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San Francisco International Airport, also known as SFO, is the primary international airport serving the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The airport is located in San Mateo County, approximately 12-14 miles from San Francisco. The airport's unique three-letter code, SFO, is derived from the city's initials, with the letter O added to the end, as many airports transitioned from two-letter to three-letter codes after the formation of the International Air Transport Association in 1945.
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What You'll Learn
The airport serves the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the primary international airport for the San Francisco Bay Area in California. It is located approximately 12-14 miles from San Francisco, in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County, on the San Francisco Peninsula, next to the San Francisco Bay.
SFO is the largest airport in the Bay Area and the second-busiest in California after Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). In 2023, it was ranked as the 13th busiest airport in the US and 29th busiest in the world by passenger traffic. The airport serves as a hub for United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, and it is a major maintenance facility.
SFO offers nonstop flights to Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and within the US. It also provides world-class facilities, shopping, and dining options. The airport has a San Francisco mailing address and ZIP code, and it is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco.
The history of SFO dates back to 1927 when it began operating at its current location. The City and County of San Francisco purchased the land in 1930, and the airport was originally named Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco. The name was changed to San Francisco Airport in 1931 and then to San Francisco International Airport after World War II to reflect the growing international air service.
During World War II, the airport served as a Coast Guard base and Army Air Corps training and staging base. It was also used by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) for its Pacific and Alaska seaplane operations after Treasure Island became a military base.
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SFO is the airport's IATA code
San Francisco International Airport is the primary international airport serving the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. The airport is located in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County, approximately 12 to 14 miles from San Francisco. SFO is the airport's IATA code.
Prior to 1945, many airports used a two-letter code. However, after the International Air Transport Association was established that year, airports were required to adopt three-letter codes. As "SF" was already in use for San Francisco, an "O" was added to the end, creating the airport code "SFO".
SFO is the largest airport in the Bay Area and the second-busiest in California after Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). In 2023, it was ranked as the 13th-busiest airport in the US and the 29th-busiest worldwide by passenger traffic. The airport serves as a hub for United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, and it offers nonstop flights to destinations across Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the US.
SFO has a long history, having operated in the same location since 1927. The airport was originally named Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco but was renamed San Francisco Airport in 1931. After World War II, the airport's name was changed again to San Francisco International Airport to reflect the growing international air service. During the war, the airport served as a Coast Guard base and Army Air Corps training and staging base.
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The airport's name has ties as far back as 1945
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the primary international airport for the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The airport is located approximately 12-14 miles from San Francisco, primarily in unincorporated San Mateo County on the San Francisco Peninsula, next to the San Francisco Bay.
The airport has been operating in the same location since May 27, 1927. The City & County of San Francisco purchased the land in 1930. Originally named Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco, the name was changed to San Francisco Airport in 1931 and then to San Francisco International Airport after World War II. The name change reflected the growing international air service developing at the airport.
The airport code SFO has ties as far back as 1945. Before the International Air Transport Association was formed in 1945, many airports used two-letter initials. After the association was established, it mandated that each destination have three letters. The airport code for San Francisco could have simply added an "O" to the end of "SF," which was convenient because San Francisco has an "O" at the end of it.
Some people assume that the "O" in SFO represents Oakland. However, this theory has been debunked because Oakland's airport opened around the same time as San Francisco's airport, making the reference obsolete.
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The airport has been in the same location since 1927
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has been in the same location since May 27, 1927. The airport is located approximately 12 to 14 miles southeast of San Francisco, primarily in unincorporated San Mateo County on the San Francisco Peninsula, next to the San Francisco Bay. Despite its location in San Mateo County, the airport is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco, and it has a San Francisco mailing address and ZIP code.
The airport was originally named Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco when it opened in 1927. The City and County of San Francisco purchased the land in 1930, and the airport's name was changed to San Francisco Airport in 1931. After World War II, the airport's name was changed again to San Francisco International Airport to reflect the growing international air service developing at the airport.
During World War II, the airport served as a Coast Guard base and Army Air Corps training and staging base, operating under the names Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Mills Field and Coast Guard Air Station, San Francisco. In 1944, Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) moved its Pacific and Alaska seaplane operations to SFO after Treasure Island was converted into a military base.
Today, SFO is the largest airport in the Bay Area and the second busiest in California, after Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). It serves as a hub for United Airlines and Alaska Airlines and offers nonstop flights to Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the US. The airport has also been recognised for its sustainability initiatives and its SFO Museum exhibition program, which gained accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums in 1999.
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SFO was voted the Best International Airport in North America in 2008
San Francisco International Airport, commonly known as SFO, was voted the Best International Airport in North America in 2008 by Skytrax in the World Airports Survey. SFO is the largest airport in the Bay Area and the second-busiest in California. It is a hub for United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, offering nonstop flights to Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and within the US.
SFO has world-class facilities, including an extensive museum exhibition program, now called the SFO Museum, which won accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums in 1999. The airport also has seamless access, thoughtful amenities, a sustainable design, and inspiring artwork and exhibits.
SFO was the first airport in the United States to integrate inline baggage screening into its baggage handling system, setting a model for other airports after the September 11 attacks. The airport has also shown a commitment to sustainability, signing an agreement in 2018 to use sustainable fuels supplied by Shell and SkyNRG for KLM, SAS, and Finnair flights.
In addition to being named the best airport in North America in 2008, SFO has received numerous other accolades. Business Traveler Magazine named it the Best Airport in North America, and in 2022, Airports Council International (ACI) also named SFO the Best Airport in North America in their ASQ Awards for airports serving over 40 million annual passengers. The Wall Street Journal ranked SFO as the top large US airport in their 2022 annual ranking, which considered factors such as on-time performance, security checkpoint line waits, and customer satisfaction scores.
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Frequently asked questions
It is assumed that the 'O' in SFO stands for the O at the end of 'San Francisco'.
San Francisco International Airport.
SFO is the city's airport code. Prior to the formation of the International Air Transport Association in 1945, many airports went by a two-letter initial. After the association formed, it required each destination to have three letters.
