Security at SFO
 

So I'm flying international out of SFO next Monday on UA. I have Pre-Check and two questions:

1) I know SFO uses a private contractor instead of the TSA. Does this mean SFO isn't experiencing the same security checkpoint issues many other airports are? (I.e., no excessive delays, Pre-Check not being open, etc.)

2) I checked SFO's website and it says that only the domestic terminals have Pre-Check. It looks like, however, I could clear security in T3 and walk to the international terminal. Is this a) possible and b) necessary, or is there Pre-Check in the international boarding area?

Yes, there is pre-check in the intl terminal. You may also use T3 security and go through the walkway after security. Many do that to access the Amex Lounge.

The non-pre-check lines can be lengthy, but I have not seen them to be as bad as in some other places.

Long ago when I lived in SF, the pre-check lines in international were hit or miss as to whether they were open. If the are not, going over to T3 to clear is quite easy.

I'm curious to know if SFO has been hit by the TSA problems present at other airports, since SFO is run by private security. It's now over 2 hours to clear at ORD, and pre-check is getting longer by the day.

I was the only person at pre-check T3 about 10 days ago. I had about a 2-minute line pre-check T2.

I've never waited more than 10 minutes in a Precheck line at SFO. Usually it's under 5 minutes.

Yep, pre-check available at the int'l terminals which has minimal wait times. The priority lines at the int'l terminals are usually longer than the normal lines, IME.

Roughly same experience, based on 20 times through in the past seven weeks, Terminal 3, including at heavy times - maybe my worst was 20 minutes, but usually 5-10.

My longest SFO Precheck wait was T3 at the E concourse. I suspect that line is usually longer than the one at T3-F, which is tucked away next to the T3-International-G airside bridge.

You can only walk from T3 to the G side of the International Terminal, NOT the A gates.

How is SFO for united security? We are premier access (flying F award) but no precheck.

I have Precheck, but I haven't noticed anything really bad (to me, >30 minutes) in the regular lines at SFO in recent years.

Still, I haven't been to SFO in over a month. Any regulars in this forum been there? It's been bad at other airports recently (e.g., Chicago), but I have yet to see big problems on the west coast.

The OP specified s/he was flying UA internationally. That's the G gates.

Yeah, so no problems at the G checkpoint. The regular line looked fine too. I suspect the domestic terminals are more packed, but based on the feedback here and lack of stuff in the news it looks like SFO is at least somewhat immune from the current TSA crisis.

I haven't seen any news reports on long security waits out here. I think there would be lots of coverage if there were such problems.

SFO uses private contractors not TSA personnel - maybe that's why.

Just went thru both terminal 2 and 3 security, regular line wasn't that long either, the TSA-pre line was open at both locations and the wait at term 3 was about 3 people in front of me and the wait at term 2 was a few minutes. Just for future reference, today is a Thursday afternoon before Memorial Day holiday (Monday).

Thanks for the update, Matthew330Ci. Nice to see confirmation that things are okay out here.

Another recent report: on 6/10 Fri morning around 7:30AM, there was about a 15 minute wait at the Pre-check line and there was a bit of chaos as the line stretched way past where it normally does so it was snaking around the walkway area with people confused about whether it was the regular security line or the Pre-check line and not sure where the line started etc. The regular security line was about the same length actually. There was a separate priority line which I could have accessed and it would have put me at the beginning of the regular security line (i.e. go through the nude-o-scope) so I stayed in the pre-check lane but the priority line would have gotten me through faster.

The 'usher' (for lack of a better term) who was directing people around said it was like this (the pre-check line being so long) on certain days recently but not all the time.

This was at terminal 2 for AA gate 57.

My longest Precheck wait at SFO was also in T2 -- about 10 minutes. All other terminals have always been a breeze.

I had a 10+ minute wait at T3 last Saturday mid-morning, and then a somewhat shorter wait at T1(C) later the same morning.

On 6/11 pre-check at International Terminal was *way* backed up (far more than our usual experience), likely due to regular pax being directed there to ease the long-line crunch. YMMV.

A or G side?

G side.

You may already know this, but it's worth recounting here that if anyone faces a particularly long security line at International-G, Terminal 3-F or Terminal 3-E, all of these concourses are connected airside. You can enter at any of the security lines.

FWIW, I have always had very short lines at Precheck Terminal 3-F security near gate 75 (the left edge of T3-F as you face it from the outside, very close to International-G).

Yep, agreed; as we did on the day in question. Left Int term line, short walk to TSA point noted above & breezed (more or less) thru. (Should have mentioned this in my previous post(s)).

This past Saturday I went through T3E and T1B security at 5:00 am and 5:30 am, respectively. Precheck was under 5 min. both times. Regular T3E looked to be about 10 minutes. Regular T1B maybe up to 15 min.

How late is PreCheck open on a Sunday night at the United terminals?

Supposed to be till midnight
 

But I have seen it close as early as 7:30 or 8PM.

Semi-secret Precheck at T2
 

A friend of mine traveling out of SFO today told me that Terminal 2 security had a very long line this morning. Even Precheck was long. But...someone pointed out that there is another Precheck line at T2. She went to that line, and there was almost no one in line.

This is all news to me. I thought the only T2 Precheck line was on the left as you face security. According to my friend, there is another Precheck line "to the right down the hallway past the bathrooms. Pre-check only, and limited hours (am only according to the sign)."

Anyone else use this one?

Was she possibly referring to using the T1-C checkpoint for DL and then crossing back to T2-D through the airside connector? Or saying that there's a semi-secret Precheck between the two?

And if using T1, isn't the remodel construction scheduled to start this weekend? Which if yes, perhaps that added to the fray?

That wouldn't add anything, because the construction area checkpoint is in a separate secured area from either the Int'l A or T1 (C) which is connected to T2 checkpoints.

That said, a few weeks ago, T2 precheck was to the door (maybe 10 minutes), and outside the door by the time I got to the front of the line.

I think she would have realized she was going all the way over to T1-C, but maybe not. I'll be there later today and investigate if I have time. I gotsta know.

On further reflection the "Pre-check only, and limited hours" makes me think you're right, and now I'm pretty curious to find out too :D

I just walked over there. She must have used Precheck in T1-C. So, no secret at all. Still, now that there is the airside hallway, T1-C security is worth considering if T2 lines are unusually long.

There used to be an overflow line in that approximate area, intended for crew/concessions but also open to other passengers. Last time I tried to use it (maybe a year ago?) it was closed off. Maybe that line is open again for Precheck?

Given how she walked down a hallway, I think she must have gone to T1-C.

That's certainly possible, but this other alternate line had a "hallway" - maybe 50 feet into the side of the lobby area... it was really inconspicuous; looked like a service entrance

Hmmm... Now I'm not so sure of anything.

Busier day than usual at SFO. Precheck line at T3-F took 8 minutes. It's remarkable how much faster the Precheck line moves. Not many inexperienced travelers in there to bring things to a halt.