I have booked an international flight on United that is scheduled to arrive at SFO at 9:45 a.m.
I want to connect from SFO to LAS on an Alaska flight.
I have the option to buy an Alaska flight for $65 that departs SFO at 11:50 a.m. That's just a 2 hour, five minute international to domestic connection, on separate tickets, with a checked bag.
Or I can buy an Alaska flight for $113 that departs at 1:40 p.m. A four hour connection, which may be much longer than I need.
My question is this: Is it better to buy the earlier flight and then try to SDC to the later flight if it is looking like I won't make the 11:50 a.m. flight? Or is it better to buy the later flight and then try to SDC to the earlier flight if it looks like I might be able to make it? What would the cutoff time be for making the SDC in each situation?