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Has anyone done a transfer from SFO international to domestic?

Has anyone done a transfer from SFO international to domestic?

Old Dec 3, 2018, 3:40 pm
  #46  
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You use the words "transfer" and "connection" in your post. Are you on one ticket ORD-SIN with a connection at SFO or are there two separate tickets, one from ORD-SFO and a second from ORD-SIN? Presuming one ticket, you have a connection.
1. No need to recheck luggage.
2. No need to reclear security.

Nonetheless, a very tight connection because a delay may mean that you misconnect and that means a 24-hour delay or an inconvenient rerouting, possibly in lousy seats.

If on two tickets, a delay may mean that you no show for your second ticket and, depending on its fare rules, may have to purchase a new ticket or at least pay significant penalties and also deal with a lousy reroute and so on.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 4:58 pm
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 5:53 pm
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Originally Posted by Often1
You use the words "transfer" and "connection" in your post. Are you on one ticket ORD-SIN with a connection at SFO or are there two separate tickets, one from ORD-SFO and a second from ORD-SIN? Presuming one ticket, you have a connection.
1. No need to recheck luggage.
2. No need to reclear security.

Nonetheless, a very tight connection because a delay may mean that you misconnect and that means a 24-hour delay or an inconvenient rerouting, possibly in lousy seats.

If on two tickets, a delay may mean that you no show for your second ticket and, depending on its fare rules, may have to purchase a new ticket or at least pay significant penalties and also deal with a lousy reroute and so on.
Thanks. It is a single ticket with connection at SFO. The domestic and international terminal seems not far away?

It is going to happen in next 2 weeks. Given possible unpredictable winter weather in ORD, I think I better give myself longer connection time.

Meanwhile, on a side note: if it is separate tickets on UA, the ground staff can still check the luggage through right? Just that the consequence of the miss connection will be different?
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 6:12 pm
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Yes, your bags can be checked through across separate tickets. But, purchasing a new ticket to SIN can be quite expensive at the last minute.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 11:22 pm
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Originally Posted by Often1
Nonetheless, a very tight connection because a delay may mean that you misconnect and that means a 24-hour delay or an inconvenient rerouting, possibly in lousy seats.
12 hours - UA has 2 SFO-SIN flights per day, plus potentially 2 more if they were to move you to SQ (although that would be unlikely).
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Old Dec 4, 2018, 8:31 am
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Not much room for delays here. For me it would depend on how much hassle it would be to miss the connection and have to wait 12 hours for the next flight. Also, how much earlier is the previous ORD flight?

Tip: wear shoes you can run in. Gate to gate is 5-15 min depending on locations.
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Old Jan 13, 2019, 3:23 pm
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Which security is faster?

After an international arrival with a domestic (UA) connection, does anyone have experience on whether it is faster to clear TSA upstairs at the international terminal or over at the domestic terminal.

Arrival will be around 9:00 p.m.
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Old Jan 14, 2019, 10:50 am
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I've only cleared through the Flight Connections check point twice and on both occasions, I was the only person doing so (early afternoon arrival, both times with a good one hour wait for Immigration, so International Arrivals was not exactly empty). I find the checkpoints at domestic UA in T3 to be very variable, from speedy (the other day) to absolute hell, with seemingly little rhyme or reason.
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Old Jan 15, 2019, 7:47 pm
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Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
After an international arrival with a domestic (UA) connection, does anyone have experience on whether it is faster to clear TSA upstairs at the international terminal or over at the domestic terminal.
With you hitting the checkpoint after 9pm it's hard to predict. Sometimes the international checkpoint is hammered in the evening. Fortunately it's not hard to check it first. If you see a huge line, divert through the elevated corridor to T3 and use the domestic security lines there.
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Old Jan 19, 2019, 2:40 pm
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Hi guys, my family and i are going to Singapore from Minneapolis so the route is MSP-SFO-HKG-SIN. MSP-SFO is on delta DL1568 landing in SFO around 8:30pm. SFO-HKG-SIN is on Singapore Airlines (SQ1) departing at 12 am. So there are 2 separate tickets. We also have some checked bags. Just wondering if thats enough time to pick up our bags at the baggage claim area and check in to Singapore Airlines? Also where is the baggage claim area located if we're landing at Terminal 1 (DL1568), and also whats the quickest way to get to the Singapore check in counter (at the International terminal?)to check our bags back in? Thanks.
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Old Jan 19, 2019, 10:55 pm
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Originally Posted by darthbimmer
With you hitting the checkpoint after 9pm it's hard to predict. Sometimes the international checkpoint is hammered in the evening. Fortunately it's not hard to check it first. If you see a huge line, divert through the elevated corridor to T3 and use the domestic security lines there.
At that time I wouldn't even bother checking International. It's right before the Asia/Pacific flight times, and the odds of it being faster than domestic is low. What's more, it's that time of day when the checkpoint seems to be filled with people that have never actually been to an airport before, and are surprised by the fact they can't take their full-sized tube of toothpaste or bottle of chicken soup with them onto the plane, or that they need to take their thongs off before going into the x-ray!

The only reason I'd suggest using Intl at that time of night is if you're headed to the Polaris lounge. The checkpoint in T3 nearest to international will be closed by then, so it'll be a bit of a hike to go over to the next one and then all the way back.

(And for those not aware, what Americans call "flip-flips", we Australians call "thongs". I did say it was when the flights to the Pacific departed... )
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 12:53 am
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Originally Posted by docbert
At that time I wouldn't even bother checking International. It's right before the Asia/Pacific flight times, and the odds of it being faster than domestic is low. What's more, it's that time of day when the checkpoint seems to be filled with people that have never actually been to an airport before, and are surprised by the fact they can't take their full-sized tube of toothpaste or bottle of chicken soup with them onto the plane, or that they need to take their thongs off before going into the x-ray!

The only reason I'd suggest using Intl at that time of night is if you're headed to the Polaris lounge. The checkpoint in T3 nearest to international will be closed by then, so it'll be a bit of a hike to go over to the next one and then all the way back.
I agree with all of the above, except that the OP will be walking right past International-G security on the way to Terminal 3 (no point in taking Airtrain one stop). OP can take a look and if the line is short go in there. I agree, though, that the line is likely to be much longer than over at Terminal 3-E that time of night.
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 9:49 am
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Originally Posted by dhuey
I agree with all of the above, except that the OP will be walking right past International-G security on the way to Terminal 3 (no point in taking Airtrain one stop).
Not unless they get lost...

From international arrivals (A or G) you stay on the lower level on the walk to T3 - left out of the glass doors from the arrivals area, along the pathway past baggage re-check, then right to turn towards T3. To get to International Departures you need turn left rather than right, and then go up the escalator/elevator, then along a little bit to get to Intl G security, then back down the escalator/elevator if/when the line is too long. It's not a huge detour, but it is a detour.

The only way you'd be walking through the international departure area is if you took the wrong exit from arrivals and went out the "Arrivals" door rather than the "Connections" door, which leads to a longer path, but one that does indeed involve going past the departures area (and forces you to do the up a level/back down a level thing). Plus if they had bags then this route will fail badly.
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 6:07 pm
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Thanks; I stand corrected. That seems so obvious now that you mention it. I live here, and Ive never had occasion to connect from international to domestic at SFO.
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 9:52 pm
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Originally Posted by dtpham1020
Hi guys, my family and i are going to Singapore from Minneapolis so the route is MSP-SFO-HKG-SIN. MSP-SFO is on delta DL1568 landing in SFO around 8:30pm. SFO-HKG-SIN is on Singapore Airlines (SQ1) departing at 12 am. So there are 2 separate tickets. We also have some checked bags. Just wondering if thats enough time to pick up our bags at the baggage claim area and check in to Singapore Airlines?
With 3.5 hours between landing and departure you have plenty of time to disembark from your arriving aircraft, claim your bags in Terminal 1, transit to International-G, check your bags, pass through security, and walk to your gate.

The risk is, what if your arriving flight is over 2 hours late. Then you don't have time to complete the connection, and because it's not on a single ticket the airlines have no responsibility to pay for changes. At that point you've missed your flight, and the cost of making changes in on you.
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Last edited by darthbimmer; Jan 22, 2019 at 9:28 pm Reason: add quote
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