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SFO / San Francisco minimum connection time MCT CX / Cathay --> AA

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SFO / San Francisco minimum connection time MCT CX / Cathay --> AA

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Old Jun 16, 2010, 1:23 am
  #1  
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SFO / San Francisco minimum connection time MCT CX / Cathay --> AA

i have tried searching but can't find specific info... does anyone know min connection time for sfo arriving international (CX) departing domestic (AA)?

trying to make a 75 minute connection. luggage would be checked through
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Old Jun 16, 2010, 6:07 am
  #2  
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It could be extremely tight with anything resembling late arrival, as you have to disembark, process Immigration, retrieve your baggage, process Customs, recheck your bag (or schlep it to T-2), go landside, go to T-2, (maybe check bag), process security and go to your gate. In any case you will not be worried about how to spend your excess time. Listed CX-AA MCT for SFO (Aug 2012) is 1 hour 45 minutes, according to ExpertFlyer.



San Francisco International Airport layout



SFO Terminal 2, American Airlines

●American Airlines is located in Terminal 2, Boarding Area D, Gates 55 through 58A-B.
●The American Airlines Admirals Club is located in Boarding Area D immediately left of the security checkpoint.

●(Virgin America flights are also located in Terminal 2, Boarding Area D, Gates 50 through 54B.)



Old SFO International Terminal (now Terminal 2) in the 1950s
(I remember well because I used to use it then)

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 16, 2012 at 5:49 pm Reason: update, etc.
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Old Jun 16, 2010, 6:27 am
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CX's stated MCT in this instance, for I CX to D AA, is 100 minutes.
http://www.cxagentsusa.com/GeneralIn...p?SectionID=13
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Old Jun 16, 2010, 7:21 am
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Also just to add in my experience, if you are fit and have a luggage cart or rolling luggage, it seems faster to me to just walk/run down along the connecting walkways between International and AAs T2D as opposed to taking the Airport Train. You go past all the UA check-in areas then come to AA check-in at the end of the long concourse.

You didn't mention if you are traveling all on one ticket or separate tickets. If on one ticket, then you will be protected though it would be interesting to hear that you were booked with an illegal connection (according to CX guidelines stated here). If you are on two tickets, I'd look into changing the AA portion to something later if you can.

AA Security at SFO has elite/premium line so if you were able to re-check bags in International and already rec'd. your AA BP prior to CX flight, that would make a big difference. The distance from AA Security to the AA gates is pretty short, from literally 30 seconds walk to maybe 2 minutes.

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 16, 2012 at 5:38 pm Reason: update terminal number
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Old Jun 16, 2010, 10:49 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by alien
CX's stated MCT in this instance, for I CX to D AA, is 100 minutes.
http://www.cxagentsusa.com/GeneralIn...p?SectionID=13
That page may be out of date; on Sabre they list 1:45, i.e. 105 minutes.
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Old Jun 16, 2010, 12:22 pm
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Originally Posted by hillrider
That page may be out of date; on Sabre they list 1:45, i.e. 105 minutes.
Exactly the same in Galileo - 1h 45 min.
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Old Jun 17, 2010, 1:47 am
  #7  
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thanks for all the info folks... will have to connect to the ord flight instead then as that is exactly 105 minutes gap
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Old Jun 17, 2010, 8:05 am
  #8  
 
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I just flew through SFO last week 10pm arrival (CX872 -> AA1522 to ORD). 75 mins with checked bags is too tight, only because of the need to pick up your bags, go through customs, then re-check. Go with the ORD connection.

You will need to haul your bags to T2 (exit customs, turn left, and avoid the tram like malcomkettering mentioned) and re-check at the AA counter. The first class line may be closed, but since AA has 3 red-eyes (ORD, BOS and NYC) they'll have one decently-staffed line for everyone.

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 16, 2012 at 5:39 pm Reason: update terminal number
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 6:25 am
  #9  
 
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SFO CX-AA min connection time where is this published??

I have a SFO CX-AA connection that is now down to 80 minutes. This seems unsafe. Where does CX or AA publish their min connection times. I checked both sites with no luck. And a FT link to a wiki does me no good to support my case for being moved at their expense to a later flight. This is an Aadvantage redemp tkt with AA FYI.
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 6:57 am
  #10  
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ExpertFlyer shows the MCT at SFO, CX international to AA domestic, at 1:45.
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 7:35 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by 3Cforme
ExpertFlyer shows the MCT at SFO, CX international to AA domestic, at 1:45.
As does this thread on the same topic.

To the OP: have you contacted AA yet? In cases of a schedule change (which sounds like what happened here) they are usually quite flexible in moving pax to different flights w/o any charges, etc..
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 7:58 am
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Originally Posted by shadesofgrey1x
I have a SFO CX-AA connection that is now down to 80 minutes. This seems unsafe. Where does CX or AA publish their min connection times. I checked both sites with no luck. And a FT link to a wiki does me no good to support my case for being moved at their expense to a later flight. This is an Aadvantage redemp tkt with AA FYI.
It's under MCT and there is no way you can get it done. I've done the HKG-SFO-ORD route many times (before HKG-ORD started) and it always took longer than that to get off the plane, walk to immigration, wait in line, get my bags, clear customs, re-check, walk to the departure area and clear security. Always.
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Old Apr 18, 2015, 11:56 pm
  #13  
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Is the MCT for SFO now up to 120 minutes for international (JL) to domestic (AS on AA award) connections? Tried a booking with a 1 hour and 55 minute connection and AA agent said it was 5 minutes too short of a connection time, huh? I thought international to domestic at SFO was 1 hour, 45 minutes?
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Old Apr 19, 2015, 1:53 am
  #14  
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Each airline is free to set its own MCT, and most do. JLAS/ID is indeed 2 hours.
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Old Apr 19, 2015, 3:54 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by hillrider
Each airline is free to set its own MCT, and most do. JLAS/ID is indeed 2 hours.
Interesting....seem like a long MCT....since it is a JL flight into SFO but an AA award, is it AA or JL (or AS) that is setting the 2 hour MCT?
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