Owais Crawford
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the primary international airport serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the world's largest airports, offering nonstop flights to Asia, South Pacific, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the US. SFO is located just 14 miles from downtown San Francisco and is easily accessible via Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). The airport features four terminals, including the International Terminal, which is the largest in North America and boasts world-class facilities, dining, and shopping.
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What You'll Learn
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
The International Terminal, designed by Craig W. Hartman, opened in December 2000 and is the largest building in the world built on base isolators to protect against earthquakes. It is composed of Boarding Area A with 15 gates (A1-A15) and Boarding Area G with 14 gates (G1-G14). The terminal features quick-service versions of leading San Francisco Bay Area restaurants and houses the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which contains a model of a DC-3. The International Terminal also boasts 17 permanent, museum-quality works of art that were commissioned for the site, including wall murals, light sculptures, mosaics, and terrazzo.
Formerly known as the "North Terminal", Terminal 3 is used for United Airlines' domestic flights. It is composed of Boarding Area E with 13 gates (E1-E13) and Boarding Area F with 18 gates (F5-F22). A solar roof was installed in 2007, generating sufficient power to illuminate all of Terminal 3 during the day.
SFO is easy to navigate, with large, well-placed signage in every terminal and concourse directing travellers to gates, baggage claims, transportation services, food, restrooms, and other important amenities. Passengers can move between terminals aboard SFO's AirTrain, which is free to ride and runs 24 hours a day. The airport also offers multilingual staff and interpreters available through a telephone language line.
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The airport's history
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has a rich history that dates back to the late 1920s. The airport, located in San Mateo County, California, has undergone numerous expansions, demolitions, and reconstructions to become one of the busiest airports in the world.
The City of San Francisco first leased 150 acres of land from the Mills Estate in 1927 for a temporary and experimental airport project. The site, known as Mills Field, was officially dedicated as the Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco in May 1927. In 1930, the city leaders decided to purchase an additional 1,112 acres from the Mills Estate, expanding the airport site. The airport's name was officially changed to San Francisco Airport in 1931, and it was placed under the management of the City's Public Utilities Commission.
In the early years of the airport, carriers such as Western Air Express, Maddux Air Lines, and Century Pacific Lines operated from the airport. United Airlines, which joined in 1934, quickly became the key carrier at the airport, offering services to Los Angeles and New York with Douglas DC-3 aircraft. By 1936, the airport had three runways and a seaplane harbour under construction. During World War II, the airport served as a Coast Guard base and Army Air Corps training and staging base, known as the Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Mills Field.
After World War II, the airport was renamed San Francisco International Airport to reflect the expansion of overseas service. The airport underwent significant expansion, with a new terminal building, a new control tower, and extended runways. In 1947, the airport code "SFO" was introduced, and the addition of international carriers such as British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines and Philippine Airlines contributed to its growing international presence. By 1952, SFO had reached two million annual passengers, highlighting the need for a new terminal, which was dedicated in 1954 as the Central Terminal.
In the late 1950s, SFO became a profitable operation and continued to grow. The first Hilton Airport Hotel opened at the airport in 1962, and in 1971, the groundbreaking ceremony for the North Terminal (now Terminal 3) was held. Today, SFO is the primary international airport serving the San Francisco Bay Area and is a major hub for airlines such as United and Alaska Airlines. The airport has continued to develop its facilities, including the addition of the International Terminal in 2000, which is the largest international terminal in North America.
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Terminals and boarding areas
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the primary international airport serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is the second-busiest airport in California and the 29th-busiest in the world. The airport has one international terminal and three domestic terminals, all connected in a loop. The terminals are easily reached via pedestrian walkways or by riding the AirTrain.
The International Terminal, the largest in North America, is composed of Boarding Area A with 15 gates (A1-A15) and Boarding Area G with 14 gates (G1-G14). Designed by Craig W. Hartman of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, the terminal opened in December 2000. The departures area is split across two concourses—A and G—with parking facilities and AirTrain stations on either side. The International Terminal has a central main hall for ticketing, services, shops, and restaurants on Level 3. This is also where passengers can access the BART station for connections to San Francisco.
Terminal 1, formerly known as the Harvey Milk Terminal, has Boarding Areas B and C. Terminal 2 has Boarding Area D, and Terminal 3 has Boarding Areas E and F. Terminal 3, formerly known as the North Terminal, is used for United Airlines' domestic flights. Mainline United and United Express flights use both boarding areas. This terminal was originally designed by San Francisco Airport Architects and cost $82.44 million. A solar roof was installed in 2007 with sufficient generating capacity to power all Terminal 3 lights during the day.
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Art and exhibitions
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) boasts an impressive art programme, curated by the San Francisco Arts Commission, that reflects the Bay Area's vibrant and diverse culture. The airport's art collection includes more than 80 pieces in a variety of styles and media by artists of local, national, and international acclaim. The artworks are displayed across the airport's terminals, with some located in the pre-security public areas, allowing everyone to appreciate them, not just those flying.
The airport's art collection includes permanent installations, such as Sarah Cain's colourful stained glass artwork in the Airport Train Hotel Station, which covers the walls with prisms and cascading rainbows. Johanna Grawunder's 'Coding' installation in the parking structure elevator tower is another permanent fixture. This artwork features mirrored square and rectangle windows that spell out "San Francisco" in Morse code and change colour throughout the day and night.
In addition to its permanent collection, SFO also hosts rotating exhibitions and more than 20 galleries with themes ranging from art and science to history and culture. The SFO Museum, a division of the airport, manages these rotating exhibitions, which can be found in the terminal galleries, as well as in the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum in the International Terminal.
The Civic Art Collection at SFO, provided by the San Francisco Arts Commission, includes works by renowned Bay Area artists such as Wayne Thiebaud, James Torlakson, and Roy De Forest, as well as international artists like Arnaldo Pomodoro and Seiji Kunishima. The airport's Public Art Collection also features more than 100 paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and site-specific works. Liz Glynn's 'Terra-Techne' is a notable piece in this collection, consisting of six suspended "tectonic plates" representing different continents, located in the security check-in area.
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Transport to and from the airport
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is located just 14 miles from downtown San Francisco. It is one of the world's great gateways and the second-busiest airport in California. The airport is easy to navigate, with large, clear signage in every terminal and concourse.
Transport to the Airport
You can get to the airport by taxi or ride-share, but a more affordable option is to use the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service. The airport's AirTrain also connects the terminals to parking garages and the rental car centre.
Transport from the Airport
The AirTrain is free to use and operates 24 hours a day, with trains arriving every five minutes. You can use the Red Line to travel between terminals, and the Blue Line to get to the parking garages and rental car centre.
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Frequently asked questions
San Francisco International Airport, commonly referred to as SFO.
The airport is 14 miles from downtown San Francisco.
You can take a taxi or a ride-share, or use public transport such as Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).
SFO is one of America's largest airports with four terminals and seven concourses. It is easy to navigate with clear signage, and you can move between terminals on the AirTrain. The airport offers shopping, dining, and multilingual staff.
The airport features an Aviation Museum and Library, as well as the SFO Museum, which was the first museum in an international airport. The airport also displays more than 65 permanent works of art.
