For non-U.S. citizens, it was far worse: average wait times in Concourse G (United/Star Alliance side) peaked at 119 minutes, or two hours, between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday evening. Looking at the recent FlightRadar24 flight history, a delay of more than an hour is pretty common. Individuals seeking to visit any building or facility in which an EOIR operation is located are encouraged to contact the building or facility in advance to determine any relevant policies or laws related to entry. SFO security line waits scores pretty well for a large US airport in terms of efficiency and layout and arriving 2 or 3 hours early might mean you have some to time to kill but better safe than sorry. ALL / ALL / Getting Here SFOs combined average security and passport wait time (45 minutes, 56 seconds) is just a minute longer than the top two airports: Miami and Fort Lauderdale. SFO has arrivals halls on both the A and G sides . The first group of Japanese Latin Americans arrived in San Francisco on April 20, 1942, on board the Etolin along with 360 ethnic Germans and 14 ethnic Italians from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. All airlines require that you arrive at the check-in counter, the flight's departure gate and even onboard and in your assigned seat a prescribed amount of time before the flight's scheduled departure time. The lengthy delays are catching travelers by surprise, forcing missed flight connections, and hassles for friends and family waiting to pick up arriving international passengers. I can only imagine. "C", "D" and "G" Gates can also be accessed through this checkpoint. More about last summer lines here. We came up with a few additional strategies to try on your next flight. Note the the longest waits are for non-US passport holders. 1 of 2. Visit clearme.com for more information on becoming a member. In the baggage-claim area, hundreds or perhaps thousands of bags sat unclaimed as their owners waited in the humongous immigration line. ARTICLE: President Joe Biden has made efforts to overhaul the U.S. immigration system, but could see his administration's agenda slowed by massive backlogs across the immigration system. Most people will receive an answer within 8 months of the UDI receiving the application. Where should I stay? avg. In early May, frequent traveler Nancy Brown took a very long-haul flight to the U.S. from South Africa. Travelers are urged to plan accordingly and check the CBP wait times page for the most up-to-date border crossing information." How Early Should I Get to the Airport Before a Flight to Canada? While these long of lines would be frustrating enough for San Francisco-bound passengers, it's surely causing a nightmare for connecting travelers. Flight arrival patterns can vary considerably by time of year and day of week, as well as by time of day. Travelers hand over documents to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. I've certainly never seen anything like it, said Julie Parent, a San Francisco resident who landed in Concourse G Sunday afternoon. Unauthorized transmissions are not made part of the record and are discarded without consideration of the document or notice to the sender. Some travelers have wondered whether Global Entry is still worth the cost, especially with Mobile Passport being quick and easy. "E", "F" and "G" Gates can also be accessed through this checkpoint. DISCLOSURE: We may earn a commission when you use one of our coupons/links to make a purchase. The second worst was also a Florida-culprit, with Miami International Airport (MIA) having an average wait time of 23.61 minutes, while John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) comes in at third, with an average wait time of 23.58 minutes. Airports for International Travelers to the U.S. Should I rent a car to get around SF? The Dallas-based carrier, which bills itself as hop-on, started off serving commuters between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Warning . But when I exited the gate and turned toward immigration, the line stretched further back than I've ever seen it. This button displays the currently selected search type. How do I get to/from the airport? So, what does Customs and Border Protection have to say? Please do not bring people with you into EOIR space unless they are required to be present for your hearing. 10.3 Airport Wait Times. Total time in transit was about 24 hours. Terminal A and G Wait Times. Global Entry is for U.S. passport holders and those from a handful of other countries ($100). International flights depart from SFO's International Terminal. In Las Vegas, where the office has a particularly large backlog . Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. So she pulled out a book to read and joined the line for non-U.S. passport holders, had her interview with a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, searched for and eventually found her checked bag from a pile in baggage claim, and finally made it to the airport curb more than three hours after landing. From 12:35 to 1 pm we Passengers moving through the security checkpoints should anticipate waiting on average for: Check your specific airlines advice but in general you should arrive 3 hours before an international flight or 2 hours before a domestic flight. Stay up to date on new routes, improvement projects, museum exhibitions and much more! Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are therefore separate from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). This could be because seemingly-extraordinary immigration wait times aren't uncommon at SFO. For more information, visit U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That's because from the domestic arrivals gates on United, you can walk directly to the international gates without having to pass through security, Walk in the direction of the international te. U.S. Within last six months, flying into SFO (normal non global entry) passport control line has been long, today was 40 min. Like Brown, he noted that the longest line was for foreign visitors who were "clearly agitated" and on their phones trying to reschedule flights and taking pictures of the mess. Mobile passport and Global Entry lines are almost non existent. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS San Francisco, CA 94104. CLEAR lanes at Oracle Park are located at Willie Mays Plaza. 12/21/22 - Application sent via Fedex. Hamilton is a sung-and-rapped-through musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda, based on the 2004 book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.The musical tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.Composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, Miranda says Hamilton was originally a hip hop concept album in his head. * 30 minutes for connections between 2 Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz ** 25 minutes for connections between 2 Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz Those screenings began January 18 at SFO, Los Angeles International Airport and New York-Kennedy for travelers arriving into the country from Wuhan, the central China city at the epicenter of the outbreak. If youre flying a short hop from the Bay Area, here are three letters for you: JSX. London Heathrow immigration lines galore. Immigration experts said it would . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Green Business Program Review - Restaurant, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Programs, identification documents accepted at TSA checkpoints, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), International Terminal "A" Gates (Gates A1 through A15) and Harvey Milk Terminal 1 (Gates B1 through B27), Terminal 2 (Gates C2through D18),Terminal 3 (Gates E1 through F22), and the International Terminal "G" Gates (Gates G1through G14). Check-in desks are located on the Departures Level of the Main Hall. Phalake left India at age 21 to attend Georgia Tech. You can transfer via the AirTrain: From Terminal 1, 2 or 3, take the elevator or escalator to Mezzanine - Level 3 and walk across the passenger skybridge "C", "D", "E" and "F" Gates can also be accessed through this checkpoint. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Green Business Program Review - Restaurant, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Programs, Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Airport Traveling Tips. mins. Please contact your airline for lost or damaged baggage. The immigration court does not accept faxes or other electronic submissions unless the transmission has been specifically requested by the immigration Court staff or the Immigration Judge. He also noted that San Francisco has added many new international flights over the last few years, compounding the problem. CLEAR offers expedited access to airport security lines in all SFO terminals through a biometric card. Passengers arriving from a Preclearance airport may travel to their connecting flight in Terminals 1, 2 or 3 without exiting security and getting rescreened by taking the Terminal Transfer Bus. Passengers who are departing on flights outside of this time . The problem is that it's only May, the middle of the slower "shoulder" season of relatively low demand. There wasn't a single soul in sight as we began the long trek to the main . Charlotte (CLT) 9. For more information about case processing times and reading your receipt notice, visit the More Information About Case Processing Times page. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. What's going to happen when we hit peak season later this summer? TSA WAIT TIMES. The longer waits caught the attention of arriving passengers Sunday. View a complete list of identification documents accepted at TSA checkpoints. International travel to the U.S. is a huge economic engine for the entire country and making people feel unwelcome and unappreciated upon arrival threatens our national economy. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, The best places to see cherry blossoms around the US this spring, Looking back: How my points and miles strategy has changed over the years, The best increased card offers to sign up for this March. Passengers moving through the security checkpoints at San Francisco International Airport should anticipate waiting on average for: 5 minutes and 18 seconds* Report Your Time. 2023 Red Cirrus, LLC. It didn't seem to budge at all for over a minute. Just under one-third of SFO arrivals had to wait more than 30 minutes, and the maximum average waiting time was more than 55 minutes. Chicago O'Hare (ORD) 4. The security screening will be through a metal detector machine as well as a handbag screening A valid government-issued photo identification must be presented in order to be allowed access into the building. Remember to leave adequate time for transit or parking, checking baggage and getting through security. You can also stay updated about security wait times via apps and websites including App in the Air, MyTSA and iFly.com (whose data also claims the worst times to fly out of SFO are Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m.). Available starting at: 36 hours Before departure. I was picked up at 5:50 pm, so just over three hours," she said. See you in Sacto, everybody! All passengers on the flight have to disembark, go through US passport control, collect and then recheck their bags. The Office of Personnel Management publishes a list of the observed dates of every federal holiday by year online at this link: OPM holidays. See above for CLEAR enrollment locations and hours. supporting materials and discuss available delivery options. "With international travel increasing at a steady rate, lack of sufficient CBP officer staffing at airports due to temporary reassignment, compounded with lack of overtime funding, will certainly put considerable strain on CBP ports, harming both passengers and cargo throughput.".