Attention all SFO flyers!!

[pooch]

Will be attending my niece's wedding end of the month and I need info on SFO. Flying in on SWA, renting a car from Avis. Flying home day after Memorial Day @ 9am on AA. What time should we plan on getting to SFO to return car, check a bag, clear security & get to the gate? Coming from a hotel in Oakland, traffic?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[rwdavis2]

First off, go to the SFO web site and take a look at the airport map. There are multiple terminals and the rental car garage is away from the airport on a small rail line.

Given that, add 1/2 hour just to return the car and get back to the terminal. Other than that it's just a normal large airport. We've never had any major problems there.

 

[pooch]

Thank you, I have checked out the map and the Avis rental counter is in the terminal but of course you must take a shuttle to the cars. Our home airport is a medium sized (ok maybe small) regional airport and I am never renting a car so I show up about 30 minutes prior to boarding!!

My plan is to arrive no later than 7AM.

 

[bumbershoot]

For any airport I'm walking in the door ready to check bags 2 hours before my flight. More for a giant airport.

 

[pooch]

On my last trip to WDW (BDL-MCO), my flight was at 4. I got dropped off at 2:15, earlier than I usually do but that was when my ride was available, checked my bag, cleared Security and was at my gate at 2:30. This is my normal here in CT but I expect that is not the norm too many places and especially a busy airport like SFO the day after Memorial Day.

I am also interested in how much traffic I might expect to hit traveling from the Courtyard Marriot in Emeryville to SFO at 6ish in the morning.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Also, check your departing flight for delays. SFO is re-surfacing a runway (and we only have 2) so many flights are experiencing delays right now. It is a pain, but even if there is an announced delay, you should plan on being at the airport as if you flight was on time. Airlines have check in rules (example: you must be checked in 1 hour before flight; must be at the gate 30 minutes before flight) and you must adhere to them even if the departure is delayed.

The Bay Bridge backs up at rush hour, and definitely backs up at the toll plaza if you are paying cash.

I would leave Oakland at 6am. Allowing 40 minutes to get to the airport, and 30 minutes to return the car and take the shuttle to the terminal. This gives you a good 50 minute cushion for bad rush hour traffic, slow rental return, long TSA lines.

 

[pooch]

Thank you. I know I can count on my DIS peeps for good information! Maybe I should have thought a little more about what time we'd have to be at the airport before I booked a morning flight home!!!

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Thank you. I know I can count on my DIS peeps for good information! Maybe I should have thought a little more about what time we'd have to be at the airport before I booked a morning flight home!!!

Have you thought about returning the car the night before and staying at an airport hotel? Then you don't have to worry about traffic and can dropped off by the hotel shuttle.

 

[pooch]

Have you thought about returning the car the night before and staying at an airport hotel? Then you don't have to worry about traffic and can dropped off by the hotel shuttle.

The family is already mad we are leaving so early. Can't leave the "family hotel" the night before too. But thanks for the suggestion!

 

[JimMIA]

Are you checking luggage? Are you flying non-stop, or connecting?

If you are checking luggage and connecting, I would check luggage NO LATER THAN 2 hours prior to your flight. I kinda like for my luggage to be on the same flight with me, so I get same day service for both bags and people.

Also, don't forget that they'll start boarding 30-45 minutes prior to scheduled departure, so two hours doesn't give you as much time as you think.

I don't know about SFO, but AA has curbside luggage check at many airports. If they have it at SFO, I would drop the luggage and family, and return the car alone, then shuttle back. No sense in herding the whole tribe back and forth -- and your bags get checked earlier and much easier.

 

[jdisnut]

Are you checking luggage? Are you flying non-stop, or connecting?

If you are checking luggage and connecting, I would check luggage NO LATER THAN 2 hours prior to your flight. I kinda like for my luggage to be on the same flight with me, so I get same day service for both bags and people.

When have your bags not been on the same flight as you? The American Airlines luggage cutoff time is 45 minutes before scheduled departure. I virtually never arrive to any airport more than an hour before my flight, and my bag has always flown with me. (I fly way too much, mostly out of my home airport of EWR. It's not great.)

That said, if you're nervous about it, I'd plan on pulling into the car rental facility about two hours before your departure. That will be more than enough time, even at SFO.

 

[JimMIA]

When have your bags not been on the same flight as you?

Only once on the first leg of a connecting flight.

I have had very rare problems on the final leg of connecting flights, but fortunately those were back home so not that big a deal.

And one of those was because AA re-routed me through St Louis because of weather in DFW, but my bags went the original routing. The re-routing happened in the Admirals Club after I'd checked the bags curbside. They were protecting a valued frequent flyer (me) from a 4+ hour delay in Dallas.

American is very good with luggage. If you're connecting with another airline, that's another situation entirely.

There is also a big difference between traveling alone and traveling with family. People who travel a lot whiz through airports on autopilot without even thinking about the process. It's just a routine we do. But traveling with family members who don't travel regularly can be like herding cats.

 

[pooch]

Frankly I'm more concerned DH would get lost returning the car!! It's just him, me & our adult DD so no herding involved. We are on AA & she's on SWA. I'm sure we'll be fine, that is if my husband can manage to empty ALL of his pockets before security check!! "It's just my phone"

 

[charmed59]

Do you have TSA precheck? If so, leaving at 6am should be ok. I have seen huge lines for security at SFO, especially early in the morning. Apparently there are lots of flights and not so many people scheduled to work at TSA. I have precheck, so I'm not sure how fast the normal lines move.

The drop off at the far away rental garage does take at least 30 minutes.

I have an AAdmiral club card, so I tend to just suck it up and get to the actual airport at least two hours early. If I fly through security, I get to have oatmeal and espresso and check email. If not I still make my flight.

 

[pooch]

Ok I am getting a little more nervous. I don't think we can realistically get up & out much before 6, maybe a little but not much. I will have a better idea when I actually see the airport. I do appreciate everyone's view point.

 

[DVC California]

I wouldn't worry about navigating SFO as much as crossing the Bay Bridge as you're traveling at the height of the morning commute. Leaving Emeryville at 6am should get you to SFO just by 7am but don't leave any later. Traffic can be fickle; leave 10 minutes early and you could breeze across, 10 minutes later and your bumper to bumper with a lane closed because of an accident. Plus you have to pay $6 toll (cash), so unless you have Fastrak or PlatePass on your rental, keep your eyes open for the CASH lane.

https://bayareafastrak.org/es/images/LaneDiagSF-Oak-final.pdf

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/08/23/bay-bridge-busy-morning-commute-mtc/

Any chance you can switch SWA to fly out of Oakland? That will be 20 mins south reverse commute.

Good Luck!

 

[pooch]

Flights out of Oakland were $100+ more.

 

[pooch]

There will be 3 of us in the car. Does this qualify us for the carpool lane? If it does, could someone talk me through it? We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Emeryville.

Would this save time? Would we still be able to pay a cash toll?

And, to hedge my bets, I've booked a room at the Marriott near the airport ;-)

 

[DVC California]

There will be 3 of us in the car. Does this qualify us for the carpool lane? If it does, could someone talk me through it? We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Emeryville.

Would this save time? Would we still be able to pay a cash toll?

Yes and No on the carpool lane. While you technically have enough people, you need the FasTrak transponder to pay the toll. So if your rental car doesn't have one, I don't think you can drive it. (On the bright side the toll goes down to $2.50 for carpoolers!).

Whether it would save time is debatable. We have so many carpoolers and HOV approved solo drivers (zero emissions) that your probably just as fast in a regular lane.

, to hedge my bets, I've booked a room at the Marriott near the airport ;-)

I don't think that will be necessary. Just leave at 6am and you'll be fine. (I wasn't trying to scare you, I just wanted you to know what you were facing.) Just use GoogleMaps or WAZE app on your phone to navigate.

BTW - As a PP mentioned, the Car Rental facility is offsite and requires a "Sky Train" ride to and from the main terminals. Nothing complicated but familiarize yourself with it when you pick up the car so you'll know what to do when you return and how much time to allow. If you have time, maybe do a practice drive back to Terminal 1 to see how it will be for departure day. You may decide to just all return the car together if hubby doesn't feel comfortable.

Enjoy your trip! Steve

 

[sam_gordon]

Are you flying non-stop, or connecting?

Why would the routing affect how long before the flight you need to check in? If someone is flying SFO -> MCO via connecting flight they can check in later than someone flying SFO -> ATL -> MCO? Vice versa?