Originally Posted by
nzpilot
Pray for an early arrival. My last flt from PVG arrived SFO at 0815 and immigration was totally empty. Wow we flew through the whole process and hopped an earlier domestic leg. Warning, if you suspect you can jump an earlier flt, do NOT recheck your bags, but drag them to the lobby and hit an elite line to try to catch an earlier flt. Has worked for me 2x this year. YMMV. IF you are carry-on only, no sweat....
Good advice: If you are 1K or PremExec and can get UA to answer the phone quickly what I do if we come in early to SFO is call reservations as we are taxiing in and ask to have them hold a seat on the earlier flight... Then I go the bag drop off area after customs - there is normally one cust service agent there, if it's not busy they can move you to the earlier flight with the held seat and retag your bags. WARNING: normally they won't take a retagged bag unless the flight is 45 mins out or more. They have made exceptions - if you ask for it to go and if it doesn't make it "it will be fine - it can arrive on a later flight" they will normally do it and in fact it will make your earlier flight.