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I am taking BART to the airport this Saturday, where I fly with Air France to Paris, at 16:00, thus I will have to pass immigration.

I was thinking to weigh my luggage before going to counters, but now I am a bit confused, since I have almost no memory of how the SF airport looks like.

Is there a way to combine a comfortable in terms of time pass from immigration and weigh my luggage on the scales? I mean what should be the plan I should follow? I guess it depends on the locations of the immigration check and scales.

Ideally I would like to first pass the immigration check and then weigh my luggage, since the first is critical, while the second is not, and as a fallback plan, it can be skipped.

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    The US has no exit immigration controls. In any event, in everyairport I've been in that has exit immigration, the checkpoint is between the check-in counters and the gates, after the security screening. So by the time you get to immigration, you no longer have your luggage.
    – phoog
    Sep 22, 2016 at 16:56
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    nope, you will pass security, but not immigration.
    – Max
    Sep 22, 2016 at 16:58
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    @gsamaras the TSA will check your identity when you enter the security screening line, but although you will show your passport there, that's not an immigration check. It's part of the security check. You also need your boarding pass there, so it happens after you check your bag.
    – phoog
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:02
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    @gsamaras of course there is an immigration check when you arrive. There is none when you depart.
    – phoog
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:07
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    heh sounds great @gsamaras ! enjoy!
    – Fattie
    Sep 22, 2016 at 22:55

2 Answers 2

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Since you're flying from USA to France, there is no immigration on your way out, and you will not need to pass it. Thus it can't be part of your plan.

There are scales at the check-in area where you can weight your luggage.

The layout of international terminal is typical: check-in desk, security, and gates. Air France flies from A gates. The international terminal is very small, walk to the furthest gate is probably ten minute max. A security line, however, could be long - on rare occasions took me more than an hour, although 20 minute wait is more typical.

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  • George check my linked question, the idea, after all the help in this question is like this: 1) Go to the scales near United Airlines and do the weighting comfortably, 2) Go the Air France counter to get my ticket and 3) pass security. Does this sound feasible?
    – gsamaras
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:09
  • Absolutely. SFO International is a very small airport comparing to CDG or AMS, things are very close there. Since you have bags, there are no major benefits of checking in online, as there are check-in machines, and you still have to wait in line to drop your bags (although not long).
    – George Y.
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:14
  • Timing-wise, there is probably 5 minute walk from United to AF checkin desks, a 3 minute walk from AF checkin to security entrance, and max 10 minute walk to your gate. You'll walk much less in SFO total than in CDG just from passport control to RER.
    – George Y.
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:19
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    Instead of going a considerable distance to use the scales, I would just go to the Air France counter and check in. They will weigh your luggage at this time. If it's overweight (and they aren't willing to overlook it), then you can redistribute your belongings at this time. There's nothing really to be gained by going to the scales first (especially if you plan on going to the American Airlines scales in terminal 2 as in the linked question, as that's two terminals over), especially if you are pretty sure your bags aren't overweight.
    – Zach Lipton
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:20
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    @ZachLipton For sure there's no reason to go to another terminal to weigh your bag!
    – Berwyn
    Sep 22, 2016 at 18:30
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I assume it is the same procedure in most airport, as I never been to SF.

Check your luggage weight at home before leaving for the airport (23 kilo max). it is annoying to have to throw stuff away or pay extra for over-weight luggage once at the airport (and not have someone with you to take back all extra stuff with them).

Once at the airport, go to the Air France check-in counter; they will also check/validate the weight of the luggage, and take them back to be put on the plane.

One that is done, you go thru security and go to your boarding gate and wait for your plane.

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  • Max there is no mechanism of checking the luggage's weight at my Airbnb stay here in SF. I have to do the weighing in the airport...
    – gsamaras
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:03
  • @gsamaras then you will have to check the weight either before you check in, if you can find a scale, or by asking the check in clerk to tell you the weight as you check in.
    – phoog
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:06
  • Go to an open and unused check-in counter and ask if you can just weight your luggage; most of the time, they are happy to help, I've done it a couple of time.
    – Max
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:08
  • As you can see in my linked question, there are scales for free too! Thanks Max, +1.
    – gsamaras
    Sep 22, 2016 at 17:10

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