San Francisco Travel Forum

We're planning on being in Santa Barbara for the Christmas holidays. Our United flight from Calgary comes into San Francisco at 3:04 pm, and we have to connect to a United Express flight to Santa Barbara at 3:40 pm in the same terminal. Is this cutting it too close?

sorry, forgot to say this flight connection is being offered by Air Canada/United, it's not two separate flights that I would book myself.

Tight but I think it's doable as you will have been precleared (US immigration and customs) in Calgary.

Thanks for your speedy reply! we would be cleared by US customs in Calgary already.

Yes, that's what I said.

sorry, my apologies. misread your reply.

Helen
I think you'll be OK but not so sure about your checked-in luggage. Take extra clothing and toiletries in your carry-on just in case :-)
And make sure you verify the schedule a few days before departure. My son's schedule on UA and Air Canada to Paris was changed and he was NEVER notified.
Jeannette

yes, I was thinking about that ;o)

It is a little too close for comfort ... I think we will most likely book the next flight. It arrives about an hour later, but I think we'd want our luggage over the holidays!

I was told by Austrian airlines in Vienna that 45mins is too close for luggage transfer. The transit was supposed to be 2 hrs, but the flight got delayed leaving only 45mins. So they didnt even bother.
Even though SFO is smaller airport, if your flight to SFO is delayed, then it will be a mess.

You should check, but a lot of the Santa Barbara flights are on smaller planes that leave from a separate terminal that requires a shuttle bus. You would have to deplane, take a longish walk or catch the train, go through security again (I think), walk out almost to the end of the United terminal, take an elevator down to the bus, and bus out to the other terminal. It would probably be impossible, save for the likelihood that your Santa Barbara flight will be delayed. But you probably shouldn't count on that. Every now and then one of them slips through and leaves when it's supposed to. Some of the SB flights used to leave from the main terminal, but I think UE is using small planes and most of them leave from the outlying terminal.

I would be uncomfortable with anything less than 1 1/2 hours. There is some pretty good food in the United terminal.

acprincess

Thanks, everyone, I've decided to fly into LAX instead, and then we can take the airbus to Santa Barbara. The connection was too close for comfort and the next flight in was fairly late.

It seems strange to me that an airline would offer such a close connection time!

Again, thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

I vote Yes, it IS cutting it too close. You would have to assume that both flights would not suffer even the slightest of weather and baggage loading delays, and drunken/rowdy passenger who has to be arrested!

drunken/rowdy passenger who has to be arrested!

Good point, as it is going to be the holidays ;o)

This is a legal connecting time for United Airlines. If your flight should misconnect for whatever delaying reason, you will be accomodated on the next flight which departs at 6pm / It would be United 5570 - departs SFO at 6pm and arrives SBA at 719pm.

Hope this helps~

Thanks, Glo, good to know. We decided to go through LAX instead, which also gives us a bit more flexibility.

Helen, good idea.