alanwar

The crappy corporate travel policy is requiring me to take a flight that will require me to change planes at SFO on a saturday evening. My arriving plan gets in at 5:20pm to T3 (Alaska) and my departure is at 6:20pm from T1 (American). I see that there is a people mover system and that I'd want to take the red line. I am able bodied and don't mind running a bit if I have to. Am I going to have to clear security again at T1 ? Is this a recipie for trouble ? Or is the people mover efficient enough so I don't need to worry about it ?

Thanks,
Alan

rjque

This should be fine as long as AS is on time (and that's always a big "if"). You will have to leave the secured area of T1 and re-clear at T3. Lines aren't usually long at the AA section of T3. I usually walk between T1 and T3, though the train is probably fine as well.

Eastbay1K

AA is actually T-3 and AS T-1. There is a people mover system, but the airport is essentially "round", so you can walk in either direction from 1 to 3 - the walk, outside of security, shouldn't take you more than 10 to 15 mins. Personally, I'd make a left as to walk through the beautiful Int'l terminal, but you can make a right and walk through the old (closed) int'l terminal and you'll probably save yourself a few minutes. Access to the peoplemover from T-1 is currently not very convenient. To/from T-3 it is much more so.

Walk.

alanwar

I agree that AS is the wild card and so I need to find the ontime performance for the flight before booking.

If I walk will I need to reclear security ? How long is the walk and the train ? I walk briskly especially when I'm late .

rjque

Walking is 5-10 minutes, depending on how briskly you walk. I never take the train, so I'm not sure how long that will take. You'll need to reclear no matter what.

dll

You can sneak through the "express" security at United's terminal. What I'd do is this - turn left after leaving the secure area at T1 and follow the signs for the int'l terminal. Before you actually reach the terminal desk area there is a hallway with signs for T3/United/American (I think that's what it says). It basically skirts the back of the int'l terminal.

Once you get through to the other side of this, turn right and keep following the signs for Terminal 3/United/American. Once you pass the long people mover, there is a security checkpoint - there is not usually a long line here. This is for United's gates however, because AA and UA are now connected behind security, you should be able to get through. Once through here, walk past all of UA's gates numbers 70s, DO NOT turn into the UA pier, and keep walking until you get to the small AA terminal. Total walking time from AS to your AA gate, including clearing security, should be no more than 20 minutes tops.

Wild card is, the quicker checkpoint might not be open and if it is, they might insist you have to use the checkpoint for AA located further down. YMMV and good luck.

Alternatively, you can also cut through the garage - follow the signs for the parking tunnel, walk all the way across the garage until you get to AA's terminal area. You could easily get lost on this route, though, and b/c you have to use the tunnels on both ends it will actually add time to your trip.

FlyingBear

Is this one back to "general use" now that the Premium Boarding Area reonvations are finished? I'm still fuzzy on the details of the new layout, but hopefully will get to check it out soon.

mikeon

Although this is late now, I've seen some people try to use the United checkpoints without success as the ticket checkers would send them down to american all the way at the other end of the terminal.

Taking the train will generally take the same amount of time as walking as you have to wait for the trains, usually 2-5 minutes, and then add in the stops along the way. The benefit is that if you're lazy, you can sit around.

Since the flight was for the afternoon, the only United checkpoints opened would have been the 6 lane one where the regular passengers get to "enjoy" and the First class checkpoint 40 feet away on the other side of the elevators but that classes before 6pm.

Now, if you arrived into terminal 3 and had to connect to either International G or terminal 1, there is a shuttle that will take you there and you don't have to reclear security. I forget where in terminal 1 it stops though.

The shuttle can be found in between the two united checkpoints I mentioned earlier, it's behind the Yankee Pier right after the information desk but before the walkways. You'll see a person sitting there next to a counter and they would check your boarding pass and let you on.

Everything is back to normal.