DELee

Is that the arrival version of SSSS?

David

rworne

when I was at Dulles, they were pretty much everyone flying back from Cancun.

fumje

True, but the max is the worst case. Most times of day the average to clear is below 30min. If the OP is most likely to fit the worst case, i.e. sitting at the back of the plane, walking slowly, non-US passport, no trusted traveller — entirely possible — then the new connection (as noted, below MCT) could be inadvisable. But I do still believe that for most passengers in most situations, 75min is adequate at SFO to make the connection without extraordinary measures. Anyway, it's getting a bit academic at this point.

desafino

For those of us who booked the 60k biz awards, would you approach an adverse schedule change any differently? My SYD-SFO-EWR has dropped to a 95 min connection, which I see should be fine, but any tighter and I'd start to sweat.

Kacee

I don't agree at all that 75 minutes is nothing to worry about. And you don't have to be elderly or a slow walker for that to be the case. Based on countless personal experiences, typical baggage claim wait following an international SFO arrival is 30 minutes. With door closing at T-10, that leaves 35 minutes to (1) clear immigration, (2) reclear security, and (3) walk to your gate. If you're departing from end of E or F, the last two (reclear security, walk to gate) can easily take 25 minutes. So if immigration takes more than 10 minutes - which average CBP wait-time commonly exceeds - you've just missed the cutoff, and your flight.
Not if I had GE and Pre and am not checking a bag. That scenario, I'd expect to be at the gate no longer than 25 minutes after the door opens. Add 30 minutes if you're checking a bag - should still be plenty of time. No GE/Pre, that's when the concern arises.

WineCountryUA

as those are both UA operated and there are frequent SFO-EWR, if it gets too tight, just call and get on a later SFO-EWR. Will be no problem in UA providing extra inventory.

Kmxu

JN is always available unless the J cabin is sold out. UA will change you to a later flight.

WineCountryUA

and they are elite or have a Chase MP credit card

But it is a moot point because for the same reasons anyone would be moved if any space is available.

cfischer

nope. No need to rely on insurance. UA will pay. This is not outdated at all. *A premium customer intercontinental trip is 'insured' irrespective of reason.

jsloan

The thing is, it's not plenty of time. Not because a passenger will or will not be able to make the flight -- because UA won't even allow him to check in. The ticket will be flagged as being below MCT.

OP: Call UA, point out that 75 minutes is below minimum connection time, and ask for your preferred solution, whether that's an earlier flight from Asia, flying through a different gateway, or ending travel in LAX. Search the UA site for available awards and ignore the number of miles they're asking for.

Boraxo

I will certainly defer on MCT questions since I never have encountered that problem. Nor can I opinine on how UA will handle the adjustment process though I find that very hit or miss when I've had other problems like rebooking flights that are cancelled well in advance.

Of course there are times when 75 minutes would not be sufficient. All I can do is share my experience at my home airport. I have been through SFO customs at least 100x in the past 2 decades. Without checked bags I am literally curbside within 5-10 minutes of deplaning most of the time thanks to Global Entry. Without GE I have known people who waited anywhere from 0-120 minutes. A complete roll of the dice. And for sure checked bags can easily take 30 minutes, which may miss the cutoff for the next flight.

Now on the other side I have (conservatively) been through TSA security at SFO 500x in the past 2 decades (many domestic trips) and with Clear it has never taken me more than 5-10 minutes at a domestic checkpoint and usually far less time. I DK how long it takes for non trusted travelers but my estimate would be 0-20 minutes depending on the terminal and TOD.

So the point - for OP and the many others who come here for advice - is that 75 minutes is easily achievable and in fact provides a small margin for error if you travel without checked bag and the right trusted traveler status. However, it may not provide sufficient time for those who insist on checking baggage, or who can't (or won't) shell a few $$ for precheck or Clear.

WineCountryUA

I believe that is an optimistic memory. Arriving the high G gates, the walk from the plane to the immigration area is close to 5 minutes alone. Then the GE processing and walk to curb -- when you have to pause slight at a minimum is at least another 5 minutes past the bag carousel and no lines, I think my best is closer to 15 minutes(from a high G gate which seems to be my luck.

In giving advice to an average traveler, you need to factor in their lack of familiarity with SFO and the process, even for those with GE if not a 100 time user, it takes a little fumbling around and many are not eligible or regular enough to justify the GE process and interview (the first time), and as is clear when you past the bag carousal, many arrining have check bags.

So there is a huge difference between the 100 trip SFO international road warriors vs the average traveler. The 100 trip SFO international road warriors does not come here for advice, soI assume the ones asking advice might be slower than my best time.

jsloan

Agreed; in fact, as a non-GE passenger, I'd have been willing to book that flight, if it weren't for the MCT issue.

Add another 5-10 minutes for non-status passengers, but, yes, that also feels about right.

Without checked luggage, you might even be able to check in.

That said, the vast majority of international travelers check luggage. And that was the crux of my advice -- MCT errors should generally be cleared up in advance, since getting stuck in a foreign airport, unable to check in, is a painful experience.

ani90

Which is the vast majority of people who fly from Asia to USA...

Precheck, Global Entry and Clear are deliberately exclusive programs and the exclusivity is not based simply on ability to pay. And most passengers from Asia 'insist' on checking in bags - that is the normal thing to do for most transpacific travelers.

So unless the OP like you is among a small minority that do not check bags, have GE and precheck and have been through SFO hundred of times then your experience and advice on 75 mins being "plenty of time" to connect from international to domestic is almost certainly not applicable to their scenario.

Also need to factor in that most travelers are not sitting in the front of the plane. Only way you can get from any plane to almost any kerbside in under ten minutes is if you are at front of the plane. For many travelers on a wide body from Asia it can take up to 10 mins just to exit the aircraft alone...

VegasGambler

For me, this is less of a question of "what's the likelihood of misconnecting" than "what's the cost of misconnecting"

If there are later flights to LAX with space then it's really not a big deal. I said this before, but if SNA is strongly preferred to LAX then why proactively take the worse option? Why not try to make the connection to the more convenient airport, and only settle for the worse option if you have to? Getting from LAX to OC is not quick or cheap.

If would really suck to switch to the LAX flight, only to get to the gate in half an hour and watch your preferred flight leave without you, only to wait longer for a flight to the wrong airport and pay an extra $150 for your ride home.