San Francisco Airport (SFO) Flights & Information

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.