One hour connection in Seattle SEA-Tac

[rdt10]

Flying home on Alaska Airlines on Saturday, May 23, from Vancouver with plane change in Seattle. Have choice of 1 hour layover or 2 1/2 hour layover. The 1 hour layover flight leaves Vancouver at 10:55 am. The other leaves at 9:25 am. Both connect to the same flight to Kansas City. 

 

I understand we pre-clear US customs and immigration in Vancouver, so the connection in Seattle is considered domestic.

 

Is 1 hour reasonable for a connection on Alaska Airlines at Seattle Sea-Tac airport?

 

How much time should we allow for security and immigration at Vancouver airport?

 

Appreciate everyone's help.

 

Rick

[Sunburg1]

If both flights are on Alaska it should be fine

[klfrodo]

One hour is fine in Seattle.

I fly out of Seattle all the time on Alaska.

Sometimes after we board, we sit and wait for connecting flights to board. Other times when arriving, the flight attendants may request all persons not connecting to remain seated so others may depart the plane faster to catch their tight connection.

[*Miss G*]

If you’re disembarking from your ship on the morning of your flight, that is where your time challenge will be.  If you do not have Global Entry you are going to need extra time at YVR to pre-clear US Customs & Immigration.

Edited February 17, 2020 by *Miss G*

[Globaliser]

8 hours ago, rdt10 said:

Both connect to the same flight to Kansas City.

 

One of the other considerations is what happens if you do miss your Seattle-Kansas City flight, which could happen whether you book the earlier or the later flight.

 

One quick answer is that there is a further Alaska flight that day, departing from Seattle at 1740 and arriving at Kansas City at 2315 (AS434), so you'd still have a decent chance of making it home the same day.

 

You might make a different choice about your connection if a misconnect meant that you'd inevitably be delayed overnight.

[Zach1213]

I have done this exact connection (YVR-SEA-MCI) a few times, and have never had any issues with a short-ish connection like yours. Of course, there's always the times when delays happen, but with everything as it appears on paper, you'll be just fine. 

[CruiserBruce]

I would be more concerned with the early flight out of Vancouver if you are getting off the ship that morning. 10:55 is definitely on the early side...any glitches and you are stuck.

[rdt10]

Thanks for the replies. We are spending the night in Vancouver after our cruise so no rush to the airport. I'll go with the short layover and as pointed out if something goes wrong there is a later flight to MCI from Seattle.

 

We have gone through departure immigration before but not pre-clearance. We have global entry. How much time should we allow at Vancouver airport before our flight? In Europe we allow 3 hours. Don't know if that is needed in Vancouver.

 

Rick

[BBWC]

Make sure to bring your physical global entry cards. Without those, you will not be allowed in the global entry line.

[Zach1213]

47 minutes ago, rdt10 said:

Thanks for the replies. We are spending the night in Vancouver after our cruise so no rush to the airport. I'll go with the short layover and as pointed out if something goes wrong there is a later flight to MCI from Seattle.

 

We have gone through departure immigration before but not pre-clearance. We have global entry. How much time should we allow at Vancouver airport before our flight? In Europe we allow 3 hours. Don't know if that is needed in Vancouver.

 

Rick

 

I have always cleared US immigration a YVR in the early morning (like when they open at 4:30am, since I am usually on the 6am flight), and it has never taken me more than 10 minutes including security. That being said, it may be busier later in the morning...I am not sure. And as mentioned, do bring your physical card with you.