Nearby Airports by Distance

The Bay area, divided into the North & South Bay, has three major Airports, the largest one--San Francisco International Airport SFO--is located on the South Bay on Hwy 101 & I-380, San Bruno, while Oakland International Airport is straight across on the North Bay off I-880 and Hegenberger Road. San Jose Mineta International SJC is at the east end of the Bay, off Hwy 101 and 87. While residents from both the South and North Bay can opt for either one of the three airports, ease of getting not only to the airport, but also to the actual departure gate, will determine their choice. Frequent South Bay flyers prefer San Jose's Mineta Airport, the smallest of the three Airports (but by no means small), as they consider getting to it and to the departure gate is less time-consuming. 90 miles to the south is the Monterey Peninsula Airport which serves the Central Coast of California and offers daily flights to San Francisco International.

1. San Francisco International Airport SFO, 13 miles from San Francisco, and the only one classified as "B Airspace" (the other two are C-classified), is huge. Getting there by car can be a hassle as 101 West frequently slows down to a trickle for miles. Parking is expensive and terminal transfers time-consuming. While low-fare airlines are kept to a minimum, major national and international airlines offer a much larger selection of direct and connecting flights to all points of the globe. Its transportation system to the City is excellent. Due to the Airport's location right on the Bay, it is more apt to have flight delays due to frequent and extensive fog.

2. Oakland International Airport OAK, 13 miles from San Francisco--serves mainly the North Bay and its wider circle. It offers a better selection of low-fare airlines and is less crowded than San Francisco International. Oakland Airport is a great starting point if your trip includes Napa, Yosemite, Sequoia, Lake Tahoe or other points east of San Francisco. Shuttles to San Francisco are frequent and affordable.

3. San Jose Mineta International Airport SJC is 60 miles south of San Francisco. Its flight selections are not as extensive as the ones offered by San Francisco International, but major airlines include American, Alaska, United, Southwest, and Continental. You can take a shuttle, or opt for the CalTrain by taking the frequently running Airport Flyer to the train station. San Jose is also a great starting point if your trip includes Monterey, Carmel, Hearst Castle, South Salinas Wine Country, etc.

4. Monterey Peninsula Airport MRY located within the city of Monterey, and about 90 miles south of the San Francisco International Airport, serves the Cities of Salinas, communities on the Monterey Peninsula, as well as Carmel and Big Sur. Its commercial airlines provide regional service on a mixture of aircraft, with frequent daily flights to San Francisco International, Los Angeles LAX, Phoenix PHX, Denver DEN, Las Vegas LAS and San Diego SAN. The Monterey Airbus offers shuttle services to both the San Francisco and San Jose Airports. Parking facilities are aplenty and inexpensive and taxis are available 24/7.