# San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

> San Francisco, US · 21 km (13 mi) south of downtown San Francisco

Web: https://airport.flights/airport/sfo
JSON: https://airport.flights/api/airport/sfo.json

## Facts

- **IATA**: SFO
- **ICAO**: KSFO
- **Timezone**: America/Los_Angeles
- **Runways**: 4
- **Terminals**: 4
- **Passengers**: 50.1M/yr
- **Worldwide rank**: #24
- **Hub for**: United Airlines, Alaska Airlines
- **Official site**: https://www.flysfo.com

## Overview

## Welcome

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a rarity among U.S. hubs, offering an expansive food and lounge scene paired with a unique airport-wide arts and museum program. Designed as much to feel like a civic space as a transit hub, SFO stands out with its distinctive art installations peppered throughout the terminals. Navigating through the various terminals at SFO can be a journey in itself, especially when leveraging the AirTrain and understanding its terminal layout.

## At a glance

SFO serves around 50.1 million passengers a year and is a crucial hub for United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Located 21 kilometers (13 miles) south of downtown San Francisco, the airport features four runways and four distinct terminals: Harvey Milk Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the Dianne Feinstein International Terminal. The airport connects to the city center through various transport options, including BART, SamTrans, and on-demand rideshares, ensuring passengers can reach downtown in approximately 30 to 60 minutes based on the mode of transit.

## Terminals & layout

The airport’s four terminals each cater to different sets of airlines and services. Terminal 1, named after Harvey Milk, hosts airlines like Alaska and Delta across 37 gates. Terminal 2 comes with 18 gates and serves travelers with airlines such as Alaska and American. United Airlines has a significant presence in Terminal 3, which includes 35 gates. For international flights, the Dianne Feinstein International Terminal is split into two sections, Boarding Area A and Boarding Area G, serving carriers like Lufthansa and Air Canada across 29 gates in total. Passengers can navigate between terminals using the free AirTrain, which simplifies transits across its seven concourses.

## Getting to and from the city

Several transportation options connect SFO to San Francisco and beyond. The BART rapid transit service takes around 35-40 minutes to reach central San Francisco from the airport, with a fare of $10-11. Alternatively, SamTrans buses provide a cost-effective but slower option, costing between $2-3, yet taking up to 90 minutes depending on traffic. For a faster ride, app-based services like Uber or Lyft typically charge between $35-60 and take about 30-60 minutes, traffic pending. Taxis, a mainstay for many travelers, average $50-60 including tip for downtown routes.

## Traveller essentials

Whether you're here for a layover or beginning your journey, SFO offers various amenities. For parking, options range from the Domestic Parking Lot at $40 per day to the free Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Essential services, including currency exchange, baggage storage, and free Wi-Fi, are readily available throughout the airport. Travelers can also access the interactive map to optimize their time and movement around the airport, making transfers and locating facilities straightforward.

## Dining & shopping highlights

SFO is a food lover’s airport, with a range of dining options across every terminal. Terminal 1 features Lark Creek Grill, and you can grab local favorites at Boudin Bakery. Terminal 2 offers a rich selection with Napa Farms Market and The Plant Cafe Organic, providing distinctly Californian flavors. In Terminal 3, delight in the upscale options like Bourbon Pub or the savory Asian cuisine at Yank Sing. Beyond food, indulge in some last-minute shopping with outlets like Gucci in the International Terminal and the San Francisco Arts Commission Store in Terminal 3.

## Lounges

SFO is lounge-heavy, much to the delight of frequent flyers. Terminal 1 hosts lounges like the Alaska Lounge and Delta Sky Club, while Terminal 2 features the popular American Express - The Centurion Lounge. Travellers flying internationally can access a variety of prestigious lounges in the International Terminal, including the British Airways Lounge and Cathay Pacific Lounge, ensuring a relaxing pre-flight experience. With so many lounges, prioritizing lounge location over gate proximity can significantly enhance your terminal experience.

## Insider tips

- **Insider:** Use the **free AirTrain** to position yourself for better food or lounge options across the terminals.

- **Time:** For international flights, know whether you're departing from Boarding Area A or G in the **International Terminal** to cut down on post-security walking.

- **Avoid:** Don’t assume your closest gate has the best amenities; explore terminals with more lounge options for a richer pre-flight experience.

- **Quiet:** The quieter side of the **International Terminal** can sometimes make for a more pleasant wait if you have flexibility with your gate.

- **Local:** For a taste of San Francisco, stop by Boudin Bakery in Terminal 1 or try Yank Sing in Terminal 3 for dim sum.

- **Money:** Take advantage of SFO’s free **interactive map** that combines flight tracking with terminal services, saving time and avoiding unplanned spending.

- **Insider:** Check SFO’s airline listings to get real-time information about terminal services and baggage points during irregular operations.

## Terminals (4)

- **Harvey Milk Terminal 1** — 37 gates · Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines
- **Terminal 2** — 18 gates · Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines
- **Terminal 3** — 35 gates · United Airlines
- **Dianne Feinstein International Terminal** — 29 gates · United Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Air France

## Dining (30)

- **Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge** — 2 · Lounge · Star Alliance
- **Air France - KLM Lounge** — International · Lounge · SkyTeam
- **Air India Maharaja Lounge** — International · Lounge · Star Alliance
- **Alaska Lounge** — 1 · Lounge · oneworld
- **American Airlines Admirals Club** — 1 · Lounge · oneworld
- **American Express - The Centurion Lounge** — 2 · Lounge
- **Amy's Drive Thru** — 1
- **Andale Mexican Kitchen** — 3
- **Boudin Bakery** — 1
- **Bourbon Pub** — 3
- **British Airways Lounge** — International · Lounge · oneworld
- **Burger Joint** — 1
- **Burger Joint** — 2
- **Cathay Pacific Lounge** — International · Lounge · oneworld
- **China Airlines Lounge** — International · Lounge · SkyTeam
- **Delta Sky Club** — 1 · Lounge · SkyTeam
- **Fresh Roll Vietnamese**
- **Korean Express**
- **Lark Creek Grill** — 1 · $$$$
- **Mustards Bar & Grill** — $$$$
- **Napa Farms Market** — 2
- **Peet's Coffee** — 1
- **Peet's Coffee** — 2
- **Peet's Coffee** — 3
- **Pizza Loca** — 3
- **SFO Food Court**
- **Sutro's at the Airport**
- **The Plant Cafe Organic** — 2
- **Tyler Florence Rotisserie** — 2
- **Yank Sing** — 3

## Lounges (19)

- **Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge** — 2 · International Terminal, airline lounge
- **Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge** — 2 · Air Canada
- **Air France - KLM Lounge** — International A · International Terminal, airline lounge
- **Air France - KLM Lounge** — International · Air France, KLM, EVA AIR, Korean Air
- **Air India Maharaja Lounge** — International A · International Terminal, airline lounge
- **Air India Maharaja Lounge** — International · Air India, LOT Polish Airlines
- **Alaska Lounge** — 1 · Alaska, Hawaiian, STARLUX
- **Alaska Lounge** — 2 · Terminal 2, airline lounge
- **American Airlines Admirals Club** — 1 · American
- **American Airlines Admirals Club** — 2 · Terminal 2, airline lounge
- **American Express Centurion Lounge** — 3 · Terminal 3, credit card lounge
- **American Express - The Centurion Lounge** — 2 · Amex Centurion
- **British Airways Lounge** — International A · International Terminal, airline lounge
- **British Airways Lounge** — International · British Airways
- **Cathay Pacific Lounge** — International A · International Terminal, airline lounge
- **Cathay Pacific Lounge** — International · Cathay Pacific
- **China Airlines Lounge** — International A · International Terminal, airline lounge
- **China Airlines Lounge** — International · China Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, China Eastern, Condor
- **Delta Sky Club** — 1 · Delta

## Shops (16)

- **Bose**
- **Brookstone**
- **DFS Duty Free** — INTL-G
- **Gucci**
- **Gucci** — International · Fashion
- **Hudson News** — 1
- **InMotion** — 2
- **Kiehl's**
- **Levi's** — 3
- **MAC Cosmetics**
- **Relay** — 1
- **San Francisco Arts Commission Store** — 3
- **Sunglass Hut** — 2
- **Tech on the Go** — 3
- **Tumi**
- **Victoria's Secret** — 2

## Parking (8)

- **Cell Phone Waiting Lot** — Free lot · $0/day
- **Domestic Parking** — Garage · 40/day
- **Electric Vehicle Charging** — Garage
- **International Parking** — Garage
- **Long-Term Parking** — Economy
- **Oversize Vehicle Parking** — Lot
- **ParkFAST** — Valet
- **Surface Lot C** — Daily parking

## Ground transport (8)

- **BART** — Rapid transit · 30 min in-vehicle; ~35-40 min including wait and AirTrain · $10-11 one way SFO–central SF (Clipper) · Every 10-15 min day/evening; less frequent late night
- **Caltrain** — Regional rail via transfer · Approx 60-75 min SFO–Palo Alto with transfers · Reported SFO–Peninsula combo often under $10-12 total via BART/SamTrans + Caltrain · Core service often every 30-60 min; denser at rush hour, thinner late evenings
- **Hotel shuttle** — Courtesy shuttle · Typical ride 10-20 min including loops between nearby hotels · Often free for registered guests; some properties reportedly charge a small fee or bake shuttle cost into resort/parking fees · Commonly advertised at 15-30 min intervals; riders report longer gaps late night
- **Kiss & Fly** — Drop-off mode · Varies widely with traffic; locals report 10-30 min loops at peak · $0 for curbside pickup/dropoff; parking/idle fees only if using garages
- **Rideshare pickup** — App-based · Often 30-60 min SFO–downtown depending on traffic · Highly variable; Reddit reports typical Uber/Lyft downtown fares in the $35-60 range, more with surge · On-demand; practical wait commonly 5-20 min depending on time and congestion
- **SamTrans** — Local bus · Up to 60-90 min SFO–downtown SF depending on line/traffic · $2-3 standard local fare range reported by riders · Daytime every 20-30 min on key routes; late night as infrequent as every 60 min
- **San Francisco Municipal Railway** — Bus connections
- **Taxi** — On-demand · Roughly 30-60 min SFO–downtown depending on traffic · Riders report typical metered SFO–downtown fares around $50-60 including tip · Continuous supply at official taxi ranks; wait times vary with demand

## Insider tips

- _Insider_: Use the free AirTrain to position yourself for better food or lounge options across the terminals.
- _Time_: For international flights, know whether you're departing from Boarding Area A or G in the International Terminal to cut down on post-security walking.
- _Avoid_: Don’t assume your closest gate has the best amenities; explore terminals with more lounge options for a richer pre-flight experience.
- _Quiet_: The quieter side of the International Terminal can sometimes make for a more pleasant wait if you have flexibility with your gate.
- _Local_: For a taste of San Francisco, stop by Boudin Bakery in Terminal 1 or try Yank Sing in Terminal 3 for dim sum.
- _Money_: Take advantage of SFO’s free interactive map that combines flight tracking with terminal services, saving time and avoiding unplanned spending.
- _Insider_: Check SFO’s airline listings to get real-time information about terminal services and baggage points during irregular operations.