SFOKSFONormal

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

Editorial 0–10 from comfort, navigation, food, transport, and disruption resilience — not a Google rating.

Passengers

52M

Average security

15 min

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km.

All airports

SFOKSFONormal14°C / 57°F

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

Editorial 0–10 from comfort, navigation, food, transport, and disruption resilience — not a Google rating.

Passengers

52M

Average security

15 min

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

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.

Terminal 2's curved glass facade and entrance as seen from an SFO AirTrain car riding along the elevated guideway.

Passengers line up at a jet bridge gate to board a Delta Air Lines Airbus A321neo parked at San Francisco International Airport.

The SFO AirTrain platform at International Terminal G station, with the automated people-mover train and terminal building visible.

An outdoor terrace with seating and planters in the International Terminal, offering open-air space inside the secure area.

Overhead wayfinding signs in a terminal corridor point travelers toward AirTrain, domestic terminals, and international gates.

An aerial view from a departing flight shows SFO's parallel runways, terminals, and cargo areas along the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

A SamTrans public bus stop with route signage on the curb outside San Francisco International Airport.

San Francisco International Airport's illuminated terminals and airfield glow against a deep blue night sky.

Rain streaks the windows of Terminal 2 at SFO, reflecting warm interior lights across the gate-area seating.

A large colorful mural by artist Sarah Cain spans a wall in a San Francisco International Airport terminal.

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.

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km.

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Security wait times

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

MyTSA

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 40m late on average.

Delay range: 40m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 20m late on average.

Delay range: 20m avg

Status update: 13:34 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 09:31 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

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.

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Security wait times

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

MyTSA

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 40m late on average.

Delay range: 40m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 20m late on average.

Delay range: 20m avg

Status update: 13:34 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 09:31 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Security wait times

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

MyTSA

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 40m late on average.

Delay range: 40m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 20m late on average.

Delay range: 20m avg

Status update: 13:34 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 09:31 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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

SFOGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Security wait times

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

MyTSA

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 40m late on average.

Delay range: 40m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 20m late on average.

Delay range: 20m avg

Status update: 13:34 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 09:31 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for SFO.

Updated Aug 29, 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, ~$11.85)
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

5 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%

Average 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