Advice on SFO connection please
 

In August, my wife and I have a holiday in the US, which sees us flying home to the UK on BA286 SFO/LHR at 7.25pm on Monday 5th August. Having got our international flights in place, we subsequently decided we would spend our final weekend in San Diego, and I had booked us on a SAN/SFO flight on AS at 2.30pm, landing into SFO at 4.05pm. I had been hoping that AS might check our bags through to LHR, but even if not, we would have ample time to collect and recheck.

AS has now retimed its flights that day, and rebooked us to a 3.55pm departure from SAN, landing at SFO at 5.31pm, which just starts to make me feel a little uncomfortable, especially if we cannot check our bags through to LHR. An hour's delay would leave us very exposed for our onward journey. There is an earlier AS flight at 1pm, landing 2.40pm... but that makes for a long day of travel, and nearly a five-hour lay-over. Only other possibility is using UA (1.37pm / 3.23pm).

What would wise members of this beloved forum do? I could rethink the weekend and spend the Sunday night in San Francisco - this is uncommitted vacation time. I'm not sure if status affects the through-checking possibility... FWIW I'm GGL and my wife G.

On separate tickets, a 17:30 arrival into SFO for a 19:30 departure would be well outside my comfort zone, even without luggage.

Status has no effect on through checking luggage.

Alaska are not as strict as BA on not checking luggage through, they may through check your bag.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...e/checked-bags

When making international connections on a separate ticket to other airlines within twelve (12) hours of arriving in the connection city, you may follow the baggage allowance and weight restrictions of the international airline - provided a ticketing and baggage agreement is in place between Alaska Airlines and the other carrier.


I would not attempt this on separate tickets, others may be more willing to take a risk than I am.

what would be plan b if you stick with the current flight and its an hour late getting to SFO?

Agree with the comments above. I always aim to have a booking with an airline that has at least one if not two flights after mine that would still get me onto the connection. If not then an alternative airline that flies to the same destination at a similar time.
You only need weather or a technical disruption and bang goes your connection. I prefer to have a longer layover, than take the risk of having to shell out a fortune for a replacement ticket. YMMV.

also agree--i have too many memories of endless delays up along the CA coast over my years of commuting between LAX/SFO for work...so while i personally would not risk a same day connect on separate tickets, i would instead fly up the night before and shack up at the Hyatt SFO which is connected on the airtrain (and lovely though pricey depending on budget).

barring that, without question i'd take the long connection and have a nice leisurely lunch in one of the great places in terminal 1 which is connected to the international terminal airside now.

To put some data into this, in August of 2023 according to BTS 22% of flights into SFO were delayed 15 minutes or more. I would generally agree with VSLover's suggestion of coming in the day before, or at least taking the 5 hour layover.

If you elect the day before option, there's no particular need to stay at an airport hotel, especially with a 7:25pm departure on Monday. Fly in at a reasonable time on Sunday, take BART into the city, book a hotel with a late checkout, and take BART back to the airport Monday afternoon.

Are you on Rewards / Companion Voucher ? If so, set alerts for a return from LAX or SAN direct and move if you can

SFO is prone to fog (certainly in summer July/August) and I had a couple of serious delays one up from SAN and another from PHX. I wouldn’t risk a same day connection.

I wouldn't do this same day for reasons as above: the earlier flight not only doesn't guarantee that mech/weather could still mess things up (albeit less likely), it also eats up your whole last day of vacation. Coming in the day before allows one last day in SF as suggested, and, if all goes completely to pot, you can still hire a car and drive up if absolutely necessary. SFO is my local major airport and it can be a total pain sometimes.

tb

I expect you have been convinced to fly up to SFO the day before, but just in case you haven’t I will say I 100% agree with the advice to do so. And do not stay at the airport—-you will have the evening and all next day to enjoy San Francisco. I would suggest the Hyatt Regency on the Embarcadero, just steps from the Embarcadero BART station, close to the Ferry Building and a nice area for walking on a broad sidewalk along the waterfront. You can ride the historic F Line streetcar to Fisherman’s Whart if you like, or walk there and ride back. Or take a ferry ride on the bay. Or find the famous Greenwich Steps and make the climb up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower for amazing views and lovely murals inside.

It there is a baseball game on at nearby; Oracle Park and you can enjoy the festive atmosphere along the Embarcadero south of the Ferry Building.

This is my favorite part of San Francisco.


https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/...-san-francisco

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article...s-18295387.php

Not only that, but in my experience it seems like the short-distance west coast flights (LAX, SAN, PDX, etc) are almost always the first to get delayed when the fog rolls in. My guess is since the planes are smaller and have a fair number of commuters there are fewer onward connections that get missed from these flights, so it's less costly to delay those first.

I used to fly Delta a good bit, which required a lot of connecting through LAX, and it seemed LAX-SFO in the summer was rarely if ever on time.

The west coast flights get delayed first because they're still on the ground when the air traffic management program is implemented - much harder to delay a flight that's already in the air :-)

I agree with others based on my experience transiting SFO. Two hours between flights is definitely too tight, IMHO. I would definitely be changing the SAN-SFO flight.

Runway 28L is closed for taxiway work but is expected to re-open well before your flight dates. Assuming worst case project delays (such as heavy winter/spring rain), they may still be restricted to 28R which will cause further havoc.

I am travelling PER-SIN-SFO late May and then SFO-LHR early June. Returning LHR-SFO late June then SFO-SIN-PER early July. Allowing plenty of time for SFO delays in all directions.

I would switch to the 1 pm Alaska flight, or the United 1:37 pm flight, which are only 53/90 minutes earlier than the OP’s original plan. SFO has some pleasant ways to pass the extra time, including an aviation museum close to the International-A security entrance (where BA operates).

As others have noted, there are lots of potential problems with the current plan. AS might not be willing to check your bag through to Heathrow, and then you would find yourself having to wait for your bag at Concourse D, motor over to BA checkin at International-A, wait in line at checkin, and then wait in line at International-A security. All of this in peak season at SFO. Even if you’re okay rolling those dice, is your wife also game?

My default these days is to come in the night before if I have a long-haul departure on separate tix. I've done many same day transits in the past in this situation, and never had worse than a very close call (due to a BART stoppage that trapped me just outside of Daly City), but it's just not worth the stress to me anymore. My rule was minimum 3 hours between flights (which I did not always follow).

I agree with all of those who say to come in the night before. Too much can be disrupted on those short haul flights between SFO and other CA cities.