Originally Posted by
Reindeerflame
I'm thinking about trying to fly SMF-SFO the night before and staying at a hotel, or to fly to ORD the day before on UA. Another option might be to go SMF-DEN-ORD, which flight still appears to be offered, but then DEN could be snowy. Or, there seems to be an AA flight SMF-ORD that would make the Austrian connection, at extra expense.
Personally, I'd rent a car and drive from SMF-SFO, then leave from there.
That said, if you intend to fly on the 26th, I'd stay in Chicago rather than SFO. There's no need to take an extra hop if you're going to be spending the night somewhere anyway. I would not buy the AA flight, as you'll have a lot less protection if ORD has issues. (You may also have a hard time convincing UA to let you drop SMF-ORD entirely).
As for SMF-DEN-ORD-VIE: DEN deals relatively well with snow, and December isn't a particularly snowy time of year anyway. I'd guess that your chances at ORD are much higher than at DEN.
If you elect not to spend the night, I'd suggest whichever of SMF-DEN or SMF-ORD is earlier. That way, if things look bleak, you potentially have a backup plan.
UA should be willing to make any of these changes for free, although getting an overnight transfer can sometimes be a challenge. Decide what you want, but be prepared to HUCA.