milesmuncher

Thanks for all the input!

I'm feeling a bit more settled about the 77-minute option, though now of course the entire trip is up in the air...

FWIW this will be in J, so the Rouge experience shouldn't be as dreadful (extra leg room at least). Not worth the miles for J, but it's the TCON redeye out of YVR that I'm more concerned about anyway (which would be regular AC domestic J).

mahasamatman

Don't let the naysayers scare you. I fly Rouge in J regularly and the 320 is better than pretty much any narrowbody United flight and the 763 is unconditionally better than any "domestic F" widebody flight on United.

sfvoyage

I have a related question regarding international to transborder connection at YVR. I'll be on AF CDG-YVR, connecting on a separate ticket to UA YVR-SFO, with a 5-hr layover at YVR.

At YVR, will I get my suitcase and clear customs and immigrations, and then go up to UA check-in at departure level to re-check in for my connecting flight? And then go through immigration and customs again for my departing flight?

Is there a transfer desk in the arrivals area? (Even if there is, I'd like to talk to a UA agent to see about possibly getting on an earlier flight to SFO.)

rankourabu

No transfer desk. You have to go to regular checkin, and try the agents there for SDC.

otherwise, your understanding of the procedures is right on.

noah

You can check your suitcase through all the way to SFO if you get a halfway knowledgable agent at CDG. That said, having a checked bag will make it impossible for you to take an earlier flight. You might want to take a look at the flight you want and figure out if that is actually an option; if you know in advance that there isn't an earlier flight with room -- you can save yourself lots of hassle by not having to pick up your bag, clear customs, go to United, re-check it (and pay for the privilege if you aren't elite) and then deal with the trans-border security lines at YVR which can at times be long. Instead you can just let them transfer your bag for you.

5 hours is enough time to get out of the airport FWIW.

sfvoyage

Good point, though i may not have the option to check thru. I am actually starting in CPT on SA connecting to AF at JNB-CDG-YVR all on same ticket. Won't try to push my luck by tacking on the UA leg to SFO, especially since I won't have an idea if I may be able to do a SDC to an earlier flight from YVR to SFO till I land at CDG.

kthpence

I have an upcoming flight that routes FRA-YVR-SFO, flying LH J from FRA-YVR and UA J from YVR - SFO. The connection time is 70 minutes at YVR, and I read that we will clear US Customs in YVR because of the time we are arriving (Tuesday around noon). Will this be enough time to clear customs ? Does LH offer a fast-track pass to clear customs quicker, or no? One of us holds a EU passport, the other a US passport. This flight was much preferable to the others because it arrives in SFO at 3PM, so I could avoid rush hour traffic vs the flights that arrive at 5PM and 6PM.

Any info is greatly appreciated!

RobOnLI

There is no fast pass for immigration and customs at YVR for US-bound passengers. You will get off the LH flight and follow the signs for "US Connections". You will not see/talk to any Canadian customs or immigration folks during this transfer. When you get to the "US Connections" area you will have to fill out a US customs declaration form (or LH may give these out on the flight). Global Entry does not work here and can't be used so have fun standing in the long line for security. Status, GE, everything doesn't work to get through this line any quicker. Once through security you will be shown a TV screen with a picture of any checked bag(s) you may have connecting from LH to UA/AC. If these are your bags you simply tell them yes and move on to US immigration. If your bags do not appear on the screen yet you will be put in a holding area (purgatory, I call it). You wait there with a babysitter until someone realizes your bag has its picture on the screen. Again, once you identify it's your bag you will go to US immigration. Again, US Global Entry does not work here. You wait in line with everyone else, although this line tends to move much faster than the security line.

From here you will board your flight and once you land in SFO you will enter as if you came in on a US domestic flight and proceed straight to baggage claim to claim your checked bags.

Happy travels. Do not delay getting off the plane or getting to "US Connections". Note: there is nothing to see or do on the walk above the main terminal (only restrooms - no shopping, no cafes - so it's hard to get delayed here). I connect through YVR many times as I'm SEA-based and have been flying AC a lot this year. 70 minutes is tight - I will not lie. But it's doable. If the security line for connections is long just hang tight - eventually someone will come around asking for people connecting to 'x' city to come to the front of the line. Even then there are no guarantees but it does help.

-RM

kthpence

Thank you so much for this detailed response. Sounds a tad bit stressful, but willing to chance it as there are flights that leave a little bit later with plenty of availability. The whole getting shown a photo of your bag seems like somewhat of a bizarre concept! Anyway, thanks again, hopefully we can make it.

artvandalay

On Monday, I had a three hour connection in YVR, and it took 2.5 hours to clear all of the multiple and quite thorough checkpoints, including spending almost one hour in "purgatory" while an AC supervisor tried--without success--to find my bag. It showed up just as I was leaving US immigration, so I had to go to another room and wait for the TV image to appear and confirm my bag.

As RobOnLI pointed out, there's no Pre-check and the GE kiosks aren't accessible. There is nothing "fast" about transitting YVR.

kthpence

So you don't think I'd be able to make a 70 minute connection? On AC's website, the minimum connection time at YVR is 70 minutes, so I assume I'll be protected if I miss the flight.

transportprof

There is a very interesting thread in the LH forum on how difficult the transit at YVR used to be.

The good news is that after a couple of years (compared to other international carriers) LH figured out a way to join the direct entry to the US pre-clearance without going through Canada Customs and Immigration.

The bad news (as reported in the last post of this thread) is that LH ground staff are not so hot in rebooking connections if you do miss your ticketed flight.

See:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufth...-merged-4.html

I'd give a 70 minute transborder connection a 66% chance of success at YVR.

Bonne chance!

Kacee

Tell me about it! I will NEVER do a YVR transit again. Even if they've fixed some of the issues, the basic problem is an extremely traveler unfriendly attitude.

kthpence

Bonne chance is right! Worse comes to worst, there is another UA flight 3 hours after our original, as well as various AC flights, so I think it should be ok if we do miss the original flight. We'll be on the UD on the 747-400, so I feel like that may slow us down as well (assuming we have to deplane downstairs?).

Does it make sense to just keep the short connection and if we miss it, we can get on the other flight, or should we switch to the later flight and try to get to the earlier flight?

I also don't think I'd be dealing with LH ground staff as my connecting flight is with UA and booked with UA miles, correct?

transportprof

If it makes a difference, the trans-border Maple Leaf Lounge has a shower room and quite decent food and drink. There are worse places to spend a three hour layover (including any United Club except LHR and perhaps NRT or HKG).

Whatever happens, don't accept a rebooking in Y on Rouge, Air Canada's subsidiary flying to California from YVR. Their J is passable, but their Y is the worst seat flying in North America - worse than Spirit or Allegiant!

My understanding is that once travel begins, it's the operating carrier not the ticketing carrier that is responsible for rebookings. So you're 'stuck' with LH. It's six on the one hand half-dozen on the other as UA has outsourced its ground services at YVR and the last time the contract staff had to touch one of my reservations they messed it up royally.