Main Terminal / Concourses at San Francisco SFO Airport
Passenger Terminal Layout of SFO Airport, Train connections from SFO; Getting around at SFO's terminals (Domestic & International transfers; International Arrivals Procedure), Security Check Lines, and Terminal Details:
San Francisco's Airport has four passenger terminals - IT (International Terminal), T1, T2, & T3 - arranged in a circle around the domestic garages. T1, T2 & T3 handle domestic flights plus pre-TSA clearance flights from Canada. (T2 was recently voted as having 'Best Infrastructure'.)
Train Connections: 1. To get to areas in northern San Mateo County, San Francisco & the East Bay, take the AirTrain at the International Terminal, near Boarding Area G, to the BART train station.
2. AirTrain & BART share a station in Garage G - AirTrain being one level above BART.
3. To transfer to the Caltrain, take BART on a short ride to the Milbrae station and change to Caltrain.
Getting around at SFO Airport:
1. The Red-line of the AirTrain (an automated people mover) serves all terminals & the garage, while the Blue line additionally serves the rental car facility - both lines run a continuous loop taking only minutes between stops (baggage carts have hand brakes and can be taken onto the AirTrain); however, you can also walk to your connecting terminal: walking around the entire terminal loop would take 25 minutes.
2. Domestic passengers transferring from either T1 or T2 to the International Terminal must exit their terminal, then walk or take the AirTrain to the International Terminal, where they need to go through security checkpoint before proceeding to their departure gate. If they have not yet checked in for their connecting flight, they need first to stop by at their airline counter in the Main Hall before proceeding to the International Terminal.
3. Domestic passengers transferring from T3 to the International Terminal may transfer via a connector walkway (located post-secuirty near gate 75) to the International Terminal's Boarding Area G arriving at post-security near gate G92. If they have not yet checked in for their connecting flight, they need to stop by at their airline counter in the Main Hall and then take either the AirTrain or walk to the International Terminal, where they need to go through security check before proceeding to their connecting gate.
4. International passengers transferring to Domestic Terminals: There is no secure transit area in this case. To connect to any of the domestic terminals, take the AirTrain’s red line at either station A or G below the Main Hall. To get to Terminal 3, you can also use the short connector between Boarding Area G and Terminal 3 and its F gates.
5. International Arrivals Procedure: Unless you have gone through US customs clearance at participating airports you need to go through passport check, retrieve checked bags, go through customs clearance and - if transferring to another flight - re-check-in bag: Onward passengers will exit Arrivals Hall through dedicated doors indicating 'Connecting Flights', where they will re-check in bags at the baggage desk directly outside of the exit. If no agent is available there, or bags are not tagged to its final destination, visit your airline's ticket counter first.
Security Check Lines: This is what a frequent flyer remarked "It is fast going through premium class (minutes), but through the regular line, arrive 2-3 hours minimum before time. I have watched airlines refuse boarding to ticketed passengers if they did not meet the international check-in time requirement. Needless to say the passengers were not happy as the re-booking or added hotel costs are on the passengers' nickel in such circumstances. "
The International Terminal at San Francisco Airport with boarding areas A (gates 1-12) and G (gates 91-102) on either side of the two-level Main Hall serves international flights of U.S. airlines Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Sun Country, Virgin America, United & WestJet, as well as flights of international carriers.
Split level boarding areas are for dining & shopping on the upper level and gate rooms on the lower level. Other amenities are storage & spa facilities; showers, cell phone rentals & business services; baggage wrapping and medical clinic, to name a few.
Currency Exchange is in the Main Hall, level 1 at entrances, two near Boarding Area A, near gates 4 & 8, ; one in center & two near Boarding Area G, near gates 91 & 93.
ATM machines are available next to Boule Café, to the left of the Main Hall, at Brookstone, center back; and near gates A1 & A8, and gate G91.
Airline Lounges at the International Terminal:
Air France Lounge at post-security, South, Level 4; British Airways Executive Club at Boarding Area A, Level 3, between gates 4 & 6;
Cathay Pacific for First & Business Class at Boarding Area A, level 4, post-security. China Airlines Dynasty Lounge at South, level 4;
Emirates at Boarding Area A, between Gates A3-A5. EVA Airlines Evergreen Lounge at North, level 3;
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at South, level 4; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at South, level 3, shared with Delta;
Lufthansa Airlines at United Red Carpet Club’s location; Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Lounge at South, level 4;
Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge at North, level 3, post-security;
United Airlines Red Carpet Club at North, level 4 (post-security entrance on level 3);
United Airlines Arrivals Lounge at the shoulder between the North terminal and the new International Terminal, on level 2;
United Airlines Departures Lounge in Boarding Area G, lower level, near gate 98;
Virgin Atlantic Airways Virgin Cub House at South, level 5.
Terminal 1 at San Francisco Airport with boarding area B (gates 20-39 )serves AirTran, American, Frontier, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, SkyWest, Sun Country & US Airways airlines, . It offers Information counters, hotel boards, and access to the International Main Hall and toBoarding Area C. The USO Lounge, accessed via elevators behind Delta's ticket counter, on the Mezzanine Level is open 24/7, tel. 650.821.7613.
Terminal 2 at San Francisco Airport with boarding area D (gates 50-59) serves American & Virgin American airlines with gates 1-14. When entering T2 from the Departures curb, you have the North Ticketing Hall for American Airlines to the left, and the South Tickeing Hall for Virgin America to the right, followed by the security checkpoint in the center, and leading to the Retail Concourse, and straight ahead to the Departures Lounge and Boarding Area D. NOTE: Boarding Area E is currently closed.
The 640,000 sqare feet - LEED Gold award - terminal has a capacity of handling 5.5 million enplaned passengers a year, and offers a large retail area with food & drink establishments, & retail stores, a gourmet marketplace with wine bar, and a spa. Among the terminal's sustainable features are paperless ticketing and preferential parking for hybrid cars. Terminal 2 also hosts food vendors offering healthy fare from local sources. The new Yoga Room is located past security checkpoint, next to 'Recompose area'.
Easy transfer via a pedestrian bridge leads to the AirTrain, with connection to the BART transit system.
Terminal 3 at San Francisco Airport with boarding areas F (gates 68-90) and E (gates 60-67, but currently closed for renovation) serves Air Canada & United airlines, and has on its Mezzanine level a full-service branch of Bank of America & ATMs at pre- and post security; a nursery & a Video Remote Interpreting Service. The departure area, which has an Aquarium, leads to Boarding Gate F, which has 'Kids' Spot' near gate 87A. All modes of transportation can be accessed outside levels 1 and 2.
Amenities and services inside SFO passsenger terminals - most of which are separately listed - include Information booths with language assistance; an abundance of food & drink establishments and shops, business centers, work stations, and more. Free phone boards for lodging, transportation & attractions are in the Baggage Claim area of all terminals. For paging service call 650.821.8211, then select 2).
San Francisco's Airport has four passenger terminals - IT (International Terminal), T1, T2, & T3 - arranged in a circle around the domestic garages. T1, T2 & T3 handle domestic flights plus pre-TSA clearance flights from Canada. (T2 was recently voted as having 'Best Infrastructure'.)
Train Connections: 1. To get to areas in northern San Mateo County, San Francisco & the East Bay, take the AirTrain at the International Terminal, near Boarding Area G, to the BART train station.
2. AirTrain & BART share a station in Garage G - AirTrain being one level above BART.
3. To transfer to the Caltrain, take BART on a short ride to the Milbrae station and change to Caltrain.
Getting around at SFO Airport:
1. The Red-line of the AirTrain (an automated people mover) serves all terminals & the garage, while the Blue line additionally serves the rental car facility - both lines run a continuous loop taking only minutes between stops (baggage carts have hand brakes and can be taken onto the AirTrain); however, you can also walk to your connecting terminal: walking around the entire terminal loop would take 25 minutes.
2. Domestic passengers transferring from either T1 or T2 to the International Terminal must exit their terminal, then walk or take the AirTrain to the International Terminal, where they need to go through security checkpoint before proceeding to their departure gate. If they have not yet checked in for their connecting flight, they need first to stop by at their airline counter in the Main Hall before proceeding to the International Terminal.
3. Domestic passengers transferring from T3 to the International Terminal may transfer via a connector walkway (located post-secuirty near gate 75) to the International Terminal's Boarding Area G arriving at post-security near gate G92. If they have not yet checked in for their connecting flight, they need to stop by at their airline counter in the Main Hall and then take either the AirTrain or walk to the International Terminal, where they need to go through security check before proceeding to their connecting gate.
4. International passengers transferring to Domestic Terminals: There is no secure transit area in this case. To connect to any of the domestic terminals, take the AirTrain’s red line at either station A or G below the Main Hall. To get to Terminal 3, you can also use the short connector between Boarding Area G and Terminal 3 and its F gates.
5. International Arrivals Procedure: Unless you have gone through US customs clearance at participating airports you need to go through passport check, retrieve checked bags, go through customs clearance and - if transferring to another flight - re-check-in bag: Onward passengers will exit Arrivals Hall through dedicated doors indicating 'Connecting Flights', where they will re-check in bags at the baggage desk directly outside of the exit. If no agent is available there, or bags are not tagged to its final destination, visit your airline's ticket counter first.
Security Check Lines: This is what a frequent flyer remarked "It is fast going through premium class (minutes), but through the regular line, arrive 2-3 hours minimum before time. I have watched airlines refuse boarding to ticketed passengers if they did not meet the international check-in time requirement. Needless to say the passengers were not happy as the re-booking or added hotel costs are on the passengers' nickel in such circumstances. "
The International Terminal at San Francisco Airport with boarding areas A (gates 1-12) and G (gates 91-102) on either side of the two-level Main Hall serves international flights of U.S. airlines Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Sun Country, Virgin America, United & WestJet, as well as flights of international carriers.
Split level boarding areas are for dining & shopping on the upper level and gate rooms on the lower level. Other amenities are storage & spa facilities; showers, cell phone rentals & business services; baggage wrapping and medical clinic, to name a few.
Currency Exchange is in the Main Hall, level 1 at entrances, two near Boarding Area A, near gates 4 & 8, ; one in center & two near Boarding Area G, near gates 91 & 93.
ATM machines are available next to Boule Café, to the left of the Main Hall, at Brookstone, center back; and near gates A1 & A8, and gate G91.
Airline Lounges at the International Terminal:
Air France Lounge at post-security, South, Level 4; British Airways Executive Club at Boarding Area A, Level 3, between gates 4 & 6;
Cathay Pacific for First & Business Class at Boarding Area A, level 4, post-security. China Airlines Dynasty Lounge at South, level 4;
Emirates at Boarding Area A, between Gates A3-A5. EVA Airlines Evergreen Lounge at North, level 3;
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at South, level 4; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at South, level 3, shared with Delta;
Lufthansa Airlines at United Red Carpet Club’s location; Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Lounge at South, level 4;
Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge at North, level 3, post-security;
United Airlines Red Carpet Club at North, level 4 (post-security entrance on level 3);
United Airlines Arrivals Lounge at the shoulder between the North terminal and the new International Terminal, on level 2;
United Airlines Departures Lounge in Boarding Area G, lower level, near gate 98;
Virgin Atlantic Airways Virgin Cub House at South, level 5.
Terminal 1 at San Francisco Airport with boarding area B (gates 20-39 )serves AirTran, American, Frontier, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, SkyWest, Sun Country & US Airways airlines, . It offers Information counters, hotel boards, and access to the International Main Hall and toBoarding Area C. The USO Lounge, accessed via elevators behind Delta's ticket counter, on the Mezzanine Level is open 24/7, tel. 650.821.7613.
Terminal 2 at San Francisco Airport with boarding area D (gates 50-59) serves American & Virgin American airlines with gates 1-14. When entering T2 from the Departures curb, you have the North Ticketing Hall for American Airlines to the left, and the South Tickeing Hall for Virgin America to the right, followed by the security checkpoint in the center, and leading to the Retail Concourse, and straight ahead to the Departures Lounge and Boarding Area D. NOTE: Boarding Area E is currently closed.
The 640,000 sqare feet - LEED Gold award - terminal has a capacity of handling 5.5 million enplaned passengers a year, and offers a large retail area with food & drink establishments, & retail stores, a gourmet marketplace with wine bar, and a spa. Among the terminal's sustainable features are paperless ticketing and preferential parking for hybrid cars. Terminal 2 also hosts food vendors offering healthy fare from local sources. The new Yoga Room is located past security checkpoint, next to 'Recompose area'.
Easy transfer via a pedestrian bridge leads to the AirTrain, with connection to the BART transit system.
Terminal 3 at San Francisco Airport with boarding areas F (gates 68-90) and E (gates 60-67, but currently closed for renovation) serves Air Canada & United airlines, and has on its Mezzanine level a full-service branch of Bank of America & ATMs at pre- and post security; a nursery & a Video Remote Interpreting Service. The departure area, which has an Aquarium, leads to Boarding Gate F, which has 'Kids' Spot' near gate 87A. All modes of transportation can be accessed outside levels 1 and 2.
Amenities and services inside SFO passsenger terminals - most of which are separately listed - include Information booths with language assistance; an abundance of food & drink establishments and shops, business centers, work stations, and more. Free phone boards for lodging, transportation & attractions are in the Baggage Claim area of all terminals. For paging service call 650.821.8211, then select 2).
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