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San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco, United States · North America

Solid hub with good food and transport options but suffers from fog delays and occasional congestion.

Airportist Score

7.3/ 10

Passengers

52M

Security

15 min

11 photos

A wide panoramic view of the bright, modern interior of SFO's International Terminal with high ceilings, gate areas, and travelers moving through the concourse. — Photo: Masrur Odinaev
CC BY-SA 3.0 Source

Terminal 2's curved glass facade and entrance as seen from an SFO AirTrain car riding along the elevated guideway. — Photo: User:Grendelkhan
CC BY-SA 3.0 Source

Passengers line up at a jet bridge gate to board a Delta Air Lines Airbus A321neo parked at San Francisco International Airport. — Photo: 4300streetcar
CC BY 4.0 Source

The SFO AirTrain platform at International Terminal G station, with the automated people-mover train and terminal building visible. — Photo: Pi.1415926535
CC BY-SA 3.0 Source

An outdoor terrace with seating and planters in the International Terminal, offering open-air space inside the secure area. — Photo: Phoebe
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

Overhead wayfinding signs in a terminal corridor point travelers toward AirTrain, domestic terminals, and international gates. — Photo: Insightwm
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

An aerial view from a departing flight shows SFO's parallel runways, terminals, and cargo areas along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. — Photo: Pi.1415926535
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

A SamTrans public bus stop with route signage on the curb outside San Francisco International Airport. — Photo: 4300streetcar
CC BY 4.0 Source

San Francisco International Airport's illuminated terminals and airfield glow against a deep blue night sky. — Photo: Andrew Choy from Santa Clara, California
CC BY-SA 2.0 Source

Rain streaks the windows of Terminal 2 at SFO, reflecting warm interior lights across the gate-area seating. — Photo: Moto "Club4AG" Miwa from USA
CC BY 2.0 Source

A large colorful mural by artist Sarah Cain spans a wall in a San Francisco International Airport terminal. — Photo: ArtLosAngeles
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

Arrive 2 hours early domestic, 3 intl

Peak morning and evening rushes add 15-30 min to security.

Check live wait times on flysfo.com; PreCheck lines often under 10 min.

Terminal

Confirm terminal before arrival

United domestic in T3, intl in G; no airside connection from G to A/B without re-clearing.

AirTrain runs every 4-10 min; use it for connections or parking.

Food

Grab pre-security if possible

Better variety and prices landside; airside options limited in some concourses.

T3 has solid United Club food; T1 has The Club for PP access.

Status

Use airline app for gate changes

SFO fog and construction cause frequent gate shifts; monitor closely.

United and Alaska apps show real-time updates and security waits.

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Jul 20, 2026

4 terminals: Harvey Milk T1 (Alaska/AA/Delta), T2 (Alaska/AA), T3 (United domestic), International (A/G for United intl + others)
United Airlines hub with Polaris and multiple United Clubs
Direct BART rail to downtown SF (~30 min, ~$8.95–$10.10)
TSA PreCheck and CLEAR available at all major checkpoints
AirTrain connects all terminals and parking
International Terminal handles most long-haul flights to Asia/Europe

6 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort7.2

Navigation7.0

Food7.5

Transport8.0

Disruption resilience6.8

Key Stats

Annual passengers

52M

Terminals

4 active terminals

On-time departures

78%

Avg security

15 min

Best For

United hub connectionsDirect BART to cityDiverse food optionsPreCheck/CLEAR efficiency

Watch Out For

Fog-related delays commonTerminal splits for United flightsPP lounge restrictions eveningsPeak hour security surges

Nearby airports

Other airports within about 150 km.

11 photos

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

Arrive 2 hours early domestic, 3 intl

Peak morning and evening rushes add 15-30 min to security.

Check live wait times on flysfo.com; PreCheck lines often under 10 min.

Terminal

Confirm terminal before arrival

United domestic in T3, intl in G; no airside connection from G to A/B without re-clearing.

AirTrain runs every 4-10 min; use it for connections or parking.

Food

Grab pre-security if possible

Better variety and prices landside; airside options limited in some concourses.

T3 has solid United Club food; T1 has The Club for PP access.

Status

Use airline app for gate changes

SFO fog and construction cause frequent gate shifts; monitor closely.

United and Alaska apps show real-time updates and security waits.

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Jul 20, 2026

4 terminals: Harvey Milk T1 (Alaska/AA/Delta), T2 (Alaska/AA), T3 (United domestic), International (A/G for United intl + others)
United Airlines hub with Polaris and multiple United Clubs
Direct BART rail to downtown SF (~30 min, ~$8.95–$10.10)
TSA PreCheck and CLEAR available at all major checkpoints
AirTrain connects all terminals and parking
International Terminal handles most long-haul flights to Asia/Europe

6 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort7.2

Navigation7.0

Food7.5

Transport8.0

Disruption resilience6.8

Key Stats

Annual passengers

52M

Terminals

4 active terminals

On-time departures

78%

Avg security

15 min

Best For

United hub connectionsDirect BART to cityDiverse food optionsPreCheck/CLEAR efficiency

Watch Out For

Fog-related delays commonTerminal splits for United flightsPP lounge restrictions eveningsPeak hour security surges