RobOnLI

Yes, this shouldn't be an issue. Technically check-in overlaps for these two flights if they are strict about the 3 hours before flight time as HKG leaves at 0600 and SFO departs at 0845.

-RM

docbert

Technically that means they *don't* overlap as check-in for HKG would finish at 5am (one hour before departure) and check-in for SFO wouldn't start until 5:45am (3 hours before). I have no idea if they do actually close the check-in desks for that ~45 minutes or not.

Also keep in mind that this changes in about 6 weeks when the HKG flight moves to 5:45am and SFO moves to 9:45am. Given that's a 2 hour gap between checkin windows, I'd be pretty sure they will actually close.

dsgtc0408

On the first question: it's worth a shot. At worst, you're stuck at ground side hanging out at Starbucks or McD's until check in counters open.

On the second question: with J ticket and *G, it's a no brainer to go to the SKL. I remember when UA was still at T3, seeing folks in the SKL sleeping in the chairs (a few folks push two chairs together) at 4:00am. Anyway the SKL showers are nicer than the ones at SATS.

Immigration is 24h (as replied by another poster).

Gate check bags - as in, gate check on the jetway? I've never seen it done outside the US (certainly not at Changi). My suggestion is that when you arrive in SIN (for some reason I have this idea you're flying in on UA) that you look for the UA uniformed staff member at baggage claim and ask if gate check can be done.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Mildy off-topic but related-

If I arrive SIN 6:55am on UA1 (or is that UA2?) and leave exactly 24hrs later, 6:55am on a Sinapore Air flight to BNE, can the luggage be checked all the way through? Two different itins. Thanks!

transportprof

Don't have insight into interline baggage at SIN - assuming it's on two separate tickets, but I do know that SQ offers early check in, including luggage check at SIN. So assuming that you plan to go landside during your 24 hours, you can always recheck your bags right away.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Thanks, yes, the plan would be to go airside if in SIN that long.

I've got two possible itins... one arriving on the 1:40am flight via HKG, and leaving that same morning on the 6:55am SIN-BNE. That seems pretty brutal to me. The other option would be to fly in the day earlier on the 6:55am UA direct flight (as referenced in my earlier post). That sounds more sensible, although obviously we couldn't check into a hotel for quite a few hours and could be in a zombie-like state.

We could consider the transit hotel on arrival, sleep for a few hours, then hit the town. Or I could just do the brutal thing with just the 5 hour layover at SIN. Realistically, if bags were already checked through, it might not be THAT bad.

eng3

I'm actually going to be arriving via HKG at 12:20am and plan to take a 4:55am flight out. That's nearly the same as your itn (minus one hour). You can subtract a few hours for getting off the plane and getting to the next flight and having to show up at your next flight early enough so in reality it isnt THAT long to wait. Still brutal at that hour (although you may be wide awake due to jetlag).

Mike Jacoubowsky

Thankfully my ongoing flight has KrisSilver lounge access, so I can at least get a shower. When I did my mileage run with SIN turnaround, I actually took *two* showers, one after deplaning and another 4 hours later (did the transit hotel thing).

So I didn't give the full details... SFO-HKG (3 hr layover) SIN (5 hr layover) BNE (4 hr layover) and then finally arrive at CNS. This could be a record travel "day" for me, and I've done some crazy ones.

Regarding the SIN-BNE leg on SQ, we'll be in C. Do we need to check in more than an hour prior? Can we actually check-in when we arrive, 5 hours prior? Thanks!

dsgtc0408

You might get your bag interlined no matter what, depending how the stars align.

a) When you check in at UA for UA1, let them know that you are connecting to an onward flight in SQ when you reach SIN. Touch wood they will tag your bag all the way through to BNE. If they do, not only do you have no worries, you will also have your boarding passes. This would be ideal! (BTW SQ allows counter check in up to 48 hours before flight time so there's no SQ related reason that I can see why UA wouldn't be able to issue the boarding passes.)

b) If UA only lets you go as far as SIN (no early check for your SQ Brisbane flight), what you do is go to SQ check in at SFO (assumes they're open), let them know you're on UA 1 and will be connecting in SIN for the BNE flight. See if they can issue you the SIN/BNE boarding passes, and most importantly if they can send a message ahead to have someone to watch for your bags and pull them. They will want to see your UA baggage claim check for that. If SQ check in is closed, go to the SQ SKL that's behind the UC in the international terminal and see if they can do this.

c) If that doesn't work, proceed to SIN. On arrival, go to the Transfer Desk specifically for the SQ counter and check in for your BNE flight. Make sure they know that you have luggage coming in at baggage claim. They'll issue you a new baggage claim check and have someone pull your bags. Note: you will be going to the Transfer Desk in T2 because that's where your flight arrives. The folks there may tell you to go to the Transfer Desk in T3 because that's where your BNE flight leaves from. Take the Skytrain on airside to go between terminals - don't go through Immigration.

d) Worse case: go through Immigration and Customs at T2, move yourself to T3 and check in, old school.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Excellent information that I somehow missed when you posted it! Thanks for mentioning it elsewhere.

drowelf

If I'm doing a MR to SIN this weekend. Can I stay airside the entire time? I'm coming in on UA1 and turning right around and going out on UA2 2 hours later. No checked luggage, of course, since this is a MR.

What is the best strategy here for not having to exit airside and re-clear?

Thanks

docbert

No strategy needed - on arrival go to the transfer desk and get a boarding pass, then head to the gate (or the lounge, cactus garden, butterfly garden, or wherever you feel like going). You WILL need to re-clear security as it's done at the gate and there's no way to avoid it.

Given the flight should have wifi, it's probably worth checking in on the outbound flight (no need to pay for Wifi as you can access united.com for free)

Mike Jacoubowsky

OK, this is going to sound like strange advice for a mileage run, but any chance you could change your outbound to the SFO/HKG/SIN flight, which gets in at 1:40am I think, and spend some time at the airport? It is by far the most-amazing airside experience ever, even in the middle of the night. My SFO-SIN mileage run (which netted nearly 19k miles with the convoluted routing I came up with) got me hooked. At SIN I checked into the transit hotel for about 5 hours, took a shower, slept 4 hours, then another shower, then headed out to see the sights... in the airport!

belfordrocks

Is this still the case?

pushmyredbutton

Technically yes

But they have someone at the gate with the page of stickers ready to ask the questions should you not have gone to the check-in counter.

Done it a few time with the "lite" version of the boarding pass