Consolidated "Connections at SEA" thread
May 26, 2016, 10:32 pm
#76
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 18
I wouldn't expect any problems. Alaska is good about delivering bags to the carousel quickly, and security lines are not long at that early hour. I think only the central security checkpoint (#3) is open at that time, but that's convenient to the B concourse where the Southwest flight will depart from.
Who knows, these days with TSA, but this should be do-able under ordinary conditions. Alaska guarantees baggage out in 20 minutes after arrival at the gate, and it would be a 5-10 minute slog from there to the Southwest counter. If you shipped your baggage from Fairbanks to your final destination, it would be much more certain and less stressful; no second pass through of security in Seattle. Fairbanks is one of the furthest outlets in the US with a Fedex office, just down Airport Road from the Airport.
May 28, 2016, 8:48 pm
#78
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 18
I just earned the companion pass on Southwest using the chase credit card bonus offers, this trip home, back to Philly will be at the end of an almost 3 week trip to Alaska including a 7 night cruise and then land tour afterwards. Lots of money being spent on glacier helicopter tours and salmon fishing ect. I just couldn't turn down 2 "free" round trips on southwest to save the money for use on other things in Alaska!
May 31, 2016, 4:50 pm
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,199
I just earned the companion pass on Southwest using the chase credit card bonus offers, this trip home, back to Philly will be at the end of an almost 3 week trip to Alaska including a 7 night cruise and then land tour afterwards. Lots of money being spent on glacier helicopter tours and salmon fishing ect. I just couldn't turn down 2 "free" round trips on southwest to save the money for use on other things in Alaska!
That said, Alaska runs a very reliable operation, even moreso in the summer months when weather is basically not an issue in Alaska and early in the morning when there won't even be a hint of runway congestion at SeaTac. I would not at all expect there to be any problems with an on-time arrival at SEA. Still, tight connections on separate tickets always make me nervous, and I like to allow for plenty of time for flight delays and to take an alternate routing and still make my connecting flight if I'm booking on a separate ticket.
Jul 25, 2016, 1:45 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,417
We are considering a connection in Seattle, 1 1/2 hours on the ground, Alaska Airlines -> Hainan. There's no way to make the connection any longer short of flying in the night before and the Hainan flight is a TPAC. This would be in November.
How risky is this from both an airline and weather standpoint?
(The return flight isn't particularly an issue, while the connection is the same there are plenty more flights if it goes pear shaped.)
How risky is this from both an airline and weather standpoint?
(The return flight isn't particularly an issue, while the connection is the same there are plenty more flights if it goes pear shaped.)
Jul 25, 2016, 4:00 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,199
We are considering a connection in Seattle, 1 1/2 hours on the ground, Alaska Airlines -> Hainan. There's no way to make the connection any longer short of flying in the night before and the Hainan flight is a TPAC. This would be in November.
How risky is this from both an airline and weather standpoint?
(The return flight isn't particularly an issue, while the connection is the same there are plenty more flights if it goes pear shaped.)
How risky is this from both an airline and weather standpoint?
(The return flight isn't particularly an issue, while the connection is the same there are plenty more flights if it goes pear shaped.)
Weather issues in SEA usually don't cause much in the way of delays. SEA has three runways, two of which are far enough apart to still be used for parallel approaches in IFR conditions, so the arrival rate isn't usually impacted (like it is for SFO). As well, weather in SEA is generally not bad: it rains a lot, but it's not usually a heavy rain, and massive storms with convective action are not frequent there. Morning fog is an occasional issue but it usually burns off.
AS's relatively new fleet means that mechanical delays are not frequent, though they can of course happen.
You didn't mention, though, where you're starting your journey from. SEA is rarely the cause of significant delays, but there are potential weather issues at your origination airport that can affect the arrival of the inbound AS aircraft, which may cause a delay in leaving your airport for the aircraft's return back to SEA.
Other than that, though, you can reasonably assume that AS will get you to SEA on-time and you won't have issues making your connection. That said, I would never recommend a connection like this if traveling on two separate tickets, even with a highly reliable airline like Alaska.
Jul 25, 2016, 9:31 pm
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,417
AS runs a pretty reliable and on-time operation--so much so that in the rare event there are IRROPS, their agents are completely clueless and helpless.
Weather issues in SEA usually don't cause much in the way of delays. SEA has three runways, two of which are far enough apart to still be used for parallel approaches in IFR conditions, so the arrival rate isn't usually impacted (like it is for SFO). As well, weather in SEA is generally not bad: it rains a lot, but it's not usually a heavy rain, and massive storms with convective action are not frequent there. Morning fog is an occasional issue but it usually burns off.
AS's relatively new fleet means that mechanical delays are not frequent, though they can of course happen.
You didn't mention, though, where you're starting your journey from. SEA is rarely the cause of significant delays, but there are potential weather issues at your origination airport that can affect the arrival of the inbound AS aircraft, which may cause a delay in leaving your airport for the aircraft's return back to SEA.
Other than that, though, you can reasonably assume that AS will get you to SEA on-time and you won't have issues making your connection. That said, I would never recommend a connection like this if traveling on two separate tickets, even with a highly reliable airline like Alaska.
Weather issues in SEA usually don't cause much in the way of delays. SEA has three runways, two of which are far enough apart to still be used for parallel approaches in IFR conditions, so the arrival rate isn't usually impacted (like it is for SFO). As well, weather in SEA is generally not bad: it rains a lot, but it's not usually a heavy rain, and massive storms with convective action are not frequent there. Morning fog is an occasional issue but it usually burns off.
AS's relatively new fleet means that mechanical delays are not frequent, though they can of course happen.
You didn't mention, though, where you're starting your journey from. SEA is rarely the cause of significant delays, but there are potential weather issues at your origination airport that can affect the arrival of the inbound AS aircraft, which may cause a delay in leaving your airport for the aircraft's return back to SEA.
Other than that, though, you can reasonably assume that AS will get you to SEA on-time and you won't have issues making your connection. That said, I would never recommend a connection like this if traveling on two separate tickets, even with a highly reliable airline like Alaska.
Jul 25, 2016, 10:46 pm
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,199
Very different from SFO, which is sort of an odd microclimate.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/artic...es-1248627.php
http://www.city-data.com/forum/seatt...ve-storms.html
http://www.bastyr.edu/news/general-n...eattle-weather
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/artic...es-1248627.php
http://www.city-data.com/forum/seatt...ve-storms.html
http://www.bastyr.edu/news/general-n...eattle-weather
Oct 14, 2016, 9:24 pm
#84
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 2
NRT-SEA-PDX
First time flying international to domestic & first time in SEA... It looks like it will be ok, but is 3 hours enough time to clear customs, etc on a ANA flight NRT-SEA switching to Alaska Air for a SEA-PDX flight (on a separate ticket)? ANA arrives at 10:30am on a Sun in January. Most likely will just carry on, but a checked bag is possible if it won't cause a problem. Lastly do you think it is possible to clear everything in 2.5 hours or is that too tight? There is a slightly earlier flight to PDX that would give more time to connect there, but I am assuming we need that extra time in SEA for customs. TIA
Oct 16, 2016, 10:18 am
#85
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Sunny Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, HH Diamond
Posts: 539
I expect you'd be plenty safe with that much time; the ANA flight gets in before the rush at customs really starts. Moderate delays are possible if one of the other wide-body arrivals (such as the morning EK flight) lands early and dumps its passengers into CBP just before you.