mjhanch

One of the options we have to travel to Honolulu is a 43 minute connection within SFO. It would appear our arriving flight into SFO is in Terminal 3 as well as our departing flight. The gates probably right next to each other as displayed on FlySFO. Would this be still too crazy of a connection?

How comfortable are the B777 versus the B737 or B767. Trying to compare if Westjet or AirCanada or United/CO is best.

obscure2k

Moving thread to San Francisco Forum...
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

darthbimmer

Coming in from Canada, you'll have pre-cleared US Immigration & Customs at YVR, so you won't have to spend time on that when you arrive. If your incoming flight is on time, 43 minutes should be fine. But if there are any delays, you'll be running and/or may miss your connecting flight entirely. I'd advise against taking that much risk.

squeakr

the later in the day the flight is, the more likely there will be problems w/ fog at SFO which tends to make incoming late.

I am surprised the 43 min is a legal connection. But I guess w/ clearing immigration/customs in YVR it's just treated like a domestic flight.

I personally wouldn't risk it but I am risk averse. You also can't count on the gates being next to each other.

Re the planes - I opt for the larger plane every time for comfort's sake.

RichardInSF

I'm with squeakr on this one. Easy to make if arrival is on time, problematic if it's late although the most common reason for being late is local weather, so your departing flight may be delayed as well in that case.

mjhanch

What time of day is the fog the worst ?

tjl

Typically:
767 = 2-3-2 in coach (14% middles)
777 = 2-5-2 in coach (33% middles)
737 = 3-3 in coach (33% middles)

If you are flying to HNL on HA, note that HA flights are rarely late, so a late inbound would likely mean a missed connection.

lhrsfo

Not sure whether you are arriving on UA or AC. AC has recently moved its flights from T3 to the G wing of the International Terminal. You exit the plane into the departures section and take the airside walkway without having to go through any further security (do NOT follow the signs to baggage claim as then you will have to re-enter the airside). Although the AC gates are close in, some UA gates in T3 are far away, so it could take 10 minutes to walk at a reasonable speed from one to the other. Likewise, if T3 is full, some UA flights can arrive or depart from the G wing, which UA uses as an overflow. So, if you are on-time, there should be no problem. If not, then you will be rushing or looking at being protected on a later flight.


HA doesn't fly from T3 so the OP can't be on HA.

mjhanch

The arriving flight is UA

The departing is UA

mjhanch

Oh. The arriving gate likely 70's

Departing gate 85 or 88

Think they all are T3.

tjl

If you are still thinking of risking the short connection, you may want to try to find out where the airplane used by the outbound UA flight is coming from. If it is coming from Hawaii, then it is more likely to be on-time than if it is were coming from some place more prone to delays.

In general, connections from shorter flights to longer flights are riskier, since the shorter flights tend to be more delayed (by being held on the ground at origin) when the airport reduces capacity due to weather.