SFO

San Francisco Airport (SFO) Flights & Information

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— SFO
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San Francisco Airport (SFO) Flight Information

Find helpful information about San Francisco Airport (SFO) to aid in your flight search on Cheapflights.

Airport code

SFO

Daily departures

12,001

Daily arrivals

11,636

Most popular destination

LAX (Los Angeles)

Cheapest destination

SBD (San Bernardino)

Average flight price

$1,357
Average number of daily flights departing from SFO
Average number of daily flights to SFO
Average for round-trip flights in November 2024

San Francisco Airport Guide

Harriet Baskas
September 13, 2024

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves more than 50 million passengers a year with more than 50 airlines offering nonstop flights to 80 domestic and 51 international destinations. Both United Airlines and Alaska Airlines have hubs at SFO. And while most people want to spend as little time as possible at an airport, I admit to designing trips with long layovers at SFO just so I can enjoy the exhibits and other cool amenities. This guide will help you fall in love with SFO too.

Getting to and from SFO

Traffic in the San Francisco Bay area can be a bear, especially during rush hour or when there’s a sporting event, so build in plenty of time to travel between SFO and downtown San Francisco by car, taxi, rideshare, or shuttle van. You’ll also need to plan a bit of extra time (at least 20 minutes) for the AirTrain ride to or from the Rental Car Center.

The least expensive way to travel between SFO and downtown San Francisco and other area destinations is on BART, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. Take SFO’s free AirTrain to the Garage G/Bart station stop, buy a Clipper Card or download the Clipper app to pay your fare, and you’re on your way. The trip downtown San Francisco will take about 40 minutes.

SFO layout and security checkpoints

SFO has 4 terminals, seven concourses and 113 Gates. The International Terminal (Concourses A and G), Harvey Milk Terminal 1 (Concourse B and Gate C1), Terminal 2 (Concourse C and D) and Terminal 3 (Concourses E and F). The airport layout is a big ring with all terminals connected both pre and post security.

While you may, technically, walk to any gate once you clear security, in some cases that walk will be quite long. If you’re not up for all the steps and distractions along the way, exit security, hop on the AirTrain Red Line, which stops at all terminals, and go back through the checkpoint at your desired terminal.

There are 5 main security checkpoints at SFO plus a ‘bonus’ checkpoint on the mezzanine level of Harvey Milk Terminal 1. The checkpoint offers easy access for passengers arriving from the Terminal 1 AirTrain station, but anyone can use it.

Lounges at SFO airport

With the USO Center (Harvey Milk T1, Mezzanine Level), there are 15 lounges at SFO. Some offer day passes for a fee if they’re not too crowded, otherwise lounge access will hinge on your credit card, club membership or airline cabin, status or alliance.

Among the swankier lounge locations at SFO are Alaska Airlines’ new lounge in Terminal 1 (with to pancake printing machines), the American Express Centurion Lounge (Terminal 3), United’s Polaris Lounge (International Terminal G) and The Club at SFO (Terminal 1). Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge (Terminal 2) has its own outdoor terrace.

“Secret” gate area with loungers

There’s an oversized hold area in Terminal 1 behind Gate B20 with reclining loungers, workspaces and great views of the airfield.

Showers and other services at SFO Airport

It’s not fancy, but the pre-security Freshen Up! facility in the International Terminal (next to the Airport Travel Agency) can be a lifesaver during a stressful journey or a long layover. Open 24 hours, they offer showers, nap rooms, travel essentials (everything from toothpaste to packaged fresh shirts with ties) and even a washer and dryer.

Had I known about this years ago, I would not have had to board a connecting flight wearing an outfit covered in a seatmate’s spilled Bloody Mary cocktail.

Eating, drinking and shopping at SFO Airport

Many local shopping and dining brands are represented at the airport and there are two entertaining robotic coffee baristas at Gate B20 in Terminal 3 near Gate F4. During busy times save time by ordering meals for pickup from restaurants participating in the SFO2Go program.

Yoga rooms at SFO

Back in 2012, SFO opened the world’s first airport yoga studio, complete with mirrored walls, calming lighting and loaner yoga mats. The concept was so new that SFO’s sign featuring a line image of a person in a lotus position has become the accepted pictogram for yoga rooms and yoga spaces at other airports such as Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports and at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Today SFO has 3 yoga rooms. They’re located by Gate C1 in the Harvey Milk Terminal 1, in Terminal 2 just past the Concourse C security checkpoint and in Terminal 3 by Gate E6.

Is SFO an airport or an art museum?

Here’s why I always book long layovers at SFO and make sure I’m traveling light. The SFO Museum is the country’s only accredited museum at an airport and in addition to overseeing the airport’s growing public art collection, the museum staff curates more than 30 gallery spaces terminal wide. All at one time.

The eclectic exhibits draw from the museum’s permanent collection of more than 150,000 items relating to aviation history and often include rare items and unusual objects on loan from private collectors and unusual museums.

I’ve spent hours at SFO happily exploring exhibits on everything from Ouija boards and gambling machines to vintage radios, Japanese toys, flight attendant uniforms, airline seats and more. There’s also the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum in the International Terminal, which is modeled on the airport’s 1930s-era passenger lobby.

SFO’s outdoor observation decks

Few U.S. airports have outdoor observation decks anymore. But SFO is a welcome outlier with two: the pre-security SkyTerrace and the post-security Outdoor Terrace.

The pre-security, indoor-outdoor SkyTerrace is on top of Terminal 2 and offers spectacular 180-degree views of airfield activity from its spot at the intersection of SFO’s four busy runways. Outdoors, there’s seating and drought-resistant landscaping. Indoors, there’s more seating, plus an SFO Museum exhibit documenting the history and construction of the previous terminal built on this spot in 1954, during the ‘golden age’ of air travel.

Beyond the plane spotting thrills, the SkyTerrace is a wonderful place to hang out with friends or family before a flight. It’s free to enter but is open for limited hours. And while you won’t need a plane ticket to access the SkyTerrace, be prepared to go through security screening.

Post-security, SFO’s Outdoor Terrace is a calming, landscaped outdoor space open daily with sculptures, comfortable seating and views of airfield activity. With the entrance way down at the end of Concourse G in the International Terminal, the terrace has a bit of a surprise, speakeasy vibe. But with no secret password required.

SFO Medical clinic

What could be healthier and more convenient than getting your flu shot, COVID booster or travel medicine checklist taken care of before your flight or during a layover?

The SFO Medical Clinic, pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall, is a real clinic that attends to all that as well as urgent care medical needs that may arise while in transit. If the timing is right, I will make an appointment to get my annual flu shot here and then reward myself with a travel treat. It’s way more fun than getting jabbed at my local drug store.

Traveling with kids at SFO

The Kids’ Spots at SFO are colorful, interactive and, in most cases, built around commissioned art. Find them in the Harvey Milk Terminal 1 by Gate B2 and B18, in Terminal 2 near Gates D7 and D15 and in Terminal 3 near Gate E7. Kids will also enjoy riding the AirTrain and exploring many of the art and history exhibits. Ask at an Information booth for a free coloring book.

SFO’s Wag Brigade

SFO’s Wag Brigade of therapy pets debuted in 2013, and the team has expanded from adorable dogs to include the so-San Francisco additions of a Juliana-breed pig named Lilou and a Flemish Giant Rabbit named Alex. What’s next?

Hotels near SFO Airport

There are numerous hotels a short shuttle ride from SFO, but the on-site Grand Hyatt at SFO is art-filled and convenient, with several dining options and its own stop on the SFO AirTrain.

The 351 sound-proofed rooms at the Grand Hyatt at SFO have floor-to-ceiling windows and offer views of San Francisco Bay and/or parts of the airport. If you can swing it, ask for a Runway View room. These are equipped with plane spotting pamphlets and loaner binoculars, which made my last stay there a pure avgeek delight.

Luggage storage, business services and more

Sure, the Airport Travel Agency (departure level, International Terminal, by the entrance to Concourse G) offers the full range of traditional travel agency services. But this is also the go-to spot for bag storage, passport photos, and business travel services such as notary, faxing and photocopying.

This Cheapflights-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.

Cheap flights to San Francisco Airport in November and December 2024

Find deals on flights to San Francisco Airport (SFO) in November and December 2024. Deals are based on recent searches Cheapflights users made over the past 12 months. Click “Pick Dates” to customize your flight criteria, and browse current flight deals from travel providers.
Thu 11/149:03 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 26mFrontier
Tue 11/1911:19 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 27mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$48
Mon 11/1111:05 pmLAX - SFO
1 stop10h 48mMultiple Airlines
Wed 11/1311:19 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 27mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/4$110
Thu 12/58:04 pmDFW - SFO
1 stop6h 07mFrontier
Thu 12/129:34 amSFO - DFW
1 stop5h 28mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$115
Wed 11/208:28 pmSEA - SFO
1 stop14h 45mFrontier
Mon 11/259:09 pmSFO - SEA
1 stop11h 10mFrontier
Deal found 11/4$120
Sun 11/247:05 amSEA - SFO
Nonstop2h 20mMultiple Airlines
Mon 11/259:09 pmSFO - SEA
1 stop11h 10mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/3$144
Sat 11/95:35 amDFW - SFO
1 stop16h 28mMultiple Airlines
Wed 11/201:50 pmSFO - DFW
1 stop6h 29mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/2$150
Mon 11/256:00 pmLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 27mAlaska Airlines
Sat 11/306:00 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 36mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/3$157
Sat 11/236:50 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 25mDelta
Mon 11/256:20 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 31mDelta
Deal found 11/3$164
Sun 11/246:20 amSEA - SFO
Nonstop2h 25mDelta
Mon 11/256:05 amSFO - SEA
Nonstop2h 25mDelta
Deal found 11/3$167
Sat 11/239:44 pmSEA - SFO
Nonstop2h 15mAlaska Airlines
Sun 11/246:00 amSFO - SEA
Nonstop2h 21mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/3$174
Mon 12/912:38 pmBOS - SFO
1 stop10h 12mMultiple Airlines
Fri 12/137:45 amSFO - BOS
Nonstop5h 38mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/4$179
Tue 11/196:30 amLAX - SFO
1 stop3h 55mSouthwest
Tue 11/1912:45 pmSFO - LAX
1 stop5h 30mSouthwest
Deal found 11/3$185

Round-trip flights to San Francisco Airport (SFO)

Find deals on round-trip flights to San Francisco Airport. Deals are based on recent searches made by Cheapflights users over the past 12 months. Click “Pick Dates” to customize your flight criteria, and browse current flight deals from travel providers.
Tue 11/199:03 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 26mFrontier
Tue 11/192:46 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 27mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$37
Tue 12/246:59 pmBOS - SFO
Nonstop7h 04mAlaska Airlines
Tue 12/317:00 amSFO - BOS
Nonstop5h 44mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/3$106
Sat 11/1612:45 pmLAX - SFO
1 stop6h 27mMultiple Airlines
Sun 11/1711:19 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 27mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/3$121
Sat 12/75:50 pmSEA - SFO
Nonstop2h 22mDelta
Tue 12/104:32 pmSFO - SEA
Nonstop2h 28mDelta
Deal found 11/4$137
Wed 11/2010:40 amLAX - SFO
1 stop6h 15mSouthwest
Tue 12/35:40 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 25mSouthwest
Deal found 11/3$174
Sat 11/2310:40 pmDFW - SFO
Nonstop3h 53mAmerican Airlines
Tue 11/266:00 amSFO - DFW
Nonstop3h 31mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/3$189
Wed 12/187:35 pmDFW - SFO
Nonstop4h 01mUnited Airlines
Tue 1/711:07 amSFO - DFW
Nonstop3h 39mUnited Airlines
Deal found 11/3$191
Fri 12/65:39 pmDFW - SFO
Nonstop4h 11mFrontier
Mon 12/910:59 pmSFO - DFW
1 stop27h 41mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$98
Fri 12/67:00 amBOS - SFO
Nonstop6h 48mJetBlue
Thu 12/122:39 pmSFO - BOS
Nonstop5h 30mJetBlue
Deal found 11/4$226
Fri 1/249:57 amSEA - SFO
1 stop8h 05mFrontier
Sun 1/2611:18 amSFO - SEA
1 stop9h 34mFrontier
Deal found 11/4$116
Fri 12/611:37 amBOS - SFO
1 stop8h 34mSun Country Air
Thu 12/126:18 pmSFO - BOS
1 stop13h 23mSun Country Air
Deal found 11/3$265
Sun 1/267:59 pmSEA - SFO
Nonstop2h 13mAlaska Airlines
Tue 2/411:20 amSFO - SEA
Nonstop2h 18mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/4$136

Flights departing from San Francisco Airport (SFO)

Find deals on round-trip flights from San Francisco Airport (SFO). Deals are based on recent searches made by Cheapflights users over the past 12 months. Click “Pick Dates” to customize your flight criteria, and browse current flight deals from travel providers.
Wed 12/47:00 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 30mFrontier
Wed 12/118:23 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 30mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$48
Sun 12/810:59 pmSFO - LAS
Nonstop1h 44mFrontier
Wed 12/1112:30 pmLAS - SFO
Nonstop1h 48mFrontier
Deal found 11/4$50
Tue 12/36:54 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 31mDelta
Wed 12/412:00 pmLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 30mDelta
Deal found 11/4$116
Wed 12/187:00 amSFO - SEA
Nonstop2h 18mMultiple Airlines
Wed 12/258:25 pmSEA - SFO
1 stop10h 49mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/3$123
Wed 4/92:55 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 40mAlaska Airlines
Tue 4/222:45 pmLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 29mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/3$129
Tue 12/32:20 pmSFO - LAS
1 stop5h 08mUnited Airlines
Thu 12/126:35 pmLAS - SFO
1 stop5h 29mUnited Airlines
Deal found 11/3$150
Tue 12/34:05 pmSFO - SEA
1 stop5h 56mAmerican Airlines
Tue 12/106:00 amSEA - SFO
1 stop5h 07mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/4$172
Thu 11/146:20 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 25mSouthwest
Tue 11/192:25 pmLAX - SFO
2 stops7h 25mSouthwest
Deal found 11/3$191
Tue 2/117:45 amSFO - HNL
Nonstop5h 35mHawaiian Airlines
Fri 2/1412:35 pmHNL - SFO
Nonstop5h 10mHawaiian Airlines
Deal found 11/3$218
Fri 12/277:57 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 30mMultiple Airlines
Sun 1/58:21 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 30mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/3$124
Fri 12/68:35 pmSFO - JFK
1 stop11h 39mJetBlue
Sat 12/73:35 pmJFK - SFO
Nonstop6h 39mJetBlue
Deal found 11/4$250
Tue 11/199:05 pmSFO - DFW
1 stop6h 43mFrontier
Mon 11/256:45 amDFW - SFO
Nonstop3h 57mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$118

Flights to San Francisco Airport (SFO) departing soon

Find deals on flights to San Francisco Airport (SFO) leaving in the next seven days. Deals are based on recent searches made by Cheapflights users over the past 12 months. Click “Pick Dates” to customize your flight criteria, and browse current flight deals from travel providers.
Mon 11/119:03 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 26mFrontier
Tue 11/1911:19 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 27mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$77
Mon 11/1111:05 pmLAX - SFO
1 stop10h 48mMultiple Airlines
Wed 11/1311:19 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 27mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/4$110
Tue 11/129:19 amSEA - SFO
1 stop27h 30mFrontier
Tue 11/261:43 pmSFO - SEA
1 stop23h 07mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$130
Sat 11/95:35 amDFW - SFO
1 stop16h 28mMultiple Airlines
Wed 11/201:50 pmSFO - DFW
1 stop6h 29mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/2$150
Wed 11/1312:21 pmORD - SFO
1 stop13h 54mFrontier
Mon 11/1810:59 amSFO - ORD
1 stop11h 39mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$155
Thu 11/142:58 pmDFW - SFO
Nonstop4h 01mFrontier
Wed 11/201:50 pmSFO - DFW
1 stop6h 29mFrontier
Deal found 11/4$156
Tue 11/128:00 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 31mAlaska Airlines
Tue 11/1212:46 pmSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 31mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/2$165
Thu 11/147:50 pmLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 28mDelta
Sun 11/176:20 amSFO - LAX
Nonstop1h 31mDelta
Deal found 11/3$171
Tue 11/1210:05 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 30mSouthwest
Wed 11/137:05 amSFO - LAX
2 stops8h 45mSouthwest
Deal found 11/2$191
Wed 11/137:00 amDCA - SFO
1 stop8h 49mFrontier
Tue 11/196:00 amSFO - DCA
1 stop7h 59mFrontier
Deal found 11/3$206
Thu 11/146:01 pmSEA - SFO
1 stop15h 23mMultiple Airlines
Sun 11/176:00 amSFO - SEA
Nonstop2h 20mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/3$235
Sat 11/99:32 amLAX - SFO
Nonstop1h 28mAmerican Airlines
Sat 11/93:55 pmSFO - LAX
1 stop6h 00mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/4$241

San Francisco Airport (SFO) flight status

Find the status of flights flying to and from San Francisco Airport (SFO). Search by flight number or origin/destination and date/time to find the specific flight(s) you’re interested in.
Utilize the flight tracker to see the current status of flights flying to and from San Francisco Airport.
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Wed 11/6
4:00 pm

Reviews of airlines servicing San Francisco Airport (SFO)

Read reviews of airlines servicing San Francisco Airport (SFO). Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to or from San Francisco Airport (SFO). Reviews last updated November 4, 2024.
8.2
Very good
118 reviews

Entertainment

6.6

Food

6.8

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Crew

9.0

Reviews

1 / 8

Good flight on Breeze, on time, comfortable, friendly pilot and crew

8.2
Very good
118 reviews
8.2
Very good
118 reviews

Entertainment

6.6

Food

6.8

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Crew

9.0

Reviews

1 / 8

Good flight on Breeze, on time, comfortable, friendly pilot and crew

8.1
Very good
5,089 reviews
8.2
Very good
118 reviews

Entertainment

6.6

Food

6.8

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Crew

9.0

Reviews

1 / 8

Good flight on Breeze, on time, comfortable, friendly pilot and crew

8.0
Very good
8,829 reviews
8.2
Very good
118 reviews

Entertainment

6.6

Food

6.8

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Crew

9.0

Reviews

1 / 8

Good flight on Breeze, on time, comfortable, friendly pilot and crew

8.0
Very good
9,423 reviews
8.2
Very good
118 reviews

Entertainment

6.6

Food

6.8

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Crew

9.0

Reviews

1 / 8

Good flight on Breeze, on time, comfortable, friendly pilot and crew

7.7
Good
293 reviews
8.2
Very good
118 reviews

Entertainment

6.6

Food

6.8

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Crew

9.0

Reviews

1 / 8

Good flight on Breeze, on time, comfortable, friendly pilot and crew

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