2026 layover guide
San Diego (SAN) connection time
At San Diego International Airport, plan on at least 50 min for a domestic connection, 1 h 35 min if you change terminals, and 2 h 20 min if you're arriving from abroad. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 30 min
By free terminal loop shuttle, with another security check
Customs, bag recheck and security
Switching means security again
Quick answer
Plan on at least 50 min for a domestic connection at SAN, 1 h 35 min if you change terminals and 2 h 20 min after an international arrival. Changing terminals means going through security again.
- Domestic, same terminal
- 50 min (comfortable: 1 h 30 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 35 min by free terminal loop shuttle
- From abroad
- 2 h 20 min, including customs and bag recheck
- Hub airlines
- Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate20 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at SAN
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Domestic to domestic, same terminal Checked bags transfer automatically | 50 min Comfortable: 1 h 30 min |
Domestic to domestic, changing terminals Includes another TSA check | 1 h 35 min Comfortable: 2 h 15 min |
International arrival, connecting domestically Customs, bag recheck and TSA | 2 h 20 min Comfortable: 3 h 15 min |
Same, with Global Entry and PreCheck Faster customs and security | 1 h 50 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 1 h 50 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around SAN
Terminals
Terminal 1 (new in September 2025) and Terminal 2 (East and West).
Changing terminals
The new Terminal 1 isn't connected to Terminal 2 inside security: changing terminals means leaving security, taking the free loop shuttle (or walking) and going through TSA again. A secure connector to Terminal 2 East is under construction and due around 2029. Terminal 2 East and West are linked inside security.
Customs and international arrivals
Arriving from abroad, you clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), collect your checked bags, drop them at the recheck belt and go through TSA security again before your connection. International flights arrive at Terminal 2 West.
Tips for connecting at SAN
- •Airlines are moving into the new Terminal 1 in phases through 2028, so check which terminal yours uses before you go.
- •SAN is about 3 miles from downtown, one of the closest big-city airports in the U.S.
Plan your trip through SAN
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
SAN connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at SAN and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 50 min for a domestic connection, 1 h 35 min when you change terminals and 2 h 20 min after an international arrival.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
- San Diego International Airport official website
- Sundt: Terminal 2 East Connector to link SAN's new Terminal 1 (Jan 2026)
- Wikipedia: San Diego International Airport (airlines, terminals and ground transportation)
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