San Francisco - TRansit time at SFO from international to domestic

Am arriving on 11:23 am flight (United892) and flying on to Newark with Continental. Have a choice of 1 pm or 3:15, 1pm obviously more attractive but is this just running it too fine for transfer if anything goes wrong or immigration delays.

You can make it if the incoming flight is on time, depending on your immigration status (for example, if you were coming in as a new permanent resident, it wouldn't work). Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? Then most likely it would be easy.

I would go for it -- if you are late, I expect that the airline would move you to the later flight unless it is full.

You can make it if the incoming flight is on time, depending on your immigration status (for example, if you were coming in as a new permanent resident, it wouldn't work). Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? Then most likely it would be easy.

I would go for it -- if you are late, I expect that the airline would move you to the later flight unless it is full.

And there's the rub: unless it is full. You have to get off the plane (not always a fast process with people taking on board big carry-on bags), go through Immigration (don't know how many other planes will land at the same time so hard to judge time needed there, even for the line for U.S. citizens/permanent residents), wait for bags, go through Customs, hand your bags over to a transit desk, and go through TSA security to your onward flight's gate. All in 90 mins.? Maybe yes, maybe no. And if you miss the connection and the next flight is full (something we ran into when transiting IAD from international to domestic flights), you could have a long wait (hopefully only until the next flight after that, but no guarantees).

Easier decision for us these days since we started flying international biz class, and have access to the airline clubs (e.g., Continental President's Club). Have you checked the on-time arrival stats for your first flight? How much of a hardship would it be to take the 3:15 p.m. flight? Obviously each person has a different tolerance for risk in such situations. 892 is from Seoul, right? A long flight. You won't be standed at SFO, no matter which you choose. I don't know how good Continental is about letting people get onto an earlier flight if they get through Immigration, etc. early.

Eastbound transpac flights are usually on time or early, in my experience. Of course, you could get the unlucky exception. That particular flight from SEL gets in reasonably later than the morning rush from other Asian cities so immigration shouldn't be very bad.

I fly into SFO internationally regularly, always with bags. Only once has it taken more than 45 minutes to clear Immigration and Customs as a US citizen and, generally, I'm out in about 20 minutes. The one exception is it taking just under an hour.

The variable in this are matters such as where you are sitting in the plane. I'm always in E+ so am generally out pretty quickly. Also, whether your flight lands immediately after several others using the G terminal - and that was the problem on the one occasion it took the best part of an hour. At that time of day, onward security should not be too much of a problem. If there is a long line, just go back to the International Terminal, clear security there and use the airside connector.

Personally, I'd risk it - especially after an overnight flight when I would really not want to be hanging around at the airport for 4 or so hours.

11:23am is at the tail end of the morning cluster of transpacific flight arrivals, so immigration lines may be longer than usual.

You may want to check how full the SFO-EWR flights after 1pm are, and how many of them there are, to see what the risk is if you miss the 1pm due to delays at immigration.

Next april I have a 2hr 15 min connection time, arriving from ICN at 1045 AM on Asiana connecting to UA to DCA at 1 PM... Will be checking bags, but Global Entry.. Any thoughts? Doable? Should I be worried?

FDW

Next april I have a 2hr 15 min connection time, arriving from ICN at 1045 AM on Asiana connecting to UA to DCA at 1 PM... Will be checking bags, but Global Entry.. Any thoughts? Doable? Should I be worried?

FDW

Not a problem even if your inbound is a bit late.

Not a problem even if your inbound is a bit late.

thanks!

FDW

Remember that if the security line at the domestic terminal is really long, you can also enter through the international terminal as there is an airside passageway to domestic.

Remember that if the security line at the domestic terminal is really long, you can also enter through the international terminal as there is an airside passageway to domestic.

Thanks for the hint! any word when precheck is coming to SFO?

FDW