I haven't yet flown out from San Jose. How long are the security lines in the new terminal? I'm flying AA.

When I arrived there last Thursday at 9:30 PM in the old terminal, the lines looked very very long as I walked by towards baggage!

Sylvia

Sorry SylviaCaras I don't have an answer for you. I feel bad with the new divided format that people do not venture out of Miles much.

This was the correct place to post but you may want to ask on the AA board.

If anyone does venture in here I would be curious as I am flying AA out of SJC on friday night. I always fly out of SFO and I know nothing of SJC or their security lines.

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The world is a book, and for those who do not travel, read only a page.
-Saint Augustine

Since the new format, I've bookmarked "active topics" for travel, airports, and miles and that's how I now visit the site.

My experience so far has been an SFO red-eye with no lines at all, a BOS mid-morning flight were passengers were there before airline and security staff so lines were long, and an ATL 40 minute security line mid-afternoon.

Sylvia

Last week I was there around 7:00 and it was TERRIBLE! ALLLLL the way back to and past the elevators down to baggage claim. However, about 30 minutes later, it was almost NO line. There are several flights ALL going out within a little bit of each other that apparently gets things all backed up. Once they work through those lines, it's fine. Get there VERY early if you want to avoid lines, would be my suggestion. They seemed to grow and shrink

I flew SJC-SEA on Monday, 29 OCT 01. I moved past the checkpoint at 5:00 a.m. There was no discernable difference between that day and pre-9/11.

I did get the wand. Subsequently, I had to undo my belt-buckle.

All things considered, it was quite smooth.

Went through SJC on my way to NRT on 10/27 at ~11am, and the lines at security didn't look long. 5-6 people.

I woke early Friday and left early, at 6 AM. There was no traffic on Hwy 17, easy parking in the long-term lot, and at 7 AM there was a security line for AA back almost to the stairs. It whizzed along, took perhaps 15 minutes. Some bags were backed up and run through the viewer again, a few hand-searched. There was no ID check at security, printed out e tickets were accepted, there was a match of photo to me at gate check-in and a match of ID to ticket (but not to my face) at boarding. There was a long line at Starbucks.

Returning from LAX at 3:30PM Terminal 3, my ID was checked at the escalator going up to the gates and at check-in and at the gate but not matched to my ticket not my face at the gate. Security line was only a few people. Man in front of me had a nail clipper. Guard asked permission to break off the nail file; owner said OK; clipper was then returned. At LAX the line where the sign said US Airways was outside, down the sidewalk, long!

I deplaned at SJC at 5:30 PM. The lobby area was very crowded. The security lines wound back up the ramps into the short-term parking garage. It appeared that AA line wound up and Southwest line wound down those ramps but I'm not sure. I felt scared looking at, really unsure what would be enough lead time. On the parking lot bus I talked with a passenger who had checked in around 7 AM the day before, a Thursday - he said the lines were long and he did need that 2 hour advance. Traffic on Hwy 17 moved along well and I was home by 7PM.

The longest waits were at the AA gate counters to check-in (I was so early that I changed both flights). One person staffing, with several tasks.

I have no conclusions about lead time, have a 6:20 AM flight Tuesday, am shuddering at leaving at 3:30 for the airport.

Sylvia

Have had 3 post-9/11 departures from SJC. The first two were AA 10:30am weekday flights at terminal A.

For the first, spent more time in the F/elite checkin line, about 20 minutes, than in security due to only one agent being there, and being tied up with one passenger for 10-15 minutes.

The second time, showed the eticket email at security to skip check in and went through security in a few minutes.

The third departure was in the old terminal C for an 8:30am TWA Saturday flight. Elite checkin just took a few minutes, but the security line took close to 40 minutes.

I had pretty much observed the same conditions as "aflyer" on my SJC-PHX, Sunday 10/14. It took me 35 minutes from the time I stood in the AA Status/F line (which had around 15-20 other PAX) until I made it out of security. The only thing different is that I didn't see the airport become less crowded. I had never seen lines this long before and I figured this would be normal from now on. Returning from PHX on 10/17, there were no other PAX in the Status/F line, and maybe around 10-15 in the regular line.

Erik.

Security on Friday at 5 PM was not fun. As someone had described the AA security line would up the ramp and out side to the closed short term parking lot. The line looked longer than it was. It took about 47 minutes to get through and I would have guessed well over an hour.

I am going back to SFO and much shorter lines. AA SJC was the longest so far. The second longest was 38 minutes in FLL two weeks ago. All other airports have been a maximum of 10 minutes. All travel has been Fri/Sun weekend trips.

I am flying AA/JL to BKK from SJC on Saturday the 17th. I am not too worried about security since it is a 12:20 departure but I do want to give myself a little bit of time to check out the AC.

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The world is a book, and for those who do not travel, read only a page.
-Saint Augustine

I flew out 11/1 at 2:30p. Got to the airport the recc. 2 hours early but did not need it. Security was maybe a 3 minute wait.

Santa Cruz SJC DFW DCA ORD SJC on AA

I woke a bit ahead of my alarm at 2:00 AM Tuesday 11/6, left at 3 for the airport (no traffic), parked in long-term parking, waited alone 15 minutes for the shuttle bus feeling a bit apprehensive, got to the terminal just two hours ahead for my 6:20 flight. Not many others there. I used One Stop (500 miles), only received the first boarding pass, went to check-in for the second, printers were down, took a bit to get the boarding pass. A passenger was having a problem with a Swiss Air ticket that needed rebooking but not at SJC. I later saw her inside so I guess it got cleared up; there was a supervisor and an agent trying to help. There was no one else in status line and maybe a dozen in the regular line. Security opened around 4:30 and was quick, maybe 20 in line. My roll-on was rescreened, sniffed, and then hand-searched. The prize, a fork (I'd removed the knife, am now left with a spoon), which was confiscated after the guard showed me how sharp the tines were. The guard then patted the screener on the shoulder and complimented her good work. I felt I'd done my part for morale. Starbucks didn’t open ‘til 5:30 - that line was longer. After I bought my tea, no credit cards, no receipts 'cause their computer was down, I went back to eyeball the security line. At about 5:35 there were only three or four waiting in line. The flight to DFW appears to only have middle seats left and there are a lot of very very tall men aboard - maybe a sports team. One didn't have his license when he sat down in his seat though he had shown it at the gate. Agents didn't find it, put a note in his travel record so he could board his connection and he said he would arrange to have his passport FedEx'd to his destination for his return ID. I have made a note to put a photo copy of my passport in my roll-on. The curtains weren't closed between first and coach; the first lav was available; coach breakfast was provided - omelettes or cereal. During the flight when one of the pilots left the cockpit to use the lav a flight attendant joined the other pilot in the cockpit; that seems part of the new routine. We landed at C7 and I walked down to C39 for the DCA flight. C39 is the last gate and most secure. I got to the gate about 35 minutes ahead of departure just as everyone who had been waiting was asked to leave the area. When the space was empty, an entrance was corded off and only those with boarding passes for that flight were allowed in. Three seat numbers were called for more rigorous inspection and after first was called, two of the first passengers were also invited for more thorough screening, it appeared the first two, and I had the impression that there were so many of coach and of first that had to be double searched. Box lunches were provided for coach. Attendants weren't clear on when meals werewould be served and when not. About 35 minutes out of DCA one of the crew eyeballed first; I thought he was checking for odd behavior. We were told to stay in our seats 30 minutes out of DCA. One first passenger got up to put his laptop overhead; he was immediately admonished. The terminal was not crowded; I waited about 5 minutes for a cab.

On Friday Nov 9 it took 10 minutes by cab to get to DCA, security was straightforward except no beverages, and I was so early I changed flights, light loads. Breakfast Bar from DCA to ORD. My cabin tote was challenged at the gate at ORD when I tried to better my seat for SJC --- but computer, but nine prior flights, but, but, but, I protested. No, no FAA rules, check one, ... A supervisor verified that I really had a computer in the cabin bag and gave me back my boarding pass. I asked what I'd done, how to avoid. He said probably because the bag was a larger size and so stuffed. Flight started to taxi on time, turned back to the gate, called a mechanic, about 20 minutes later announced that two computers had not been synchronized, causing an air-conditioning malfunction light, and had been reset. By then we'd lost our take-off place and waited another 30 minutes. We arrived about 20 minutes late. At 1 PM the security line wound back on the sloped ramps just to the horizontal walkway to the parking lot.

Sylvia