SFO immigration now longer than LAX?
Apr 28, 2019, 9:16 pm
#61
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
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Why on earth does SFO have fewer than 20 GE kiosks? Yes, it's relatively quick, but with the number of arriving pax seems like they should double the number. IAD - my usual entry port - has 2x what SFO does.
Apr 28, 2019, 9:20 pm
#62
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Just arrived on AF82, and immigration was backed up into the hallway. I was first to hit GE and flew through.
There are two separate arrivals halls at SFO, so double those numbers. I've never had to wait more than 60 seconds for a kiosk.
There are two separate arrivals halls at SFO, so double those numbers. I've never had to wait more than 60 seconds for a kiosk.
Apr 28, 2019, 9:26 pm
#63
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,188
Immigration line is just part of traveling, and there may or may not be a long line. What do you do when there is a line at the bank? at the grocery store? at McDonald's?....you wait.
Last edited by Mama; Apr 28, 2019 at 10:08 pm
Apr 29, 2019, 1:30 am
#64
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None of the bank, McDs or the food store are monopolies. If the queue is long I go elsewhere (obviously if I have spent an hour over choosing groceries and the queue is only 30 minutes I’ll wait, but I probably won’t return). 3 hour queues day in, day out are totally unacceptable, except among Government “service” providers.
Apr 29, 2019, 2:23 am
#65
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
In terms of the line at LAX, it really depends on which order your flight lands in the very first arrival bank. There is around 8 flight from Australia/NZ to LAX landing almost at the same time, so depends on if your flight is first or 8th to pull into the gate you could be waiting anywhere from zero to 1 hour +
Apr 29, 2019, 6:39 am
#66
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Location: Washington, DC
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None of the bank, McDs or the food store are monopolies. If the queue is long I go elsewhere (obviously if I have spent an hour over choosing groceries and the queue is only 30 minutes I’ll wait, but I probably won’t return). 3 hour queues day in, day out are totally unacceptable, except among Government “service” providers.
Nov 13, 2019, 5:12 pm
#67
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: LAX/ONT
Posts: 201
Im flying this route at the end of February (landing on a Saturday morning), how long can I expect the wait time to be, on average? If I booked a domestic outbound flight for 1-1.5 hrs after schedule arrival could I make it back thru in time?
Nov 13, 2019, 5:39 pm
#68
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Latin America and USA
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We'd need a little more info to know for sure regarding your connection time. That said, if you have Global Entry you could be fine. I often connect from TPE-SFO to an onward UA flight with less than 2 hours connection time, and sometimes pushing only 1 hour. It's been close a couple of times, but I've always made it. I do have GE.
Nov 13, 2019, 5:40 pm
#69
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Are you traveling on a US passport?
If not, do you have a green card?
If any of these conditions apply you should be fine, as long as your flight arrives on time.
If you’re traveling on another passport, it could tight, particularly if you don’t have TSA pre or Clear.
Nov 13, 2019, 5:47 pm
#70
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
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Also, it is advisable just to post questions in one FlyerTalk forum.
Nov 13, 2019, 6:02 pm
#71
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
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Posts: 1,329
Mobile passport will help. Usually it is very quick, almost as quick as GE in the few times I've been able to compare.
Nov 13, 2019, 6:16 pm
#72
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And as a result, I've considered hedging my bets by using mobile passport while taxiing and then choosing whichever looks better when I walk up. But so far the potential reward has only been about a minute, so I haven't decided to do that.
Nov 13, 2019, 8:31 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: LAX/ONT
Posts: 201
We'd need a little more info to know for sure regarding your connection time. That said, if you have Global Entry you could be fine. I often connect from TPE-SFO to an onward UA flight with less than 2 hours connection time, and sometimes pushing only 1 hour. It's been close a couple of times, but I've always made it. I do have GE.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 13, 2019 at 11:39 pm Reason: repaired quote
Nov 13, 2019, 11:48 pm
#74
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Flying southwest means you are on separate tickets. Any check bags? Even without checked bags, 90 mins, no GE, with kids, separate tickets, .... you will occasionally make this but I would not give it better than a 50% chance
Nov 14, 2019, 1:47 am
#75
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I could not stand the stress of that. SFO is a disgrace these days. A technological wilderness. We have a ton of US folks from the Bay Area in the UK at the moment and they could not be more glowing about being able to use the e-passport gates now and, their words "I can get into your country much faster than my own" and bemoaning the fact that they have to go through SFO and that it is getting worse.
I have GE and even with that, possible delays, switching terminals, I just would not gamble on it. If it works great, but I think it is too much of a gamble.
I have GE and even with that, possible delays, switching terminals, I just would not gamble on it. If it works great, but I think it is too much of a gamble.