Update, Update-Need Advice-Flight connection ok??

Are they on one ticket or two? Which airlines?

In any case, I would not be comfortable with that two-hour time at SFO, particularly in the morning. My son who lives there reports that morning flights are often delayed by fog which shrouds the airport. Flights can still land, but they space them out farther apart than usual. We have experienced this ourselves, when our departure from Seattle on a morning flight was delayed while they waited for a landing slot at SFO.

Would the alternatives cost significantly more?

You have flight at 00:45 am? That is pretty long layover. Yes that is enough time.
I would do it only in the case where the cost of the other options was a lot more expensive.
As long as it is one ticket on partner airlines then the bag will go where ever your final destination

Do you change planes in PDX?

Is it all a single booking ?

What time of year?

IF everything goes per plan, you should be OK, but it looks like just a small hiccup anywhere leaves you in doo-doo

More info-Two seperate tickets. I leave ANC on Alaska airline (used miles for this) and fly out of SFO on Singapore Airlines. This flight is at the end of October.
I am travelling with a dive group. The trip leader is overnighting in SFO as her connection was impossible. So, she said I could share her room with her.
Cost to overnight in SFO $80 bucks for hotel room and $125.00 to change my flight out of Anchorage to the day prior. This would leave me with 24 hours in SFO before my flight. Added expenses to that would be food costs.

If your trip starts from Anchorage with Portland and SFO connections to your final destination, (i.e. the one ticket), then it's the airlines contractual obligation to get you and your luggage to your booked final destination. In that case, you should be able to check your bags in at ANC and collect them in at your final destination.

If you booked two separate trips, ANC to SFO via PDX as one trip and SFO to Europe as an independent separate trip, you could be at risk. The key sentence is: That is if both departure planes from Anchorage and Portland leave on time. Missing a non-refundable flight is a problem. At best you may have to re-book and pay a rebooking fee. And note that when you miss outgoing leg, the airlines will typicall cancel the remaining legs of your trip including the return.

I would do the overnight

Most airlines departing from USA airports require a 3-hour present-yourself for INTERNATIONAL departures. In some airports, especially if you are traveling coach class, the check-in lines can be very long and slow-moving. A scheduled arrival two hours before an international departure is too risky. I've been to Alaska twice, so I know it's not always snowing there. But that's a pretty long flight, and it has a stop in a rainy place. I would not make the 2-hour connection.

Have you been able to determine whether you'll need to take transportation between two buildings in SF? (It's good to use the 'Check Arrivals' link on each airline's home page, a few weeks before, to get an idea of the gates likely (but variable...) to be used.) Even if it's the same terminal, you will not be able to check your bag in for the international flight in Anchorage.

@Tim. I should be able to check my bags all the way to Singapore as Alaska airlines and Singapore airlines have a baggage agreement.
It sounded like you thought I would not be able to do this.
And yes, I realize I will have to get to a different terminal. I will arrive in domestic terminal, but have to get to the international terminal.

No if it is two separate tickets your bags will not be checked through. you have to collect them, get to the international terminal (a trek) re-check them. Anything goes sideways and you miss your flight. a lot more expensive than rebooking and overnighting. I would do that unless you are feeling lucky.

No. Stay overnight at SFO.

Did you buy one ticket from ANC to your international destination via both PDX and SFO? If yes, then Singapore Air will be responsible for getting you on the next flight from SFO with available seats to your destination.

Keep in mind, if you have to overnight at SFO because you missed your Singapore flight, depending upon the reason you missed the flight like weather or any force majeure, you would have to pay the expenses of getting that next flight with available seats (hotel and food).

I would stay overnight at SFO and enjoy San Fran as a consolation for that long transfer at SFO.

So are you on 1 itinerary or are these separate tickets on Alaska Air and Singapore Air? Which is it?

Must you go through SFO? It seems like so far out of your way. Can you not go more eastly out of Anchorage?
Condor flies seasonally to Frankfurt.
Alaska Airlines and United Airlines can get you nonstop into Chicago.
Icelandair can get you directly into Reykjavik where you can connect to many European cities.
Delta and Sun Country can get you into Minneapolis.

It appears the tickets are purchased. It also appears the OP bought two separate tickets-the one to SFO with miles, the other I assume cash. If they are not a single itinerary the bags will not be transferred despite that fact the these are partner airlines. If I am wrong, let me know. The solution is re-book the flight to SFO, collect the bags, stay overnight and be back at SFO at 7:30 AM.

Do the overnight.

Two hours for an unprotected connection is too risky. SFO has parallel runways that require good visibility to operate efficiently. Rain or fog can easily reduce to visibility for normal operations. Then there’s a terminal change from T2 where Alaska operates from and the international terminal. This will likely require use of the AirTrain and a security screening. Finally I would be surprised if Alaska Air will check your bag all the way through. Baggage interline agreements often require that you have a single ticket. i.e. ANC to Singapore.

Some of the answers above are not responsive to the question. She is not going to Europe; she is heading west over the Pacific for a scuba diving trip. And she has two separate tickets, one with miles on Alaska, and the other on Singapore. Even if they are partners, she cannot check baggage through on separate tickets.

The two answers directly above (Rocket and Alan), and others who advise the overnight in San Francisco, are correct. Especially with the three-hour advised time for international flights. I recall reading that SFO has been particularly crowded and slow to get through lately.

So fly down the day before, enjoy San Francisco, and avoid all the stress over making the flight.

With the plane change in PDX and possibility of fog at PDX and SFO at the end of Oct. and the logistics at SFO, a 2 hour connection to the international flight is not something I would try.

Or should I overnight in SFO?

Yup.

Rebook and spend the day in SFO. It will make you feel less anxiety building up to the trip. Better to lose a day before a trip than a day during your trip.

Thank you everyone!!! Love this forum!
I changed my flight to the day before and the Alaska airlines rep was so nice and didn’t even charge me the $125.00 change fee!!!

So now, no stress over delayed flights. ( the Alaska airlines rep said 5 flights were delayed just this morning due to fog at SFO)!!!
And the only cost will be the $80 to split the hotel room.
Also just FYI, I could have checked my bags all the way through to Singapore. The agent said AK airlines is the only airline that allows this even if they are seperate tickets. I love Alaska Airlines!!!!!
Edited to add-I should probably have posted this in the Beyond Europe forum, but I thought I might get more response in this forum. This might have confused some people into thinking I was going to Europe. I’m not. I’m going to Indonesia on a dive trip. Sorry.

You did the right thing. You will have a relaxing first part of your trip, rather than a nerve-wracking one.

Enjoy that dive trip (to where?) and please post a trip report when you get back. :)

Great! I assume you are staying near the airport? If so Uber or taxi a short distance and have a great meal here. You’ll want the one in Burlingame: https://www.limonrotisserie.com.

There are hotels at SFO with free shuttles to and fro the hotel and airport.

Update-another kink in my plan. Oi.
So I cannot share hotel room with trip leader after all—-she gets in late and since she booked with points she has to be there at check in time. Which leaves me out in the cold.
I would like recommendations on SFO airport hotels that have an airport shuttle and close to city attractions since I get in early and will have a whole day in SF.
Oh, and not too expensive.

I’d suggest the Courtyard Marriott. The rates are usually reasonable, especially if you’re a Marriott member. I like it because it’s fairly small so you won’t have massive groups or huge waits for the elevator. They do have an airport shuttle for free.

What hotel is the one the dive leader booked? I have used my IGH points to book a room for my son's family when Inwas not even there. I just called and put his name on the reservation and it was fine. Maybe the dice leader could just add your name to the reservation so you could check in before she arrives. Or at least leave your luggage there so you can enjoy the city while waiting for her arrival and check-in.

Hotels in San Francisco can be extraordinarily expensive in October, due to conventions and events. Like $400-$600 a night. Younare going at the end of October, and if your flight is in the October 22-25 frame you will coincide with the Oracle Openworld convention, a major deal.

https://www.oracle.com/openworld/index.html

An airport hotel could be cheaper, so while I would normally advocate staying IN the city, one of the airport hotels should be cheaper. If it has. Free airport shuttle, you can get into the city on BART.

It hopefully you can work out the room share with the trip leader. It would save her money too.

You definitely want one of the reasonably priced chain hotels near the airport - there are oodles of them - and prices in San Francisco proper will be astronomical. Just do a quick search on booking.com or elsewhere (or, as suggested above, check to see if you have hotel loyalty points you can use, since it sounds like you play that game). Any hotel near the airport will have a shuttle. Not a crisis, just small potatoes from the perspective of the epic experience you're about to do.

Here is an example of what the Oracle convention is doing to SF hotel rates. I looked at the airport Courtyard Marriot suggested above, and found the following as the lowest price (refundable, not pre-paid) for a room for one person:

Oct. 24, $459 (!)

Oct. 25' $309

Oct. 26, after the convention the price drops to $149

Oct. 27, start of the weekend, $159

Oct. 28, $169

Prices will be comparable at other San Francisco hotels, even at the airport. So I hope your "end of October" trip really is at the end, after Oct. 25.

Thank you Lola and David. My O/N in SF is October 28th, yheah. Right now I am checking with trip leader to see if she can add me to her room at the Westin. If she can’t I will look into the other options.

hi dive
what time does your flight get into SFO? Yes you can stay at hotels near airport with shuttles, but if you get in early and want to spend some time seeing city, i would stay downtown. what is your price range? there is bart (rapid transit/subway) goes to airport. a few hotels to check near union square:
handlery union square - $189. (free cancellation) free wifi
pickwick hotel - $149. (shuttle service cost??) (free cancellation) free wifi
mystic hotel - $139.50 (free cancellation) free wifi
executive hotel vintage court - $175.50 (free cancellation shuttle service cost??) free wifi
kimpton sir francis drake - free wifi (the starlight room, 21st floor, 360* view of city)
lots of shops, cafes, restaurants, taxis if need be ( i always go to a hotel with lineup of them), very busy area, people watch, some hotels have a bar. it's a crazy city just be aware of your surroundings. hope this helps out
aloha

Thanks! Now, I am hearing the Bart is not safe from my friend who lives there. 3 stabbings last month, people just sitting and minding their own business.
The trip leader cannot add me so that I can check in without her. Policy is she has to be there at check in.
Good grief! This is getting complicated!

hi dive
yes about issues with bart, they are trying their best to facilitate it. sad situation in a lot of big and small cities, the way of the world now. but don't let it get complicated for you and upset the apple cart. if your friend is staying at westin, is that the westin st francis at union square? if so, those hotels i mentioned is close to that hotel and there is a supershuttle.com with shared pickup at westin for $19. check it out. we want you to have a great trip without wrinkles.
aloha

Pick the right hotel where the free shuttle is available. Certain hotels not only have its own shuttle but also serve other hotels as well. The hotel "La Quinta" at SFO has its own shuttle. This La Quinta is located a bit north of SFO in South SF but it's considered part of the SFO greater area.

Look at the Bay Landing Hotel or Hampton Suites in Burlingame. Just a few miles from the airport and both have shuttles. Rates are decent: you should be able to get a room for $120 or so.