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SFOKSFO

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco, US

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SFOGuide

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SFOKSFOMinor

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco, United States · North America

United’s Bay Area hub with a genuine BART ride to downtown, airside walks between every terminal, and a strong lounge stack — undercut by T3 West construction through 2027, fog, and FAA arrival caps that still sit below the old 54/hour clear-weather rate after Runway 1R reopened on 29 Sep 2026.

Airportist Score

7.4/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.2
Comfort & amenities7.3
Food & retail7.6
Ground access8.4
Reliability6.7
Lounges7.8

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare SFO with another airport

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

SFOGuide

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Nearby airports

All airports Official site

SFOKSFOMinor

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco, United States · North America

United’s Bay Area hub with a genuine BART ride to downtown, airside walks between every terminal, and a strong lounge stack — undercut by T3 West construction through 2027, fog, and FAA arrival caps that still sit below the old 54/hour clear-weather rate after Runway 1R reopened on 29 Sep 2026.

Airportist Score

7.4/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.2
Comfort & amenities7.3
Food & retail7.6
Ground access8.4
Reliability6.7
Lounges7.8

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare SFO with another airport

Typical security
12 min
editorial average, not live
Best way to city
29–30 min
BART
Lounges
21
11 rated worth it
On time
76%
of departures
Terminals
4
terminals (T1, T2, T3, International A/G)
Passengers / year
54,118,814 (FY 2025)

12 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

HAFHalf Moon Bay Airport
Half Moon Bay
16 km
SQLSan Carlos Airport
San Carlos
16 km
OAKOakland International Airport
Oakland
17 km
HWDHayward Executive Airport
Hayward
23 km
PAOPalo Alto Airport
Palo Alto
29 km
NUQMoffett Federal Airfield
Mountain View
37 km

Compare SFO vs OAK

HAFHalf Moon Bay Airport
Half Moon Bay
16 km
SQLSan Carlos Airport
San Carlos
16 km
OAKOakland International Airport
Oakland
7.317 km
HWDHayward Executive Airport
Hayward
23 km
PAOPalo Alto Airport
Palo Alto
29 km
NUQMoffett Federal Airfield
Mountain View
37 km

SFOGuide

SFOGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Two hours domestic, three international

Fog, FAA arrival caps, and T3 construction still add buffer even when security is empty.

TSA live board is often under 5 min; Checkpoint B PreCheck is on the mezzanine, not the departures-level general lanes.

Terminal

Confirm airline and gate, not just “United”

T3 West check-in is split — D/E ticket counters are in T2, F counters stay in T3 east.

United domestic gates are T3 E/F; United international is G. Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and Hawaiian use Harvey Milk T1 — not T2.

Food

Fill the bottle first, then eat airside

The Club in T1 is the reliable Priority Pass meal; T2 still has Compass Books and Napa Farms next to the temporary Centurion.

Official refill points include A near A1, G near G4, D near D3 and D14, E near E8, and F at the F11–F22 entrance.

Status

Runway 1R reopened 29 Sep 2026

Fog still cuts the rate further. Use the airline app — T3 construction keeps moving United gates and bag claim.

Clear-weather arrivals are still capped around 45–48/hour versus 54 because FAA side-by-side approaches have not fully returned.

Live conditions

Right now at SFO

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

United hub connections that stay airside
BART to downtown without a car
Priority Pass at The Club SFO
PreCheck / CLEAR when Checkpoint B PreCheck is on the mezzanine

Watch out for

T3 West: no T3 AirTrain until 2027; D/E check-in in T2; Centurion in T2
United domestic vs international split (T3 E/F vs G)
International A Priority Pass windows are much tighter than The Club
Fog plus FAA staggered parallels still cut arrival capacity

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

7.2

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

7.3

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

7.6

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

8.4

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

6.7

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

7.8

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

54,118,814 (FY 2025)

Terminals

4 terminals (T1, T2, T3, International A/G)

On-time departures

76%

Typical security

12 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for SFO.

Updated Sep 29, 2026

Four terminals: Harvey Milk T1, T2, T3 (United domestic gates), Dianne Feinstein International A/G
54,118,814 passengers in FY 2025; United is the hub (48.7% of seats)
BART from the International Terminal to downtown SF is $11.80 Clipper/contactless to Embarcadero (~29–30 min)
All terminals are linked by post-security walkways; connecting passengers do not exit security
SSID #SFO FREE WIFI in every terminal; airside bottle-fill stations at every concourse
T3 West is under construction through 2027: T3 AirTrain closed; Centurion is temporarily in T2

14 official sources

https://www.flysfo.com/
https://www.flysfo.com/sfo-fact-sheet
https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/shop-dine-relax/lounges
https://www.flysfo.com/about/construction/terminal-3-construction
https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/flight-info/check-in-security
https://www.flysfo.com/to-from/getting-around-sfo
https://www.flysfo.com/to-from/public-transit
https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/ground-transportation/lyft-uber-rides
https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/ground-transportation/taxis
https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/parking/domestic-hourly
https://www.bart.gov/
https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/usa/san-francisco-ca-intl
https://www.dragonpass.com/explore/airport/A10410
https://theclubairportlounges.com/lounges/sfo-the-club-terminal-1

Full guide

Explore the SFO guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
San Francisco International Airport and the San Francisco city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
5 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: BART
View Getting There
Lounges
21 lounges with access rules, hours, and verdicts. 11 rated worth it.
Air France – KLM LoungeCathay Pacific LoungeEmirates Lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
For United D/E flights, check in at Terminal 2; F-gate check-in stays at T3 east. Drop-off Doors 6–13 on T3 Departures are closed. Kiss & Fly at the Rental Car Center plus AirTrain skips the T3 curb.
12 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
5 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
BART stationAirTrainThe Club SFO
View Amenities
Water
Where to refill for free, and where a bottle costs the least airside.
5 spots5 free or refill
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

Security wait times

A current security estimate is not available. Check the official airport site or MyTSA before travel.

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 17m late on average.

Delay range: 17m avg

Status update: 22:37 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Oct 22, 05:42 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

🌙15°C / 59°F