OAK

Oakland Airport, CA (OAK) Flights & Information

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Oakland Airport (OAK) Flight Information

Find helpful information about Oakland Airport (OAK) to aid in your flight search on Cheapflights.

Airport code

OAK

Daily departures

861

Daily arrivals

844

Most popular destination

LAS (Las Vegas)

Cheapest destination

SNA (Santa Ana)

Average flight price

$390
Average number of daily flights departing from OAK
Average number of daily flights to OAK
Average for round-trip flights in April 2025

Oakland Airport Guide

Bill Fink
September 19, 2024

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) is one of the three major airports in the San Francisco area, along with San Francisco (SFO) and San Jose (SJC).

As a long-time Oakland resident, I often chose Oakland Airport not just for its convenience to my own home, but for its ease of use and accessibility in comparison to the bigger, busier San Francisco International Airport across the Bay. While SFO has many more flight options, Oakland Airport is often more convenient to travel through, even on trips to and from the city of San Francisco.

Oakland Airport recently added “San Francisco Bay” to its official name as a marketing tool to help publicize the airport’s location- but don’t be confused, it’s the same old OAK, albeit with continuing improvements.

How to get to and from Oakland Airport

Oakland Airport is conveniently located on the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay with good area connections.

Oakland airport location

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) is located, as the name describes, in the city of Oakland adjacent to the San Francisco Bay. The airport is about a 20-mile drive to downtown San Francisco and about an 8-mile drive to downtown Oakland. It has easy highway access and good public transit service.

I’d recommend Oakland Airport as the best Bay Area airport to use if you’re traveling to the East Bay or driving onward to tourist destinations like Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe or Yosemite. Travelers trying to get to those destinations from SFO must battle city and bridge traffic, sometimes adding more than an hour to the trip compared to OAK.

I’d also consider Oakland Airport as an alternative to SFO if you’re going to the city of San Francisco. OAK is just 8 miles farther from the San Francisco city center versus SFO, so if you can get a better flight deal into OAK, don’t hesitate to take it. Bridge traffic can potentially be a hassle between OAK and San Francisco, but public transit via BART is available to speed the commute.

Shuttle services at OAK

Free hotel shuttle buses are available for select hotels near OAK, the best option if you just have an overnight layover or local business. On-demand shared shuttles and vans (like Super Shuttle) are available, but really are only a good choice to save money on longer rides to San Francisco and beyond. But the downside is multiple stops will add to the travel time.

Taxis and rideshare services at OAK

Taxis can be easily found in a lineup just outside baggage claim between the two terminals, a decent choice for shorter trips into Oakland. Uber and Lyft do their pickups at a designated median area outside baggage claim. It’s a pretty smooth pickup and dropoff process for ride shares, in my experience. Depending on Bay Bridge traffic, rides can be expensive to San Francisco, consider using BART to save money.

Public transit access to OAK

One of the most convenient things about OAK is BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) public transit train access right to the terminals. A small spur line connects the airport with the main East Bay BART lines running north to Berkeley, south toward San Jose and west to San Francisco. BART also connects to the Amtrak station in Oakland for long distance train service.

I’d recommend BART as the most cost-efficient and even the fastest transport between Oakland Airport and San Francisco (or any other local town) during rush hour. BART can become a little sketchy later at night, but I’ve used it plenty of times with luggage to and from OAK during the day without any problem.

Rental cars at OAK

Renting a car at OAK is pretty easy, although you do have to take a shuttle to a nearby rental car center to get to the cars. Nine rental car agencies have cars in the airport center, with good availability. Shuttles arrive regularly curbside outside of baggage claim. Nearby highway access will get you on the road with your car quickly.

Navigating OAK terminals

I think Oakland is quite a convenient airport to use for travel. It’s on the smaller size, making for an overall less-stressful experience especially when compared to SFO across the Bay.

Oakland Airport’s flight gates are divided between two terminals, with Southwest Airlines operating out of the 12 gates in Terminal 2, while Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian and a few discount carriers fly from the 17 gates of Terminal 1. The terminal split makes it pretty easy to figure out where you’re going, and you can usually get to your gate pretty quickly after arriving at the airport.

I’ve often seen Southwest’s Terminal 2 have its biggest congestion on Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons when business travelers use it most. You’ll want to allocate a little more time to get to your flight during these peak travel times. As most of these business travelers use TSAPreCheck, that line doesn’t save much time during rush hours.

Airport security

Oakland operates a TSA security checkpoint area in both Terminal 1 and 2. I’ve found the process usually much smoother and quicker than the security checkpoints at the larger SFO. TSA PreCheck is available at both security lines, and can be more helpful during weekend leisure travel times versus weekday commutes.

Airport food and drink

OAK has the usual assortment of fast food and chain outlets, but I’d recommend trying some local area favorites. Many spots are new, giving the airport a fresh, lively feel. The OAK Clubhouse in Terminal 1 features expansive runway views to accompany your beers and pub food. Southie, in Terminal 2, is a new outlet for the popular Oakland soup, salad and sandwich shop. My go-to food selections at OAK are the Bahn Mi Vietnamese sandwiches at Tay Ho in Terminal 2.

When in Oakland Airport I’d recommend you definitely stop at the Oakland Coffee Collective in Terminal 1 for some local flavor, even if you’re not a java enthusiast. In addition to coffee from local roasters, the shop sells tasty pastries and sandwiches from regional suppliers and has a great Oakland vibe.

Lounges at OAK

Oakland Airport’s only lounge is a single Escape Lounge room located in Terminal 1, which is pretty inconvenient for Southwest passengers. If you do go to the lounge and have a Southwest flight, allow some extra time to get to the other terminal.

OAK’s Escape Lounge is a typical outlet in this chain of airport lounges. It provides snacks including warm items in a buffet format, and complimentary drinks at the bar. It’s club Wi-Fi is fast, seating comfortable, and service usually friendly. If you have complimentary access with airline status or a credit card, and a flight out of Terminal 1, it’s a worthwhile stop. Otherwise, I’d recommend skipping it as the daily rates aren’t worth the benefit.

Airline service from Oakland Airport

With a substantial Southwest Airlines presence at Oakland Airport, the airport has great service to Western U.S. cities and Hawaii, with competitive pricing and frequent flight schedules. I’d recommend looking at flights from OAK particularly to these areas. Currently, neither United nor American Airlines fly out of OAK, limiting traveler options, though the airport is always trying to expand its airline partners, so stay tuned.

Oakland airport currently has direct flights to more than 40 cities including a handful in Mexico and Central America as well as some seasonal flights to Europe. So while OAK isn’t nearly the international travel hub as SFO, it’s still worth considering for many cross-country flights to and from the Bay Area, given the manageable size of the airport and the potential for flight deals.

International travel to and from OAK

Oakland Airport offers regular service to a few cities in Mexico and Central America. While these destinations represent only a small fraction of international options at SFO, travelers should periodically check for new routes and deals, as OAK often announces new destinations and is proactively trying to grow its flight map. Global Entry is available for passengers who are part of that program.

Parking at OAK

I’ve found Oakland Airport parking to be pretty reasonable for pricing and access to the terminals, having parked my car there for both short- and longer-term timing. Frequent shuttles connect all of the lots to the terminal, but you can easily walk from the closer sections.

Oakland airport offers four sections of parking consisting of Premier, Hourly, Daily and Economy. If you’re parking for a day or two, the Daily and Economy lots are both good calls—and they’re a short walk to the terminal. I’d say skip the Premier section as it is just about 50 feet closer to the terminal than the Hourly section of the lot.

OAK’s Economy lot is separated from the other main parking lot and requires a shuttle, so account for a little extra time in your planning. The price makes the extra time worthwhile if you’re parking for more than a couple of days. Reservations are available for all of the lots, but I’ve rarely seen them get completely full.

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 flight deals to Oakland

Cheapest flights to Oakland
Explore the most affordable flight options available to Oakland. Find the lowest fares based on data from user searches, with prices last updated on April 1, 2025.

Sat 5/103:16 pmSNA - OAK
Nonstop1h 25mSpirit Airlines
Sun 5/112:07 pmOAK - SNA
Nonstop1h 25mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$55
Wed 4/3012:58 pmBUR - OAK
1 stop4h 36mSpirit Airlines
Wed 5/75:45 amOAK - BUR
1 stop9h 33mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 4/1$76
Mon 4/219:02 pmLAX - OAK
1 stop12h 00mSpirit Airlines
Tue 4/299:57 amOAK - LAX
1 stop10h 24mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$99
Sun 4/277:12 pmORD - OAK
1 stop13h 37mSpirit Airlines
Wed 4/306:29 pmOAK - ORD
1 stop10h 04mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/30$146
Thu 5/223:20 pmSEA - OAK
1 stop4h 54mSpirit Airlines
Tue 6/35:45 amOAK - SEA
1 stop8h 40mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$162
Sat 4/269:31 pmSEA - OAK
Nonstop2h 13mHawaiian Airlines
Sun 4/276:00 amOAK - SEA
Nonstop2h 05mHawaiian Airlines
Deal found 3/31$165
Mon 5/127:17 amBWI - OAK
1 stop15h 57mSpirit Airlines
Wed 5/1411:51 amOAK - BWI
1 stop15h 19mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$167
Thu 7/109:44 pmSEA - OAK
Nonstop2h 15mAlaska Airlines
Wed 7/237:00 amOAK - SEA
Nonstop2h 07mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 3/31$167
Tue 4/2212:30 pmSEA - OAK
1 stop5h 05mMultiple Airlines
Mon 4/286:00 amOAK - SEA
Nonstop2h 05mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 3/31$169
Wed 5/217:30 pmLAX - OAK
Nonstop1h 25mSouthwest
Thu 5/228:55 pmOAK - LAX
Nonstop1h 25mSouthwest
Deal found 3/31$179
Wed 4/306:00 amLGA - OAK
3 stops33h 54mSpirit Airlines
Thu 5/85:45 amOAK - LGA
2 stops25h 15mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$181
Fri 5/910:37 pmDFW - OAK
2 stops16h 30mSpirit Airlines
Mon 5/1211:51 amOAK - DFW
2 stops20h 47mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 4/1$181

Search for flights from Oakland

Cheapest flights from Oakland
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Oakland. Find the lowest fares based on data from user searches, with prices last updated on April 1, 2025.

Thu 5/85:36 pmOAK - SNA
Nonstop1h 27mSpirit Airlines
Sun 5/113:16 pmSNA - OAK
Nonstop1h 25mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$55
Tue 4/226:40 pmOAK - LAS
Nonstop1h 30mSpirit Airlines
Wed 4/239:05 amLAS - OAK
Nonstop1h 32mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/30$58
Sat 4/261:49 pmOAK - SAN
Nonstop1h 30mSpirit Airlines
Sat 5/311:20 amSAN - OAK
Nonstop1h 34mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$58
Wed 4/2311:32 amOAK - BUR
1 stop5h 43mSpirit Airlines
Sun 4/276:10 pmBUR - OAK
1 stop12h 39mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$80
Wed 4/2311:32 amOAK - LAX
1 stop10h 34mSpirit Airlines
Wed 4/309:00 amLAX - OAK
1 stop8h 34mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$99
Wed 4/237:50 pmOAK - SAN
Nonstop1h 30mSouthwest
Fri 4/256:45 amSAN - OAK
Nonstop1h 35mSouthwest
Deal found 3/30$146
Fri 6/65:10 amOAK - LAS
Nonstop1h 35mSouthwest
Mon 6/96:20 amLAS - OAK
1 stop3h 15mSouthwest
Deal found 3/31$147
Sat 5/35:10 pmOAK - LAS
1 stop4h 34mDelta
Mon 5/57:10 pmLAS - OAK
1 stop4h 33mDelta
Deal found 3/31$157
Fri 4/257:46 amOAK - SEA
1 stop12h 05mSpirit Airlines
Mon 4/288:56 pmSEA - OAK
2 stops15h 07mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 3/31$161
Tue 8/57:58 pmOAK - SEA
Nonstop2h 02mAlaska Airlines
Sat 8/99:44 pmSEA - OAK
Nonstop2h 15mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 3/31$167
Sun 6/17:05 amOAK - SEA
Nonstop2h 05mSouthwest
Wed 6/45:25 pmSEA - OAK
Nonstop2h 05mSouthwest
Deal found 3/31$172
Tue 4/228:10 amOAK - BUR
Nonstop1h 15mSouthwest
Tue 4/225:00 pmBUR - OAK
Nonstop1h 20mSouthwest
Deal found 3/31$175

Oakland Airport (OAK) flight status

Find the status of flights flying to and from Oakland Airport (OAK). 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 Oakland Airport.
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Thu 4/3
9:00 am

Reviews of airlines servicing Oakland Airport (OAK)

Read reviews of airlines servicing Oakland Airport (OAK). Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to or from Oakland Airport (OAK). Reviews last updated April 1, 2025.
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Entertainment

7.1

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 10
The attention and efficiency of the staff and the good handling of the pilot
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Entertainment

7.1

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 10
The attention and efficiency of the staff and the good handling of the pilot
8.0
Very good
4,277 reviews
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Entertainment

7.1

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 10
The attention and efficiency of the staff and the good handling of the pilot
8.0
Very good
7,898 reviews
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Entertainment

7.1

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 10
The attention and efficiency of the staff and the good handling of the pilot
7.9
Good
2,344 reviews
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Entertainment

7.1

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 10
The attention and efficiency of the staff and the good handling of the pilot
6.9
Okay
349 reviews
8.0
Very good
9,820 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Entertainment

7.1

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 10
The attention and efficiency of the staff and the good handling of the pilot

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