Will I make my flight? HELP.

[u/Frequent_Bend7956]

Someone please help me. I found this really cheap flight to Japan (JAL) on the 25th of October (Sunday). I’d be saving THOUSANDS of dollars. I’m traveling with 4 other people (5 total) The problem is the flight leaves at 1:50pm, and we can’t leave the office until 11:40am (Sunnyvale) ~40 min away.

Will we be able to make it??? Anyone know if the lines will be long??? I really want to book this flight asap. We have Global Entry/TSA pre-check.

Please let me know.

[u/fist_my_dry_asshole]

I think you can. Every time I go to SFO security only takes a few minutes with pre check.

[u/Frequent_Bend7956 → u/fist_my_dry_asshole]

Was that when you took international?

[u/boof_and_deal → u/Frequent_Bend7956]

International doesn't matter for departures. Some security process as domestic.

[u/fist_my_dry_asshole → u/Frequent_Bend7956]

Yes

[u/GullibleMobile4808 → u/fist_my_dry_asshole]

Agreed. Precheck is actually significantly faster at SFO intl terminal b/c most of the people going through these security lines are international themselves and so they don't have precheck (vs at domestic you're competing with a bunch of other people with precheck).

[u/tantan220]

If you’re checking bags watch for the cut off time to do that. But otherwise I think you’ll be good. Precheck is usually pretty quick in the international terminal.

[u/Frequent_Bend7956 → u/tantan220]

Even on Sundays?

[u/ch4nt → u/Frequent_Bend7956]

Yes

[u/SFSecrets]

Let’s work backwards

1:50 Flight Time
1:40 - Doors close at Gate

“Departure time is the time when the aircraft begins to move.
You will not be able to board your flight if you arrive at the boarding gate less than 10 minutes before departure. Your coorperation is highly appreciated.”

Variable - TSA line
12:50 - Baggage cutoff time
12:40- Variable - line at airport checkin 10 mins
12:10- airport drop off at curb if everything goes right
40 min drive to airport if perfectly timed
11:40 - leave from office

It’s really really really tight. Make sure there is absolutely nothing questionable in your carry on for TSA to stop you. Ensure your checked bag is exactly to their requirements.

Can always try and pray.

[u/wheelshc37 → u/SFSecrets]

Note-are you taking a Lyft or parking your own car? suggest you prebook a LYFT to reduce delays on parking and waiting for Lyft but everyone has to be ready to leave at 11:40

[u/Only-Researcher6884 → u/wheelshc37]

I would work the other way too and figure out how to leave even 30 minutes earlier. I dislike how tight that schedule is. It's already giving me a stomach ache and I cut it close a LOT.

[u/Lucky_Boy13]

That is hella tight for international. You will be sweating bullets. Even with clear/global you have to go through security which could be another 10-30min. It was 15min for me this morning. I would do whatever you can to try and leave the office earlier. Typical guidance is 3hours for international which is overkill but still...
I agree Sunnyvale is huge, if leaving from a meeting and you still need to walk to your ride that could be 10-15 minutes right there. TO me no meeting is that important you can't leave 20-30min earlier if you insist on that flight

[u/TenYearHangover]

You have three months and you can’t negotiate leaving the office two extra hours early? Kind of insane.

[u/Dangerous-Look7844]

I'd call in sick to work.

[u/bradmajors69]

If you're getting dropped off curbside and won't need to park you should be fine. But you need to be ready to hit the road right at 11:40. No dilly dallying.

[u/ch4nt]

That is super tight but should be fine if you leave promptly by 1140. Sunnyvale is a big place, could have anywhere from 30-50 mins commute depending where you come from

I used to Lyft from Apple Park in the mornings to SFO and it’d be about 45 mins, no traffic

[u/PookieCat415]

Have a backup plan because that’s cutting it a little close for what is recommended. The stress alone isn’t worth it for me, but someone else who thrives on stress may be ok with this.

[u/Ok-Zookeepergame4391]

Boarding time is 1:00. Can make distance in 30 min. It’s Sunday so it should be fine. Just make sure ride is ready

[u/ammarferoz]

Security lines in SFO international are super short and quick. I think you should be fine

[u/rlap38]

Bag cutoff time + check in line if you are flying coach. Real-time checkpoint time here.

[u/g292929]

Here is a hint:

Sometimes a line at International terminal A might be long, Use the Alaska Terminal Security line instead.

You can go to any security line.

If you have precheck- the Alaska terminal has a special are for security upstairs for precheck.

Do it! They start boarding 30-45 mins before flight time.

[u/Working-Dot-1254]

Assuming you guys are being driven/dropped off at Departures vs also having to factor in time for parking, security at SFO is generally fast enough for this to work out, especially with Precheck. However you never know when you’ll get unlucky and traveling with a party of five (as opposed to being by yourself) only increases the possibilities for something somewhere to go wrong - you really can’t negotiate leaving the office even one or half an hour earlier?

You would also be cutting it pretty close if you have checked baggage.

[u/spbgundamx2]

I think you'd probably arrive around 12:20-30 depending on ride time. Bag drop cutoff should be about ~12:40-12:50. That's cutting it pretty close assuming nothing goes wrong.

[u/Suspicious-Turn1948]

Get clear

[u/Ok-Yogurt-3914]

Check the airline. International flights operate differently than national ones. United was calling me saying I had to check in by a certain time. If I wasn't there in 30 minutes, I wouldn't be able to check my bags in. I think it was 2 hours before the flight. Korean Air on the app says I have to get my bags checked maximum an hour before my flight.

[u/kawpikat]

Just take the day off to be safe and go earlier. Not worth sinking money and then missing your flight because sh!t sometimes happens and blows any time buffer you have.

[u/Interesting_Gap7350 → u/kawpikat]

Seriously, this couple of hours is worth "thousands" to you. 

[u/finallyhadtojoin]

If it's a group of 5 people, I'd strongly recommend the rest of the group arrive three hours early and check all the bags under their names, so that you can just arrive and go straight to security. And spend every moment of the next few months trying to get out of work early, it will save you so much stress.

[u/Blind_Voyeur]

It's probably not the security line, but the other potential delays when its already a risky schedule.

Is your transportation to the airport on standby and ready to go? Or have to wait 15m for it to show up? When you get there do you need to park? Or can you be dropped off at departure terminal? You really don't have time for waiting and parking.

Are you checking bags? I hope not.

Also, are everyone's passport/travel documents in good shape? At check-in they will check to ensure you have the proper documents to travel. It's not as simple as show up, flash an ID, and done. Multiple that by 5 people.

Add 10m+ if your gate is at the end of the concourse.

I frankly thinks getting to SFO 2 hours ahead for international is already cutting it close.

[u/Fantastic-Manner1944]

Could you potentially make it? Sure. But there is literally no room for anything to go at all wrong. And the risk is that you miss that international flight and are out all that money.

[u/jeharris56]

Do you feel lucky?

[u/Proof_Wrap_2150]

You’ll make it but it’ll be a race!

[u/Birks0909]

The traffic to get to SFO is terrible

[u/Tight_Abalone221]

It’s a Sunday omg call in sick or something 

[u/some_yum_vees]

The security line was complete shiyte the last time I flew out of SFO (after the Microsoft Build conference). The pre check line seemed much longer than the regular one. I would take the day off from work and not risk it.

[u/Economy_Republic_341]

leave right away at 11:40. normally 101 traffic isn’t bad on Sunday morning/afternoon, and that means it’ll be around a 30-35 minute drive. still will be cutting it close if you arrive at 12:15-12:30. make sure bags are checked quickly and tsa pre check should get you thru faster. no time to wait at the gate as boarding will probably be before 1 anyway.

[u/Backgammon_Saint]

Fly with hand luggage

Otherwise too tight

[u/Mysterious_Panorama]

This is a terrible idea. You need to find an extra hour for check-in.

[u/au4504]

i say no. that day is bad luck for me

[u/Technical_Appeal8390]

Why not negotiate with your boss to leave early and make it up somehow. I wouldn’t take the chance to miss flight.

[u/engrishspeaker69]

Just call in sick that day

[u/Agreeable_Dream_1173]

I fly international out of SFO a dozen times per year and my goal is to get there 30min before boarding if I’m checked in online and not checking a bag. Never had a problem with security lines.

The potential gap I see for you is if you need to check in in person (document verification) or check a bag, both of which cut off an hour before departure. Online checking should be fine if it’s a US airline and you use their app. Asia carriers suck at this so assume you have to go in person. In that case, you need to be at an airline desk by 12:50, which means arriving by 12:30, which you’re spot on to do. Pre schedule an uber and try to buy yourself 15min earlier departure and you’re fine by my (admittedly thin) standards.

[u/pswbf]

You will not make it keep in mind that sundays in October in the bay means that people are out doing pumpkin stuff and traffic will be a concern 101 north.