Connection times at SFO

Hmmm, you'd think the number of times I've flown into SFO, I'd know the answer to this wouldn't you? That said, I've never connected to a domestic flight from there, so......

I'm planning my flights for my annual conference next March.
Hopefully I'm going to book in on the 19 which, according to the new schedule for March, arrives at 1405hrs (despite leaving at the same old time of 1100hrs!). I've found a UA (Express) flight from SFO to SLC @ 1555hrs, which I think will be enough time to enter the country, collect bags, clear customs and get across to Domestic.

Enough time? Anyone spot a flaw (apart from delayed arrival, obviously [:p])?

Cheers

Michael

[mcmbenjamin]

I would say you are OK. The international terminal is connected to the United area so you would be set.

Also there is a Delta flight (flt 3979) at 1655 on 19MAR operated by Skywest Airlines on a CRJ that is wide open. Possibly a little longer wait but you would earn 599 extra miles verus UA.

Benjamin

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by mcuth

Enough time? Anyone spot a flaw (apart from delayed arrival, obviously [:p])?

Not enough time to go outside and bump start your second lung with couple of Woodbines?? [}:)][:o)]

Nick

[Bazz]

Michael,

That should be plenty of time, even if the domestic terminal is distant. That is assuming the inbound 19 is on time.

Thanks guys - that helps a lot [y]

LOL Nick - of course, that's a priority too, but I do have a pre-conference party to get to on the Satdi night

BTW Benjamin - not flying in on the 19th, but the VS019 Actually going to be flying in on the 18th. Did consider DL (hence the earlier using miles for DL award question), but really I'd like the extra hour in the bar in SLC (yeah, I know that's sort of an oxymoron). That, and the hassle of getting DL to credit FC isn't worth it

Cheers

Michael

[ChuckC]

Michael,
Sounds good to me. BTW where are you staying in SLC? Have you been to SLC before?

Chuck-

[mitchja]

I've only does this the other way round but the walk from domestic to international at SFO is only a quick 5-10 min walk.

Regards

Originally posted by ChuckC
Sounds good to me. BTW where are you staying in SLC? Have you been to SLC before?

Thanks. Yeah, I've been to SLC before, this'll be my 4th year on the trot actually (though in previous years when working for my last employer, I spent the week beforehand at the office near Orlando). Hotel choices each year are determined by 2 factors: i) the walk to the South side of the Salt Palace (:D), and ii) Price. The problem is, with 7-8000 people invading SLC each March, the room availability decreases rapidly and the hotels know they'll sell out for that week - inevitably prices are set fairly high.

That's why I've held my booking for the Radisson since April this year (shame it's not Radisson SAS ) - this was formerly the Prime Hotel, which was formerly the Wyndham - LOL. I stayed there when it was the Wyndham in 2003 & 2004, not a bad hotel and right next to the North entrance to the Salt Palace. This year I stayed at the Shilo Inn because it's right next to the South entrance to the Salt Palace and the rate was very reasonable ($79.95pn inc breakfast - mainly because I booked in April last year - 50% of the Wyndham's rate).

I got the Radisson for $89pn, when there wasn't cheap availability at the Shilo, and the other hotels right next to the Palace were/are up over $150pn - bonus The beancounters are happier this way

Originally posted by mitchja
I've only does this the other way round but the walk from domestic to international at SFO is only a quick 5-10 min walk.

Walk? Walk? My dear James, one does not do this walking malarky!

(but thanks for the info )

Cheers

Michael

Originally posted by mitchja
I've only does this the other way round but the walk from domestic to international at SFO is only a quick 5-10 min walk.

Regards

I flew into SFO on TED from Las Vegas and there was a short monorail ride to the international terminal from the domestic one on top of the walk. As with all the monorails at airports I've been too, a pretty much bi-directional circular route with around 4 stops - fairly quick though. Still a pain getting around with loads of luggage due to the amount of escalators they seem to put in airports for some reason.
Still easier than trying to getting the BART at SFO......from domestic arrivals, a longish walk (involving some stairs at the end - at least it was when I flew in on AA from JFK) to the baggage claim and then a few minutes walk up and down and all over the place from there especially with luggage and the $3 charge for a luggage trolley (then you find you can't take it all the way due to more stairs)......then the joy of going through the ticket turnstiles as well assuming no staff to open the side gate for you.

Did make the mistake of arriving around 10am in case of delays and then having over 6 hours waiting around though......bet if I'd flown in later, the flight would have been late though!

You should easily be have enough time especially unless customs are slow. On my Las Vegas flight, hundreds of people queuing up to get screened but they sped them through pretty quick.......feel sorry for the people doing the x-ray screen viewing as they must have a hell of a job on their hands watching endless streams of luggage.

[ChuckC]

Michael,
Let me know when you are readying your trip and I'll give you a pass so you can have a meal at one of our places in SLC.

Chuck-

Originally posted by ChuckC
Let me know when you are readying your trip and I'll give you a pass so you can have a meal at one of our places in SLC.

Excellent - thanks Chuck, that'll be great [y]

Cheers

Michael

[honey lamb]

I connected to a UA Express flight in May off the VS19. The flight arrived shortly after the BA one so Immigration was busy. Nevertheless we were in the UA terminal (which really is but a short walk away and there was a guy there ready to take my bag - or he would have if it had been tagged all the way through) at just about 3:00pm.

Originally posted by honey lamb
I connected to a UA Express flight in May off the VS19. The flight arrived shortly after the BA one so Immigration was busy. Nevertheless we were in the UA terminal (which really is but a short walk away and there was a guy there ready to take my bag - or he would have if it had been tagged all the way through) at just about 3:00pm.

Kewl - thanks for that HL [y]:)

Cheers

Michael

Originally posted by mcuth
I've found a UA (Express) flight from SFO to SLC @ 1555hrs

Well, this is the one I've gone for, and I'm in PE on the 19, so shouldn't be too much of a problem - thanks all [y][y]

Cheers

Michael

[HighFlyer]

Michael

On the way out to the social i flew out on the 19 and was booked on the HP871 (15.56pm departure).

I imagined it would take 15-20 minutes to get through immigration, but it took about 40! Admittedly it was chaos, with groups of people incorrectly filling out their VWF - and not being ejected from the queue.

HP871 was delayed - but i would have *just* made it. I told immigration that i had a connection (oh to try anything to get ahead of the queue [:I]) but they assured me i had plenty of time, and that check-in closed half an hour before take-off. (Having said that, check-in seemed miles away - especially when towing your luggage)

I'd say that if your in Upper, and obviously will be first off the plane, you'll be ok for your connection. Just run to immigration like i saw you run to the bar on the VS020 and you'll be fine! :D

(oh - and go with HP not UA - same flight times, only you'll be flying TED, and no TPS, miles - or interactive 'onboard quiz' with them LOL)

[fozzyo]

On our recent SFO / LAS connection we had plenty of time to wait, checking our bags through to LAS made such a difference! Cleared customs, through to connections dropped bags with the security guys on the way to domestic checkin and then used the Self-Service Checkin to avoid the massive queues and back through security into departures.

Mat xxx

Originally posted by HighFlyer
I'd say that if your in Upper, and obviously will be first off the plane, you'll be ok for your connection.

Like I say, I'll be in PE - upstairs though, so shouldn't be far from the front at all...

Originally posted by HighFlyer
Just run to immigration like i saw you run to the bar on the VS020 and you'll be fine! :D

LOL - I ain't running up to SFO immigration, it's all bleeding uphill!

Originally posted by HighFlyer
(oh - and go with HP not UA - same flight times, only you'll be flying TED, and no TPS, miles - or interactive 'onboard quiz' with them LOL)

Oh, there's reasons I'm going this route (ummm, BTW, from the thread, you know I'm connecting to SLC not LAS don't you? ):
- HP flights between SFO & SLC all route via PHX as a minimum (or PHX & LAS) - which makes it a minimum 4hrs 7min trip (the UA direct flight that I'm on is 1hr 40min)
- My BD DC Gold membership will still be valid - so with UA I get *A lounge access (more important for the SLC>SFO leg!), whereas I wouldn't have any lounge access with HP.
- I don't have to deal with DL [y]

For this, I can live with having to credit the whopping 599 miles e/w to DC

Originally posted by fozzyo
checking our bags through to LAS made such a difference!

Yeah, will have to make sure I do that (though to SLC, not LAS )

Cheers

Michael

[HighFlyer]

Michael

Sorry - I should know by now not to go near the PC when i have had a skinful cause i cant read properly!

Ignore my incessant ramblings ... while i pour myself another White Russian!! (damn you Jason!!)

Originally posted by HighFlyer

Ignore my incessant ramblings ... while i pour myself another White Russian!! (damn you Jason!!)

On a school night?

tut tut

Originally posted by HighFlyer

Ignore my incessant ramblings ... while i pour myself another White Russian!! (damn you Jason!!)

Hahaha! I accept full responsibility!!

Originally posted by Richard28

Originally posted by HighFlyer

Ignore my incessant ramblings ... while i pour myself another White Russian!! (damn you Jason!!)

On a school night?

tut tut

She's celebrating the impending advent of 24 hour drinking! Good on her (keeps me in a job!).

BTW, exactly simultaneous postings - freaky! [8D]

[HighFlyer]

LOLOL

I do have an excuse for being drunk, at home, on a school night ... honest!!

(Dear oh dear, will my head regret this in the morning!!

Thread BUMP!

I'm inferring from the above posts that a 2 hour connection time at SFO, arriving on the VS19, will be okay? I want to book a domestic up to LAS from SFO, and the choices are 1600 or 1850. Does the VS19 tend to arrive on time/early? If I miss the 1600 due to VS19 delays, will AmWest/USAir put me on the later LAS flight alright?

[Decker]

Well ExpertFlyer flags the 16:00 as the appropriate connecting flight but unless you book it as a ticket pair their obligation will be just that of a normal booking. So try and add the booking to your existing booking.