Connection time SFO on United
 

I'm booked for November '09 on United from Philadelphia to San Francisco then on to Shanghai -- that flight is also on United.
The connection time in SFO is 2 hours 12 minutes. Will that be enough considering we have to transfer to the international terminal in SFO?

The Phila flight leaves 7 am arrivies SFO 9:58 am -- second flight to depart at 12:12 pm. On the United site now it doesn't show percentage on-time for that first flight.

There are other flights through ORD -- Chicago -- that have more time between but I was thinking SFO was a better airport to deal with than Chicago. Any advice?
Thanks.

Should be plenty of time. You can walk from Terminal 3 to the International Terminal (I've walked between Term. 1 and International, and it's not that far--I think it is the same distance to UA's terminal #3, just on the other side) or take the people mover (Air Train). The International Terminal is almost never crowded (depends on the day of the week), although a number of flights to Asia leave at around that time. I use SFO as an originating airport, so I've never transferred there, but I would think it should be pretty easy.

That should be plenty of time. You basically walk from the E concourse to the F concourse. No need to ride any vehicle and no need to reclear security.

Your overall flying time for your westbound trip will be longer via SFO, vs via ORD. Via ORD, the curent schedule gets you to PVG at 1:55p, while departing PHL about the same time, or slightly earlier. Via SFO, you don't get to PVG until 5:25p. That's because the ORD-PVG flight flies over the N. Pole, while SFO-PVG fights the N. Pacific headwind, and is a longer route overall.

For November, you depart PHL the same time for both, at 7am. The ORD flight arrives PVG at 2:55, vs 5:45. Almost 3 hours sooner. Both with 744, so no difference in comfort and amenities.

I'll definitely go with the ORD option.

Thanks for the replies.

rkkwan -- no concerns about Chicago airport? Have never been through it but it certainly has that awful reputation.
The travel agent that booked the flights suggested SFO was easier, less likely to have delays, etc.

If we missed the connection in Chicago (10:30 am I think)it doesn't look like United has another flight out to Shanghai same day. Would they make us wait 24 hours?

San Fran can have delays, too. I'd go with O'Hare.

I just switched to Chicago. 3 hours less in the air!!
Thanks guys. :)

Sure, ORD can have its delays, but you have over 2 hours for the connection, which should be fine. Also, November should be a relatively "low risk" period.

If you miss the flight, your options are definitely limited. But that's true for many longhaul flights, and applies to SFO and elsewhere as well.

UA's ORD-PVG departs 10:30a. AA departs 10:35a. So, there's no chance of getting on that one. If you miss the flight, have them put you on the 12:33p to PEK, and then connect domestically in China, via their partner Air China. [Or less ideally, other flights to HKG or NRT.]

Thank you so much, rkkwan. I've made a note of that.