Domestic/International Connection SFO
 

Hoping I have not doomed our vacation before it begins...we are scheduled to arrive in SFO on Virgin (terminal 2) at 9:40 PM. We depart on Qantas at 11:25. I didn't realize when I booked that we will not be able to connect inside security. We will NOT have any checked bags, and have TSA Pre. If we arrive on time, can we make this connection?

I think that is cutting it close, but if there are no delays with your arriving flight, you should be able to make it. The problem, of course, is that in summer (you didn't mention when you will be flying) SFO can be impacted by fog, making incoming delays possible. And outgoing, too, so that may be a wash.

If both your flights were purchased together from one airline (partners?) then regardless, if you miss your connecting flight, you will be put on the next available flight.

But if you booked this pairing separately on your own, all bets are off.

SFO contracts with a private security company to do the TSA security, and so far they haven't experienced the delays that other airports are seeing.

Not purchased together. Next available flight is next day, not at all ideal for a variety of reasons. We are flying in a couple of weeks, mid June.
You've confirmed what I was thinking - it can work, but it's a bit risky. Not sure I can change it now but I will investigate, we really have to take that Qantas flight (connecting in Sydney and being met for an off-the-beaten-track trip on arrival), so I will have to fiddle with the inbound leg if possible.

Fly in earlier in the day. Do not rely on clear skies/no delays at SFO in the summer. If need be cancel the inbound flight and get a credit for future travel. Then book a flight that gets you to SFO in the afternoon.

Working on it! Thanks both of you!

You can reduce your risk by checking in on Qantas before your first flight.

If I'm not mistaken Qantas does not participate in the TSA Precheck program so your Pre-check status won't help you when re-clearing the TSA checkpoint in InternationalTerminal A. Your Qantas Boarding Pass will not have yourPre-check ID number embedded in the bar code.

Roams, you are correct! Yikes. Ok, am seeing if I can change my inbound flight to an earlier arrival to give us a little more time...

Since you are already committed to the Qantas flight, which is probably the more expensive of the two legs, I would even consider flying in a day early on Virgin.

If it were me, and I had booked these flights separately, I would not want to take even a small chance that a delay could cause me to miss the connections and then have to (try to) re-book the longer flight at the airport. The cost would be prohibitive, not to mention the possibility of there not being any availability for seats.

I will be the first to admit I am overly cautious about making connections --- too many variables for me to be comfortable with same day international connections (fog, other weather-related delays, mechanical delays, etc. etc.), unless they are paired when purchased - and I know it will be up to the airline to get me there.

In October, I flew from Phoenix to SFO - at the airport in Phoenix we were already out on the tarmac when they had to stop and we sat for an hour, then brought the plane back because the doors weren't latching properly. Everyone off the plane and then waited another couple hours for another plane to take us to SFO. Quite a delay, and many missed their connections.

There are plenty of reasonably priced airport hotels near SFO - and BART goes directly from the airport into the city, if you end up with time on your hands. Maybe just consider it an added day of vacation ...

I'm with SC dreamer on this. If I am taking an international flight from an airport not my own, I always fly in a day early. It's most common for us to do that from LA, and LA has the same number of pleasant cheap airport hotels for the night before.

Thanks all - I am not THAT conservative, and a trip to Australia already eats several days in transit, so we are not going to come in a day early. But I did change my virgin flight and now have 3.5 hours layover.

not a great idea since the flights are un-linked. If you have mechanical or weather delays you won't be on that flight to Oz . . . .

You really should arrive early in the day or the night before.

This is where a good travel insurance policy may help. They call it 'flight delay coverage'. But please be careful with which insurer you are going to spend your money on. Some out there can be totally useless when you need it. One thing that is clear for us is CHASE Sapphire Preferred Visa card is totally useless when it comes to travel insurance coverages.

For international connecting flights, I tend to give myself at least 4 hours, unless the connecting flight is with the same carrier or purchased under same booking number.

I just used SFO again for an international departure two days ago.
We went thru security from landside 1.5 hours before scheduled departure and needed appr. 5 minutes or less to clear security (without TSAPre). Not sure if there are usually no long lines of if this was anecdotal good luck because we departed on Memorial Day Monday?
The international concourses are not really long, though - so even the additional walk to the furthest gate took just another 5 minutes or less.
To some/all(?) intl gates you have to take escalators one level down to the actual boarding zone.

When you make the transfer from T2 where your VA flight will land to the Intl Terminal A gates, make sure to catch a RED line AirTrain and not a blue line train.
In fact, if you accidentely happen to be on a blue line train, it's faster to exit at Intl G gates and walk across the Intl Terminal to the A gates than to take the trip out to the rental car center and back to Intl A gates.