare too.

It is on our way home, and I do think it is enough time. I will also be sure to know the airport layout before we go. Thank you again.

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Fwiw; sometimes airlines will set their own MCT which is greater than the official established MCT. Therefore, one may find flights combos listed on computer generated sights, such as ita matrix, that the airlines won’t sell because it doesn’t meet their MCT standards at the specific airport.

Fwiw; sometimes airlines will set their own MCT which is greater than the official established MCT. Therefore, one may find flights combos listed on computer generated sights, such as ita matrix, that the airlines won’t sell because it doesn’t meet their MCT standards at the specific airport.

Anyone trying to go international to domestic at any major US airport in two hours or less needs to have Global Entry. We have done it is CLT and SFO and the lines for non-GE were terrible but we were out of immigration and customs and on our way to our connections in under 30 minutes including getting our bags back and re-checked. The re-check is pretty easy because there is a station right outside of where you clear customs.

SFO has its own set of problems with connections because you just never know what the weather will be. I have seen long long delays for fog, wind and rain and I have had times that I allowed 4 hours to connect for just those reasons and been into SFO early. I would rather spend the extra time just sitting and waiting then I would spend it standing on line or on the phone to get rebooked.....

TUS-SFO-YVR folks, bring your running shoes and some prayers. Yes, it can be done but it won't be easy