Hi everybody, sorry if this is not the correct place to ask, but here goes.

I'm flying to China in a few weeks, flying from LAX to San Francisco, and then to China, all aircraft are United Airlines. The layover at SFO is only 45 minutes. Will this be a problem in regards to my checked luggage? After I bought the ticket I realized this could be an issue, thought I'd get other people's thoughts on it. I'd prefer that my checked luggage arrive with me on the same plane so that there aren't any delays. Thanks!

There's never a guarantee that your luggage will arrive on time (on the same plane) and a 45m connection does increase the likelihood that you make it but your bags don't. I imagine your best approach is to hope for the best and pack the necessities for your first day or two in China in your carry on (general good advice). IMO it wouldn't be worth the cost to change flights to mitigate this risk.

Have both flights been booked on 1 ticket/PNR?

United has hourly flights from LAX to SFO. For $75 you can make a "same day" change in your ticket or just get to the airport early and the agent may waive the fee. Take an earlier flight - 1 or 2 hours earlier - relax. IMO, it would be well worth it.

See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ional-sfo.html

I'd certainly change my flights. SFO has non-standard (too close) runways, which means any weather event or visibility impairment (SF fog) will cause closure of one of each runway pairs. This restricts the number of aircraft movements that can be accommodated due to the necessity of having arriving and departing flights use the same runways.

Under the best of circumstances 45 minutes may be sufficient. Add a delay due to anything causing late arrival of a smaller shuttle flight, you and your baggage are at risk of missing an international "heavy" departure that will more likely depart on time because it's based out of SFO.

Sorry for the late reply.

Yes, it's been booked on one ticket, with the same airline (united)

Would somebody at the ticket counter be able to send my luggage to SFO on an earlier flight by any chance?

In any case, how significant does a 45 minute layover increase the odds of my luggage arriving late?

I've done the SEA-SFO-international connection a few times over the years on UA and I'd definitely avoid a 45 minute transfer time if I were doing it again. Flights to SFO always seem to arrive a bit late and then you do need a bit of time just to switch terminals (used to be via the transfer shuttle bus, don't know if that's still the case).

Good advice from dukerau about packing necessities for a day or two. I had a tight LH-LH connection at FRA some years ago and my luggage didn't make it to my destination in Asia till the last day of a 7 day business trip! LH gave me a toiletry kit and a few $ for immediate needs which helped but needless to say, it was not a fun week without all the clothes I had packed, etc.

They will absolutely, positively not do this. While your luggage may sometimes end up on a different plane than yours for reasons beyond your control, no agent will put your luggage, with your knowledge and especially at your request, on a different plane from the one you expect to be on. If you think about the possible implications of your request, you'll understand why.

While this is within the minimum connection time, it is outside the sensible connection time.

If you can make the connection, your luggage will likely make it. But, if your bags do not make your onward flight, it is likely that you will have to go to the destination airport in China to retrieve them due to Chinese customs rules (not always, but sometimes). Thus, a major hassle.

UA will not, at your request, send your bags on an earlier flight under any circumstances. It may do so, but you won't know about it and you can't count on it and UA won't discuss it with you.

I would also be concerned about you. UA requires you to be at your departure gate by T-30. That gives you 15 minutes to make it from your seat in your arriving aircraft to the gate reader for your China flight. That is doable, but all it takes is a bit of a delay and you will misconnect. That is particularly true if your China flight is full and UA needs your seat. That means waiting a day for the next flight (presuming that there is space).

I would absolutely pay the SDC fee and take a flight a couple of hours earlier. $75 vs. the cost of a hotel and food at SFO seems a small risk.

Absolutely. This.

OK thanks for the input everybody, I'm going to contact UA and see if there's a way I can snag an earlier flight to SFO.

Hey guys, Priceline and United are both telling me to reschedule my flight would cost $300 + $50. One of the ladies I talked to said I could just arrive at the airport early enough to take an early flight and pay a $75 dollar fee, but I'm not sure what the odds of being able to do that would be. It's important that I make my flight on time, but on the other hand $350 just to take an hour earlier flight is highway robbery. What are your thoughts?

Also if somebody could explain to me the process I'd have to go through once I land at SFO would be, I'd appreciate it. Somebody I talked to mentioned I'd have to reclaim my checked luggage, recheck my bags, and go through customs. If that's the case I have no idea how they could justify a 45 minute layover. That seems impossible.

What you just tried to do is change the flight, which will have a change fee + fare difference. Same day change can only be done at the airport or at check in 24 hours prior to travel.

Also, you will NOT need to reclaim bags, nor go through customs, but simply walk from the Terminal 3 to International which will take 5-15 minutes depending on your walking pace and the arrival/departure gate.