Connecting at Sacramento airport

Connection time calculator, immigration and security, and how to move between terminals at SMF.

How connections work at SMF

At Sacramento airport, as at every airport in the United States, passengers arriving on an international flight must clear immigration (CBP) and customs, collect their checked bags and re-check them, and go through TSA security again before their connecting flight, even when both flights are on the same ticket.

The airport has 2 terminals or concourses (Terminal A, Terminal B). They are not connected after security: changing means going through security again.

Connecting passengers go through a transfer security screening.

Connection time calculator

Is your layover at SMF long enough? Pick your connection and get an estimate with the times of this airport.

Terminals / concourses: Terminal A, Terminal B

Getting between them: Walking via sky bridges through the parking garage along a designated path; people mover to the Terminal B concourse

Terminals A and B are not connected after security. To change terminal you walk through the parking garage along a signed walking path with sky bridges, and go through the TSA checkpoint of the other terminal. In Terminal B an automated people mover takes you to the concourse.

  • If your connecting flight is with an airline in the other terminal, you have to clear TSA security again: allow extra time.

Estimate based on typical times at this airport, not your airline's official minimum connection time. Immigration and security lines change with the time of day and season. On a single ticket, the airline must rebook you if you miss the connection; on separate tickets, it does not.

Sources: flysmf.gov.

Times are estimates: always check with your airline.

TSA security wait times

Estimated wait at the security checkpoints of SMF right now. When live data is not available, it shows historical averages.

More about SMF

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