San Francisco airport time between terminals
 

Good morning everyone

I'm going to have a flight which is connecting in SFO and which will be going from a domestic flight to an international flight.

I'm wondering if I land in terminal three and have to make it over to terminal one - how long will this take?

I have slightly over an hour assuming the plane is not late. It's a United flight.

Thank you!

United does not use Terminal one. Are both your flights on United?

If so then 1hr is ok no matter what terminal the 2nd flight leaves from.

I used to frequently fly United SFO international on business travel. All the flights I took departed from the "International Terminal". See here:

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con.../maps/sfo.aspx

An hour should be no problem, assuming the on time arrival.

Hi!

yes both United.

I wonder if that was "I" instead of one, in the Expedia email. Anyway, the departing flight is definitely from 3, and the arriving flight into SFO is either I or 1.

Thank you!

I think that this is cutting it close. If I understand this correctly, the OP is arriving at the domestic terminal, and depending where in that terminal, it could be a long walk to get to the AirTrain. For international flights there is an obligatory passport control at the desk and then a security check; both of which could have long lines. Unless the OP has some kind of priority treatment, I would worry about making the connection.

I had a similar connection time in Toronto on a flight from SFO to Copenhagen, and the night before our departure I received a notice that I was re-booked on a flight that left 3 hours earlier in SFO.

Michael

I wonder if the notation that I thought was ONE was actually the letter I in which case I'd already be there - international? Not sure...

Can you just tell us your flight info - what airline are you arriving on, and from where, and what airline are you departing on and to where?

FWIW, I came in on a domestic flight from Phoenix last night and from touchdown to the front door (Lyft pickup) was about 15 minutes.

Hi again

I just looked again: I fly into terminal three on United flight 2059.

Then I fly from the international terminal to Sydney on United flight 863.

I'm going to check flight aware too.

Thank you.

Gulp. The same flight for this very evening is already scheduled to be almost 3 hours late. They already know it's going to be late.

If I missed the flight to Sydney tomorrow I don't know if there's another one leaving from San Francisco.

PS they have a crappy on time record for this particular flight.

Don't fret. The terminals are not far from each other, and today's flights--the end of the holiday!--are bound to be delayed because of the rainy weather here. Tomorrow should be much better. Since both flights are on United, be sure to let the cabin crew know and they might be able to expedite your deplaning from Baltimore.

Note that you don't need to take the AirTrain. In fact the AirTrain site says, "The best way to get from the International Terminal to Terminal 3 (Gates 60 – 90 United) is by walking"

See here:
https://www.flysfo.com/services-amen...ing-around-sfo

Hang a right when you come out of Terminal 3 concourse. Good luck!

One other thing to consider: if you booked BOTH flights on the same airline at the same time (ie, you paid one time for United Airlines flights, both into SFO and from SFO to Sydney), then United is legally responsible for ensuring you have enough time to get between flights (note that weather or safety concerns that delay your initial flight nullify this responsibility). If they fail to allow you to make your connection, THEY are responsible for getting you on the next available flight. If "next available" means spending the night at an SFO motel, that's out of your pocket, but at least you won't have to buy another ticket.

Note that if you made two separate purchases, you're on your own for making the connection -- if you miss it for ANY reason, United will only give you a break out of the kindness of its heart.

My experience has (unfortunately) become to NEVER trust a connection on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Actually, it's never to even FLY on that date, but I know that's not always an option.

I know they have to put me on next flight. Next flight is 24 hours later.

It isn't today thankfully. And it's United straight through.

As I suspected, you have a long walk from gate 90 at the very end of the United domestic concourse to the international terminal. Good luck.

Ask the flight crew to contact SFO and arrange for an electric cart to meet you at the gate--might save time. If you do miss your flight to Sydney, make your case with United to rebook you on an other airline for that leg. I think you'll make it, though.

"I know they have to put me on next flight."

Incorrect. They have to put you on the next flight with <b>space</b>.

Ugh. It all hinges on if flight UAL2063 departs SFO on time. That's my plane. And of course if it turns around and 2059 doesn't tarry.

I wouldn't be so bothered if this wasn't the last flight to SYD that day and didn't have another 24 hours to wait.

PS thanks everyone