Jul 30, 2016, 11:29 am
Last edit by: dhuey
UA @ SFO uses Terminals D, E, F, G, all UA gates are connected airside
UA terminal map & SFO terminal map
United clubs locations:
E gates -- near E3
F gates -- in the F rotunda
G gates -- near G9 (former Global First Lounge)
Mezzanine -- across from E1 (between E & F concourse)
United Polaris Lounge (United/Star Alliance long-haul business class passengers only) - just past Intl G security on the right.
Arrivals -- CLOSED - was near UA Domestic baggage claim (near the Internation Terminal end escalator) on the Arrival level
AMEX Centurion Lounge -- across from Gate F1
Freshen Up! -- is an independent option for Shower facilities, nap rooms, toiletries, ironing facilities and undergarments.
MCT
UA-UA D-D is usually 30 minutes
xx-UA I-D is generally 80-105 minutes (but without Global Entry this is very tight)
UA-XX D-D is ????
Incoming International (except Canadian flights arriving as domestic flights - clearance is done in Canada) - must clear USA immigration and customs even if in-transit to a non-USA destination. Therefore also need to re-clear security if connecting.
Bags can be check at either International Check (G) or Domestic check-in (T3) for either international or domestic flights -- you may get some pushback at International check-in counters checking bags for solely domestic flights (apparently it is a bit more complex to get the bags to the domestic side)
Bag storage Open Everyday 6am – 11 pm
Before security, on the Departures/Ticketing Level of the International Terminal, near the entrance to Gates G91-G102.
Related threads
Connecting in SFO
Archived posts: Consolidated Connection time/logistics-Domestic & International at SFO [ARCHIVE]
UA terminal map & SFO terminal map
United clubs locations:
E gates -- near E3
F gates -- in the F rotunda
G gates -- near G9 (former Global First Lounge)
Mezzanine -- across from E1 (between E & F concourse)
United Polaris Lounge (United/Star Alliance long-haul business class passengers only) - just past Intl G security on the right.
Arrivals -- CLOSED - was near UA Domestic baggage claim (near the Internation Terminal end escalator) on the Arrival level
AMEX Centurion Lounge -- across from Gate F1
Freshen Up! -- is an independent option for Shower facilities, nap rooms, toiletries, ironing facilities and undergarments.
MCT
UA-UA D-D is usually 30 minutes
xx-UA I-D is generally 80-105 minutes (but without Global Entry this is very tight)
UA-XX D-D is ????
Incoming International (except Canadian flights arriving as domestic flights - clearance is done in Canada) - must clear USA immigration and customs even if in-transit to a non-USA destination. Therefore also need to re-clear security if connecting.
Bags can be check at either International Check (G) or Domestic check-in (T3) for either international or domestic flights -- you may get some pushback at International check-in counters checking bags for solely domestic flights (apparently it is a bit more complex to get the bags to the domestic side)
Bag storage Open Everyday 6am – 11 pm
Before security, on the Departures/Ticketing Level of the International Terminal, near the entrance to Gates G91-G102.
Related threads
Connecting in SFO
Archived posts: Consolidated Connection time/logistics-Domestic & International at SFO [ARCHIVE]
Consolidated SFO connection time/logistics-Domestic & International
Oct 4, 2019, 7:31 pm
#92
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Oct 4, 2019, 9:26 pm
#94
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If connecting, I prefer to clear security first, so I know for sure how much time I have in the lounge.
G security would be on the way to all domestic UA gates. With T3, there's a chance you wind up backtracking.
Nov 5, 2019, 12:18 pm
#95
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 116
MEL-SFO-EWR Transfer
Hi all, looking for a bit of advice.
Will be arriving on UA from MEL into SFO in March. I'll have roughly 2 1/2 hours before connecting to EWR. Does this seem a reasonable amount of time to clear immigration etc? I have a British Passport and valid ESTA that will have already been used before. If it helps, I'll have passed through the USA 2 weeks before this flight, and will leave the USA later that day on the way back to the UK.
Thanks
Will be arriving on UA from MEL into SFO in March. I'll have roughly 2 1/2 hours before connecting to EWR. Does this seem a reasonable amount of time to clear immigration etc? I have a British Passport and valid ESTA that will have already been used before. If it helps, I'll have passed through the USA 2 weeks before this flight, and will leave the USA later that day on the way back to the UK.
Thanks
Nov 5, 2019, 12:29 pm
#96
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,063
Hi all, looking for a bit of advice.
Will be arriving on UA from MEL into SFO in March. I'll have roughly 2 1/2 hours before connecting to EWR. Does this seem a reasonable amount of time to clear immigration etc? I have a British Passport and valid ESTA that will have already been used before. If it helps, I'll have passed through the USA 2 weeks before this flight, and will leave the USA later that day on the way back to the UK.
Thanks
Will be arriving on UA from MEL into SFO in March. I'll have roughly 2 1/2 hours before connecting to EWR. Does this seem a reasonable amount of time to clear immigration etc? I have a British Passport and valid ESTA that will have already been used before. If it helps, I'll have passed through the USA 2 weeks before this flight, and will leave the USA later that day on the way back to the UK.
Thanks
Nov 5, 2019, 12:47 pm
#97
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Not sure when this will be. I also have a British passport and a pre-used ESTA (not to say either of those make any difference) and I fly regularly to SFO. Time from plane to exiting Customs with my bags has varied from 1hr 10 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes this year. From March through August was terrible - once it was only 2.5 hours, all the other times were 3 hours plus. January, February and October were fine.
Baggage re-check is fast but security at SFO is also a mess - it can be fast but it can also be slow and it’s always painful.
However, you will be protected by UA onto a later flight so, apart from the severe pain of the process, it’s not the end of the world.
Baggage re-check is fast but security at SFO is also a mess - it can be fast but it can also be slow and it’s always painful.
However, you will be protected by UA onto a later flight so, apart from the severe pain of the process, it’s not the end of the world.
Nov 12, 2019, 11:54 am
#99
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM; Bonvoy Titanium; most other FF programs...
Posts: 654
Syd-akl-sfo-yyz
So I found a great Saver Award ticket, all lie flat from SYD-YYZ.
The only connection I am slightly worried about is SFO-YYZ... ANZ Flight from AKL lands @ 11a, and AC flight to YYZ departs at 11:55a, all on ONE ticket.
Will only have carry-on; have TSA Pre/Global Entry/NEXUS and CLEAR.
Doable?
The only connection I am slightly worried about is SFO-YYZ... ANZ Flight from AKL lands @ 11a, and AC flight to YYZ departs at 11:55a, all on ONE ticket.
Will only have carry-on; have TSA Pre/Global Entry/NEXUS and CLEAR.
Doable?
Nov 12, 2019, 11:58 am
#100
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So I found a great Saver Award ticket, all lie flat from SYD-YYZ.
The only connection I am slightly worried about is SFO-YYZ... ANZ Flight from AKL lands @ 11a, and AC flight to YYZ departs at 11:55a, all on ONE ticket.
Will only have carry-on; have TSA Pre/Global Entry/NEXUS and CLEAR.
Doable?
The only connection I am slightly worried about is SFO-YYZ... ANZ Flight from AKL lands @ 11a, and AC flight to YYZ departs at 11:55a, all on ONE ticket.
Will only have carry-on; have TSA Pre/Global Entry/NEXUS and CLEAR.
Doable?
If your schedule is flexible (i.e. you can tolerate misconnecting), I would book it.
Nov 12, 2019, 12:05 pm
#101
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM; Bonvoy Titanium; most other FF programs...
Posts: 654
Thanks! I am used to tight connections and am pretty agile running through an airport. Once made an E gates to A Gate connection in Zurich in under 10 minutes (Even Swiss Air doubted I would make it, but I did)!
Booked and glad to be on the AC 787 for the final leg! Worse case scenario, they do have a 767 red-eye later that day.
Booked and glad to be on the AC 787 for the final leg! Worse case scenario, they do have a 767 red-eye later that day.
Last edited by FoxFlyer; Nov 12, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Nov 12, 2019, 12:12 pm
#102
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So I found a great Saver Award ticket, all lie flat from SYD-YYZ.
The only connection I am slightly worried about is SFO-YYZ... ANZ Flight from AKL lands @ 11a, and AC flight to YYZ departs at 11:55a, all on ONE ticket.
Will only have carry-on; have TSA Pre/Global Entry/NEXUS and CLEAR.
Doable?
The only connection I am slightly worried about is SFO-YYZ... ANZ Flight from AKL lands @ 11a, and AC flight to YYZ departs at 11:55a, all on ONE ticket.
Will only have carry-on; have TSA Pre/Global Entry/NEXUS and CLEAR.
Doable?
However, if you can tolerate a misconnect, book the space first, then use your ticket to get where you want to go second
Nov 12, 2019, 12:43 pm
#103
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I suppose it's possible to make it in 55 minutes with Global Entry if there's not a long line at TSE Pre, but I would expect to be waiting for the next flight to YYZ.
Nov 12, 2019, 12:49 pm
#104
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM; Bonvoy Titanium; most other FF programs...
Posts: 654
The AKL-SFO flight appears to land at 11 AM, and I see the 11:55 departure to AC on the schedule, but there shouldn't be any way to book them on the same ticket, As you point out, the MCT is 1:45.
I suppose it's possible to make it in 55 minutes with Global Entry if there's not a long line at TSE Pre, but I would expect to be waiting for the next flight to YYZ.
I suppose it's possible to make it in 55 minutes with Global Entry if there's not a long line at TSE Pre, but I would expect to be waiting for the next flight to YYZ.
Nov 12, 2019, 12:57 pm
#105
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I agree it's odd - a UA award? As long as you're savvy - which sounds like you are - seems like a good way to ticket a unicorn Saver award. You can either run for it (I agree with GE, no checked bag, and the premium cabin you will probably make it) or call UA at some point as get positive space on SFO-DEN/ORD-YYZ.