FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Has anyone done a transfer from SFO international to domestic?
Old Jan 19, 2019, 10:55 pm
  #56  
docbert
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
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Originally Posted by darthbimmer
With you hitting the checkpoint after 9pm it's hard to predict. Sometimes the international checkpoint is hammered in the evening. Fortunately it's not hard to check it first. If you see a huge line, divert through the elevated corridor to T3 and use the domestic security lines there.
At that time I wouldn't even bother checking International. It's right before the Asia/Pacific flight times, and the odds of it being faster than domestic is low. What's more, it's that time of day when the checkpoint seems to be filled with people that have never actually been to an airport before, and are surprised by the fact they can't take their full-sized tube of toothpaste or bottle of chicken soup with them onto the plane, or that they need to take their thongs off before going into the x-ray!

The only reason I'd suggest using Intl at that time of night is if you're headed to the Polaris lounge. The checkpoint in T3 nearest to international will be closed by then, so it'll be a bit of a hike to go over to the next one and then all the way back.

(And for those not aware, what Americans call "flip-flips", we Australians call "thongs". I did say it was when the flights to the Pacific departed... )
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