maverick17

Looking to go sfo-icn-sfo, arriving icn 3 p.m. leaving back to sfo 5 p.m. Been to ICN and familiar with the airport, but never tried to turnaround that quick. Anyone have thoughts if it's possible, and if it's the same aircraft back in case i'm a little late arriving? Thanks in advance.

clacko

if you can look at the gates, & they are the same, it should be the same plane...check today & few after for a pattern...

HawaiiO

Ya, u can do that in 2 hrs.
Have to go through security transit, back up to the departure area where the gates are.

gallen5555

A friend did it last year, no issues

maverick17

Appreciate the tips. Booked tonight and upgraded with my last gpu's of the year.

SOLTATIO

Should have no troubles. They are faster and the airport is smaller than HKG and I did a 45min turnaround there.

muc2asia

are you seeing some good fares?

maverick17

But my first GPU's expire the 31st and I needed miles anyway, so thought I would go ahead and tag this onto my las-bos run next week even though my cpm ends up around .085.

hagan73

I've got a mile run coming up this weekend to ICN on united. I arrive at 4:15 and leave again at 6pm, it's literally the next flight on the same plane I'd assume.

Anyone have experience with international short turns like this? Will I have to clear customs and rush back to the gate? Will united be able to check me in when I depart so that I don't miss the cutoff times for the return flights?

Any tips/info would be appreciated! Thanks!

OneWorldTraveller

If you can receive your returning ticket (ICN-SFO, right?) when you check-in, there is no problem. You don't go to immigration, but just do transit.. No issue at all.

However, if you have to do immigration and security again, it's very tight. Because United uses satellite terminal, it takes 15min to go to main terminal for immigration. Another 5-10min depending on the foreigner immigration line. Assuming you don't have baggage, re-check-in (I hope you have *G or premier status) and security will take another 10-15min. And, again, once you enter the main terminal after security, you have to take short train to satellite terminal which needs 10min. So, I think at least you will need an hour..

One thing I did before unpurposely, I had to transit at ICN to CTU (from SFO). I didn't receive my boarding pass because two tickets are separated. When I arrive at ICN, I go to transit security line and showed my e-ticket (no boarding pass) because the transit counter before security could not give me an actual boarding pass. So, I did security with e-ticket (how it's possible, very interesting..) and go to the airside and then receive my boarding pass.

In this case, you may try to go to transit counter and ask your boarding pass. And, if you're citizen, I think you can get your returning flight boarding pass in advance since they don't need document check.

OWT

hagan73

Thank you very much OWT - very reassuring! YYZ has those transit customs booths as well, just realize how simple this should be then. Looks like the hardest part will be sitting in Y+ For 24 hours straight...

MSPeconomist

ICN separates arriving and departing passengers but when I connected there last month, I thought I saw a sign near the transit gateway saying that either boarding passes or itineraries/tickets were acceptable. The transit desk before the gateway did not seem to be open around 8 am on a weekday. This was on the KE side of the airport, and the KE transfer desk in the departures area of the main terminal couldn't do anything with partner flights, including even checking the status of a delayed DL flight.

OP will be using the Asiana facilities and that side of the main terminal, which could be somewhat different.

stargold

There are transfer security checkpoints at the Concourse A, where the UA flight arrives/departs. As such, there is no need to use the shuttle train in order to go into the main terminal.

You simply have to go to transfer security, show your e-ticket for the return segment, proceed through security and then go to the transit counters. I'm pretty sure that whoever handles UA (presumably OZ) will be able to issue your BP at the Concourse A transit counters; if not, then at the gate. Or, you could see if you can print your BP as well.

PS. Short of some unexpected hideous queue, the whole process should really take no more than 20 minutes.

1kdreamer

I was just on the same connection time in ICN last week, barely an hour to clear security due to a bit of delay with Air China ( I was connecting with UA for the 6 pm flight). I even asked the officer at security line to let me go first as it was already boarding time for my flight. The officer would have let me cut through the line but since there were only about 6 people in front of me, she just told me I should be okay. Of course. I had to rush to my gate and made it inside the plane with the rest of the passengers while catching my breath!

stargold

Of course, the difference with the OP's case is that he is arriving on the plane that will take him back to SFO, so any delay in the inbound flight will simply mean that the outbound is also delayed. Not much chance of a missed connection!