Reindeerflame

We have an award flight coming up February 6 to Japan, from SMF to NRT. The assigned 852am connection from SMF to SFO has a fairly tight connection (1 hr., 18 min.) to SFO-NRT and is on SkyWest. I've started checking status reports and it looks like the SMF-SFO flights are occasionally operating late, likely due to impaired weather conditions. On the other hand, the first flight of the day (approx. 6am) is a larger plane that stops in SFO on the way to Cancun, and that one operated.on time on the two days I checked so far.

I'm beginning to think of alternative options, including taking the train to SFO the night before our Japan flight and staying in an airport-adjacent hotel (and asking UA to drop the first flight segment), or perhaps trying to change our connection to the first flight of the day in order to have more connecting time at SFO along with the better chances for a more reliable flight. The latter would require an extremely early start from our location.

As a nonstatus passenger, would there be a fee to change to the earlier flight under Alternative 2? I'm assuming that I might be able to drop the first flight segment at no charge under Alternative 1.

I'm looking for the best option, rather than necessarily the lowest-cost option.

Because this is California, it's also likely that the weather might improve substantially in a few weeks from the current rain, clouds, and wind.

FightingIlliniUAL

Morning SFO arrivals on RJs are prone to delays due to fog. I would recommend that you be prepared to take the train or drive to SFO.

Repooc17

Drop first segment, the entire reservation gets cancelled. Do not do this unless you want to spend your time in CA instead of Japan.

You can request to make change to the earlier flight within 24 hours of original scheduled time for the flight from SMF to SFO: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...ay-change.html

As long as the flight from SMF arrives on time, 1 hour+ is more than doable for the transfer. I had once transferred from a transcontinental flight to a transpacific flight with 10 minutes to spare at SFO due to late departure/arrival.

fearless2357

They would rebook you for free if you missed it due to the delay (since you booked the two flights married together), but obviously since it is a long haul that is not ideal given that the next flight probably is a while later, and you might get stuck in a middle seat.

You cannot drop the first leg and keep the same exact fare; your fare is always contingent on you keeping the same origin and final destination, even if you are flying one less flight. What you can explore is cancelling the ticket (pay the award redeposit fee) and rebooking just straight out of SFO, but since you don't have status, that will cost you a bit. If you are lucky, UA can find a way to drop Leg 1 in a cheaper fashion, but technically you can't do it without sweetalking someone.

The same day flight change option mentioned above is also an option, but it would only allow you to change if the same fare bucket is available; if you booked Saver award, saver award would still need to be available the day of the flight and the itinerary with the earlier connection would also have to be a route sold on UA's website (just search for a new booking for that day and see if it exists and what fare buckets are available). In addition, you have to pay $75 per person as non-status, but that isn't too crazy.

Kacee

There is a substantial risk of misconnect. I would come in the night before. You can call UA and drop the SMF-SFO segment. Ask if they will waive the change fee because you are concerned about misconnecting with all the recent weather problems at SFO. Disregard advice above to the contrary, it is unsound.

It's an award flight. The fare is exactly the same.

fearless2357

Sorry may have been unclear there. I guess what I meant is, OP would technically have to get it reissued and that may lead to having to pay a redeposit fee. In the end the miles required would be the same.

GoSh4rks

Assuming UA metal, It can be done as a change, not a cancel and rebook. At least the 1k agents can do it this way, even without x/xn availability (if that's what was originally booked.)

sinoflyer

I suggest using SDC to take the 6 am SMF-SFO on the day of departure, regardless of the weather. Myself, I always book the 6 am from LAX on transpac trips via SFO, because I have no faith that any flight after 6:01 am (exaggeration) wouldn't be delayed.

If the weather forecast for SFO will be bad for your date of travel, you should consider SDC the SMF-SFO segment to leave a day earlier. You can have up to a 24-hour connection in SFO, so ostensibly you have the entire day before to leave SMF.

fearless2357

For non-status folks though, unfortunately the change vs cancel essentially costs the same. The change fee is same as redeposit once you're less than 60 days to departure at $125 per ticket. Nevertheless a change is probably quicker and easier to do.

Kacee

Based on the stated connection time I'm pretty sure we're talking an all UA itinerary. It could be done even if NRT were on NH, but that is a little dicier.

I concur with sinoflyer that OP should consider changing to an earlier UA flight. The Capitol Express from Sacramento is not a great option if your destination is SFO.

Reindeerflame

I will be digesting all of the above input. As clarification, the Capitol Corridor is really a local train, not an express, and is reasonably convenient for access to SFO Airport if one connects to BART at Embarcadero station via the Amtrak bus stop located just above outside the Hyatt Regency, code SFF. Reliability with a prior day arrival would not be a significant factor as it might with same day connections. However, the issue of a previous day flight SMF-SFO is a decent alternative that deserves consideration.

Thanks for previous and in advance for potential future input.

Kacee

I admire your tolerance for public transit transfers . . . Amtrak =>bus across Bridge=>BART

asquare

Having had to do the SMF-SFO flight many times in the past, the likelihood of delay is extremely high if there is even a small amount of fog or rain (which is very frequent in SFO). If you can't change your flight, I would either plan to be ready to go to the airport early enough to catch the 6am flight and wake up as if you were catching that flight to check to see if your flight is delayed or SFO is having any weather. If so, try to same day change or standby for the 6am flight. Failing that, if a delay is posted to your flight, be prepared to drive to SFO to catch your flight, but only do this after confirming with an agent that the rest of your itinerary would be protected. Hopefully though all will be on time and you can go back to sleep for an hour or two,

One other thought, if there has been a schedule change that shortened your connect time since you booked it, you may be able to persuade United to rebook you on the earlier SMF-SFO flight without paying a change fee. However, in my mind, if all goes to plan, 1hr 20 min is adequate assuming that you are able to walk at a reasonable pace. If not, consider asking for a cart, etc. as the domestic to international walk can be quite a ways depending on which gates you fly in/out of.

Steve M

Can't you also take Amtrak to Richmond, where the Amtrak and BART stations are connected, and then take BART to SFO (changing lines at Embarcadero)? That eliminates the bus and the bridge.

That would be my first choice. To re-iterate what others have said, on an international itinerary, it's a valid connection as long as it's less than 24 hours. So, you can leave as early as the prior afternoon and still have it be the same price (in miles) as your current flight, assuming availability is there. As to how to get it changed at this point, others have covered it: sympathetic agent (especially when pointing out you're not changing the long haul and that the only thing you're trying to do is avoid a misconnect), schedule change waiver, or pay the fee. Or, you can hope for an SDC. Note that despite its name, a Same Day Change can be any time within 24 hours of original flight, so you could move the first segment forward as soon as 24 hours prior to what you have scheduled now. That would be cheaper, but you won't know until that day if it can be done.

david_oz

However, since OP is on an award ticket, there is a higher risk that his/her fare class is not available on either the 6am flight, or the previous night. If there is availability on either flight right now, I would make the change.