Long layover in SFO - can we leave the airport and return without any consequences?
Feb 15, 2017, 8:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: YYZ
Posts: 79
Long layover in SFO - can we leave the airport and return without any consequences?
My dad and I are flying from YVR on AC to SFO and have about an 8 hour layover. We then board a flight on Air New Zealand to AKL.
Will we be able to have our luggage checked all the way through, leave SFO and have lunch with family in town, and return to SFO hours before our flight (including going through security again)?
Our family member said we may not be able to leave the airport once we land. But that's not something I've ever tried.
Will we be able to have our luggage checked all the way through, leave SFO and have lunch with family in town, and return to SFO hours before our flight (including going through security again)?
Our family member said we may not be able to leave the airport once we land. But that's not something I've ever tried.
Feb 15, 2017, 8:51 pm
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
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Posts: 44,302
You can absolutely walk out. Whether you can get your bags checked through is something I don't know, but I assume you can.
Feb 15, 2017, 8:54 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Did you book it as one ticket through NZ (AC doesn't offer this route)? If you booked the tickets separately you are out of luck, if as one ticket they may do I'm not sure but would love to know as I'm thinking of the same trip (well from YYZ) in the future.
Feb 15, 2017, 8:55 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,154
No worries at all.
The airport doesn't care ... you could easily have bought 2 separate tickets with a full day layover.
The airlines won't care either ... as long as you get back in time, of course.
You'll need to go back through security when you re-enter the terminal, but that's about it.
The airport doesn't care ... you could easily have bought 2 separate tickets with a full day layover.
The airlines won't care either ... as long as you get back in time, of course.
You'll need to go back through security when you re-enter the terminal, but that's about it.
Last edited by canopus27; Feb 17, 2017 at 1:39 pm Reason: fixed tupo
Feb 16, 2017, 7:01 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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Posts: 5,899
Yes. I regularly operate 737 YYZ-SFO and always Customers connecting to NZ007 with a 9 hour layover time. Happened to check boarding documents and bags were checked all the way through.
Feb 16, 2017, 12:35 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2015
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Posts: 2,350
Feb 16, 2017, 5:22 pm
#7
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There is a place for left luggage in SFO if you cannot check it through, but I suspect you will be able to. The only thing to warn about is that the wait for security at SFO in International G, from which your NZ flight will depart, is unpredictable and can be hellish if you don't have TSA Pre.
Feb 16, 2017, 7:14 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 187
My dad and I are flying from YVR on AC to SFO and have about an 8 hour layover. We then board a flight on Air New Zealand to AKL.
Will we be able to have our luggage checked all the way through, leave SFO and have lunch with family in town, and return to SFO hours before our flight (including going through security again)?
Our family member said we may not be able to leave the airport once we land. But that's not something I've ever tried.
Will we be able to have our luggage checked all the way through, leave SFO and have lunch with family in town, and return to SFO hours before our flight (including going through security again)?
Our family member said we may not be able to leave the airport once we land. But that's not something I've ever tried.
Feb 16, 2017, 7:17 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Aadvantage
Posts: 12
It is 1000% possible.
I fly regularly between Mexico and Europe and always try to build in a long 12 hour layover in Miami so I can get paperwork and mail sorted out in my "home base"
every once and a while I'll even do a same day standby (for the next day if possible) and sleep a bit and go to the beach. So definitely possible.
I fly regularly between Mexico and Europe and always try to build in a long 12 hour layover in Miami so I can get paperwork and mail sorted out in my "home base"
every once and a while I'll even do a same day standby (for the next day if possible) and sleep a bit and go to the beach. So definitely possible.
Feb 16, 2017, 10:58 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 597
Everyone on your Air Canada flight will be cleared through US Customs in YVR before departure. After that, the US Government considers you admitted to the United States, at least for the duration of your layover (and, as a Canadian, much longer). So there's zero legal restriction to leaving SFO and going downtown -- or going to LA, Grand Teton or the World's Biggest Ball of Twine.
And the airlines don't care either -- they won't know and it doesn't matter to them that you've left the building.
In other words, have fun!
And the airlines don't care either -- they won't know and it doesn't matter to them that you've left the building.
In other words, have fun!
Feb 17, 2017, 3:01 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 1,329
There is a place for left luggage in SFO if you cannot check it through, but I suspect you will be able to. The only thing to warn about is that the wait for security at SFO in International G, from which your NZ flight will depart, is unpredictable and can be hellish if you don't have TSA Pre.
Feb 17, 2017, 11:18 am
#12
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Join Date: Sep 2012
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It can also be quite a long walk if the checkpoint at gate 75 is closed (which is not uncommon).
Actually thinking about it now, are you sure there are still three checkpoints in T3? They reorganized things a while back, and I'm having a hard time picturing a third checkpoint. There's one at 75 (right beside the connector to G) and one around 70, but I don't think there's a third.
Feb 17, 2017, 6:40 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: YYZ
Posts: 79
I have confirmed that what many of you said is absolutely true.
Because we clear customs in YVR, we are basically in the US for all intents and purposes. Our reward tickets for this segment were on the same itinerary and we will have our bags checked all the way.
If we arrive at about 4:30pm does anyone know how long the BART takes to get downtown? Our family member wasn't even aware there is a train service between these two points.
Thanks for everyone's assistance.
Because we clear customs in YVR, we are basically in the US for all intents and purposes. Our reward tickets for this segment were on the same itinerary and we will have our bags checked all the way.
If we arrive at about 4:30pm does anyone know how long the BART takes to get downtown? Our family member wasn't even aware there is a train service between these two points.
Thanks for everyone's assistance.
Feb 17, 2017, 9:14 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,302
I have confirmed that what many of you said is absolutely true.
Because we clear customs in YVR, we are basically in the US for all intents and purposes. Our reward tickets for this segment were on the same itinerary and we will have our bags checked all the way.
If we arrive at about 4:30pm does anyone know how long the BART takes to get downtown? Our family member wasn't even aware there is a train service between these two points.
Thanks for everyone's assistance.
Because we clear customs in YVR, we are basically in the US for all intents and purposes. Our reward tickets for this segment were on the same itinerary and we will have our bags checked all the way.
If we arrive at about 4:30pm does anyone know how long the BART takes to get downtown? Our family member wasn't even aware there is a train service between these two points.
Thanks for everyone's assistance.
Feb 17, 2017, 9:21 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: YVR
Programs: UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 3,759
I have confirmed that what many of you said is absolutely true.
Because we clear customs in YVR, we are basically in the US for all intents and purposes. Our reward tickets for this segment were on the same itinerary and we will have our bags checked all the way.
If we arrive at about 4:30pm does anyone know how long the BART takes to get downtown? Our family member wasn't even aware there is a train service between these two points.
Thanks for everyone's assistance.
Because we clear customs in YVR, we are basically in the US for all intents and purposes. Our reward tickets for this segment were on the same itinerary and we will have our bags checked all the way.
If we arrive at about 4:30pm does anyone know how long the BART takes to get downtown? Our family member wasn't even aware there is a train service between these two points.
Thanks for everyone's assistance.