Questions About SMF (Sacramento)
 

I am flying into Sacramento next week on Continental. I have a few questions about the airport, which I have never visited.

1. Are the rental cars right outside the terminal, or do you need to take a shuttle bus (I'm renting from Hertz)?

2. When I fly out of SFM for an early morning flight (it's about 6:30 a.m.), what can I expect as far as checking in? Does CO have kiosks? How about security? Any elite lines to speak of (I gather not), and what kind of general lines will I be looking at at that hour?

Gracias.

[This message has been edited by SJU Abogado (edited Dec 18, 2003).]

SMF has a consolidated rental facility that is about a five min bus ride from the terminal.

A free bit of advice would be to purchase the fuel option on the rental if you are going to be keeping the car for a few days and would be able to burn the tank. SMF is a bit removed from the city and there are very few (and hard to find) gas stations nearby. Otherwise, fill up in town and top off, if you need to, a SMF

I flew out of SMF on a 6:00 a.m. flight a few months ago and there were really no lines to speak of.

Gracias, mi amigo.

One more question: I'm staying in a downtown Sacramento hotel, so what time should I be leaving in order to comfortably get to the airport, return my car, check in, get through security and still have at least one hour before my 6:42 a.m. departure next Tuesday?

Again, thanks.

I would say 4:45am.

And there is a gas station on-airport whose prices are the same as in-town. Don't know whether it's open at that early an hour though.

cblaisd's streak of providing spot-on answers continues. http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ft...orum/smile.gif I agree. I gave myself a little over 90 mintues to make my a.m. departure. I think the rental car bus is every 15 min at that time of the day.

Y Feliz Navidad equalmente, SJU Abogado...



[This message has been edited by FlyinHawaiian (edited Dec 19, 2003).]

This is no longer true, they built a gas station at the airport.

Thank you for all your help.

First, I had to drive a whole bunch south for my business trip, so I chose the fuel option. Thus, the purchase of gas is a moot point. Thanks, anyway.

Second, since I don't mind getting to the airport early (so long as I can find a power source for my laptop, at least when I don't have access to a CO President's Club) and given the elevated Orange threat level, I have chosen to not play games and leave for the airport at 4:00 a.m. (getting up at 3:00 a.m is not a big deal for me, since that's 6:00 a.m. east coast time).

Again, gracias! And happy holidays to all!