San Francisco International Airport is an international airport located in Northern California. It is located 13 miles south of San Francisco near the cities of San Bruno and Millbrae. It is a hub for United Airlines and is their gateway to Asia. It is the largest airport in Northern California and the second busiest airport in California, after Los Angeles International Airport. It features 4 runways, configured in pairs, perpendicularly.
Official Spotting Locations
International Terminal G Observation Terrace
In February 2019, an outdoor observation terrace opened at the end of Concourse G of the International Terminal. It is airside and easily accessible to passengers flying out of that concourse as well as Terminal 3. Passengers with a same day boarding pass for a flight from another terminal should be able to access the terrace as well, though it will require clearing security a second time to reach the gate for the departing flight. Open daily from 7:00am to 11:30pm.
The terrace located at the end of the concourse, atop the boarding lounges for gates G99 and G101. It also provides a good view of aircraft as they enter and exit the ramp for Concourse G and odd-numbered gates 81-89 in Terminal 3. The entrance is next to Joe & The Juice. Be aware that you will be shooting through glass if you're taking photos.
Terminal 2 SkyTerrace
This observation deck atop Terminal 2 is landside and open to the public with no boarding pass required. The terrace offers close views of the 10/28 runways, which in normal weather are used for most arrivals as well as heavy departures. the 1/19 runways are also visible. The entrance is behind the Starbucks in Terminal 2. Access is up two floors via staircase or a dedicated elevator. A security screening is required to access the terrace, but TSA restrictions on liquids don't apply.
For Winter 2021/2022, the SkyTerrace is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 10am until 6pm.
For more information, see https://www.flysfo.com/skyterrace
Aviation Library
The San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum is within International Terminal A. It is open daily from 10am to 4:30pm except Saturday. Their collection is surprisingly extensive, though not all of it is on display. It's worth stopping in if you're there when it's open. Also, temporary rolling exhibitions exist security within the International Terminal as well as air-side Terminal 2 and 3. Public art from the San Francisco Arts Commission is on display throughout the terminals.
Other Spotting Locations
Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park is by far the most iconic spot SFO has to offer. The spot is located at the end of Millbrae Ave., along Bayshore Hwy. It affords great views of all four runways, but it is somewhat distant (about one mile) from 28L/10R and 28R/10L, so you'll need a long lens for photos (about 700mm to get close to regional jets, 450mm should be good for the heavies). 1R/19L and 1R/19R are closer, however, a chain link fence was recently built next to the runways that limits photography.
To reach the park, take the Millbrae Ave. exit off US-101, and head north-east, towards the bay. At the end of Millbrae Ave., make a right turn. You will see the park on your left. The most reliable parking lot is the Marriott parking lot, first 15 minutes are free then paid by the hour.
Once you have parked your car, you may want to walk towards the airport to the north end of the park for good views of 1L/19R and 1R/19L. If your objective is to watch 28L/10R and 28R/10L, you can go pretty much wherever you like in the park.
If you are traveling by BART or Caltrain, get off at Millbrae Station and walk east approximately one mile on Millbrae Ave (about 15 minutes walk). Use the south side of the street, as the north side has no sidewalk across the US-101 over-crossing; be cautious of traffic, this is not a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.
Sample photos:
Eva Air B777-300ER taxiing next to runway 1R
Lufthansa B747-8 touching down on Runway 28R
Long Term Parking
SFO's relatively new long term parking lot is near the north end of the 28/10 runways. It offers good side views of heavy departures off the 28's. As you will be facing southwest, the lighting is best in the morning, the afternoon will be very backlit. This location is a long distance from the rotation point, but heavy aircraft will be very close when they're putting their gear up. With good binoculars or a long telephoto camera lens, it also offers a good overview of the north side of the airfield, including the United maintenance hangars and the cargo ramp.
Although the roof is covered in security cameras, the turret-style stairway is notably lacking. Being chased away by security in this spot is rare. If you feel guilty, park in the lot and pay the fee.
If you are traveling by BART, get off at the SFO BART station, and catch the SFO AirTrain. They run at a four minute frequency and the parking lot has its own dedicated AirTrain station to get off at.
Sample photos:
British Airways B777-300ER rotating out of runway 28L
Avianca A320neo roaring out of runway 28L
Within the airport
There are a few great spots within the airport:
Parking Garage G -- Great views of the south side of International Terminal G. Take AirTrain to Garage G/BART and take the elevator up to parking level 9.
Parking Garage A -- Great views of the west side of International Terminal A.
Terminal 2 Air Train stop -- There are two different parts of the AirTrain station that have openings, which means you don't need to shoot through glass. The West side gives a great view for rotation shots on the 28s. The East side gives great views for taxiing planes going to Terminal 1 and International Terminal A. This spot's bets lighting is past 1pm in the winter and past 3pm in the summer.
Long Term Parking
Locations to Avoid
Obviously, do not loiter on streets within the airport grounds -- you will be stopped and questioned. Occasionally police may interfere at San Bruno Ave and Garage G, but it has never been severe. Also some reports of being harassed in the Signature FBO area, even if you have real business there. Be discreet.
Spotting Locations Map
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Regular Traffic
Normal traffic flow has most departures using runways 1L/1R and arrivals using 28L/28R. European and trans-Pacific depart 28L/28R.
During times of winds out of the south or southeast, arrivals use 19R while departures use 10L/10R. When the crosswind component for 10L/R exceeds 20kts, departures use 19L/R. This is most often during rainy winter weather, but also occurs on the day just after rainy weather.
Occasionally during strong northerly winds, aircraft will fly the approach to 28L/R and circle to 1R. This happens approximately twice a year, so don't hold out hope.
Airlines
Harvey Milk Terminal 1
| Airline
|
Aircraft
|
Destinations
|
| Alaska Airlines
|
Boeing 737-700/800/900/MAX 9, Embraer E175
|
Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, John Wayne Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Chicago O'hare International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Portland International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Boise International Airport, Kahului Airport, Redmond Municipal Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Los Cabos International Airport, Spokane International Airport, Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Cancun International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Paine Field, Jackson Hole Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Loreto International Airport, Mazatlán International Airport, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport
|
| American Airlines
|
Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321/A321neo, Boeing 737-800/MAX 8
|
Los Angeles International Airport, New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Chicago O'hare International Airport, Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport, Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport, Miami International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport
|
| Delta Air Lines
|
Airbus A220-100/300, Airbus A321/A321neo, Boeing 737-800/900, Boeing 757-200/300, Boeing 767-300
|
Los Angeles International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
|
| jetBlue
|
Airbus A321/A321neo
|
New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
|
| Southwest Airlines
|
Boeing 737-700/800/MAX 8
|
Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Denver International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Chicago Midway International Airport
|
Terminal 2
Terminal 3
| Airline
|
Aircraft
|
Destinations
|
| United Airlines
|
Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321neo, Boeing 737-700/800/900/MAX 8/MAX 9, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 777-200/300, Boeing 787-8/9/10, Bombardier CRJ-200/700/900, Embraer E175
|
Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Denver International Airport, John Wayne Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Chicago O'hare International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Portland International Airport, Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Ontario International Airport, Boise International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, Miami International Airport, Reno–Tahoe International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Kahului Airport, California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport, Mexico City International Airport, Tokyo Narita International Airport, San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Sacramento International Airport, Redmond Municipal Airport, Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Hong Kong Airport, Los Cabos International Airport, Eugene Airport, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Redding Regional Airport, Tucson International Airport, Spokane International Airport, Rogue Valley International Airport, Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Frankfurt Main Airport, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Cancun International Airport, Meadows Field Airport, Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Monterey Regional Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Monterey Regional Airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Munich Airport, Omaha Airport, Tri-Cities Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, San Antonio International Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, Auckland Airport, Monterrey International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Cleveland International Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Sydney Airport, Calgary International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Lihue Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, Aspen Pitkin County Airport, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Glacier Park International Airport, Kansai International Airport, Kona International Airport, Fa'a'ā International Airport, Melbourne International Airport, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Zurich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Christchurch International Airport, Jackson Hole Airport, Montrose Regional Airport, Friedman Memorial Airport, Bishop International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Barcelona International Airport, Eagle County Regional Airport, Yampa Valley Regional Airport, Rome Fiumicino Airport, Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, Juan Santamaría International Airport
|
International Terminal A
| Airline
|
Aircraft
|
Destinations
|
| Aer Lingus
|
Airbus A330-200/300
|
Dublin Airport
|
| Aeroméxico
|
Boeing 737-800/MAX 8/MAX 9
|
Guadalajara Airport, Licenciado Benito Juarez International Airport
|
| Air France
|
Airbus A350-900, Boeing 777-300
|
Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport
|
| Air India
|
Boeing 777-200LR/300
|
Kempegowda International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
|
| Air Premia
|
Boeing 787-9
|
Incheon International Airport
|
| Avianca
|
Airbus A320neo
|
El Salvador International Airport
|
| British Airways
|
Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777-300
|
London Heathrow Airport
|
| Cathay Pacific
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Hong Kong Airport
|
| China Airlines
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
|
| China Eastern
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
|
| China Southern
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
|
| Condor
|
Airbus A330-900neo
|
Frankfurt Main Airport
|
| Copa Airlines
|
Boeing 737 MAX 9
|
Tocumen International Airport
|
| Emirates
|
Airbus A380-300
|
Dubai International Airport
|
| Eva Air
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
|
| Flair Airlines
|
Boeing 737-800/MAX 8
|
Vancouver International Airport
|
| French Bee
|
Airbus A350-900
|
Fa'a'ā International Airport, Paris Orly Airport
|
| Frontier Airlines
|
Airbus A320/A320neo, Airbus A321/A321neo
|
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, Eagle County Regional Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Ontario International Airport, John Wayne Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Portland International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Orlando International Airport
|
| Hawaiian Airlines
|
Airbus A330-200/A321neo
|
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Kahului Airport
|
| Iberia
|
Airbus A330-200/300, Airbus A350-900
|
Madrid–Barajas Airport
|
| ITA Airways
|
Airbus A330-900neo, Airbus A350-900
|
Rome Fiumicino Airport
|
| Japan Airlines
|
Boeing 777-300, Boeing 787-9
|
Tokyo Haneda Airport, Tokyo Narita Airport
|
| KLM
|
Boeing 777-200/300, Boeing 787-9/10
|
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
|
| Korean Air
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Incheon International Airport
|
| LEVEL
|
Airbus A330-200
|
Barcelona International Airport
|
| Philippine Airlines
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
|
| Porter Airlines
|
Embraer E195-E2
|
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
|
| Qantas
|
Boeing 787-9
|
Sydney Airport
|
| Qatar Airways
|
Airbus A350-1000
|
Hamad International Airport
|
| Starlux
|
Airbus A350-900
|
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
|
| Sun Country Airlines
|
Boeing 737-800
|
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
|
| TAP Air Portugal
|
Airbus A330-900neo
|
Lisbon Airport
|
| Turkish Airlines
|
Airbus A350-900, Boeing 777-300, Boeing 787-9
|
Istanbul Airport
|
| Vietnam Airlines
|
Airbus A350-900
|
Tan Son Nhat International Airport
|
| Virgin Atlantic
|
Boeing 787-9
|
London Heathrow Airport
|
| WestJet
|
Boeing 737-800/MAX 8
|
Calgary International Airport, Edmonton International Airport, Vancouver International Airport
|
| ZIPAIR
|
Boeing 787-8
|
Tokyo Narita Airport
|
International Terminal G
| Airline
|
Aircraft
|
Destinations
|
| Air China
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Beijing Capital International Airport
|
| Air New Zealand
|
Boeing 787-9
|
Auckland Airport
|
| All Nippon Airways (ANA)
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Tokyo Haneda Airport, Tokyo Narita Airport
|
| Asiana Airlines
|
Airbus A350-900
|
Incheon International Airport
|
| Fiji Airways
|
Airbus A350-900
|
Nadi International Airport
|
| Avianca
|
Airbus A320neo
|
El Salvador International Airport
|
| Lufthansa
|
Airbus A350-900, Boeing 747-8
|
Frankfurt Main Airport, Munich Airport
|
| Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
|
Airbus A330-300
|
Copenhagen Kastrup Airport
|
| Singapore Airlines
|
Airbus A350-900
|
Singapore Changi Airport
|
| Swiss International Airlines
|
Boeing 777-300
|
Zurich Airport
|
| United Airlines
|
Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321neo, Boeing 737-700/800/900/MAX 8/MAX 9, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 777-200/300, Boeing 787-8/9/10, Bombardier CRJ-200/700/900, Embraer E175
|
Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Denver International Airport, John Wayne Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Chicago O'hare International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Portland International Airport, Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Ontario International Airport, Boise International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, Miami International Airport, Reno–Tahoe International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Kahului Airport, California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport, Mexico City International Airport, Tokyo Narita International Airport, San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Sacramento International Airport, Redmond Municipal Airport, Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Hong Kong Airport, Los Cabos International Airport, Eugene Airport, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Redding Regional Airport, Tucson International Airport, Spokane International Airport, Rogue Valley International Airport, Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Frankfurt Main Airport, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Cancun International Airport, Meadows Field Airport, Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Monterey Regional Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Monterey Regional Airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Munich Airport, Omaha Airport, Tri-Cities Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, San Antonio International Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, Auckland Airport, Monterrey International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Cleveland International Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Sydney Airport, Calgary International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Lihue Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, Aspen Pitkin County Airport, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Glacier Park International Airport, Kansai International Airport, Kona International Airport, Fa'a'ā International Airport, Melbourne International Airport, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Zurich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Christchurch International Airport, Jackson Hole Airport, Montrose Regional Airport, Friedman Memorial Airport, Bishop International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Barcelona International Airport, Eagle County Regional Airport, Yampa Valley Regional Airport, Rome Fiumicino Airport, Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, Juan Santamaría International Airport
|
Facilities and Transportation
Public Transportation
The BART rapid transit rail system maintains a station at the terminals, and provides service to San Francisco and cities in the East Bay. It also provides connections to Caltrain commuter rail service to San Jose and Gilroy via the Millbrae Station.
Three samTrans bus routes serve the airport terminals. Route 292 serves a route from San Mateo to downtown San Francisco. Route 397 and Express Route KX serve a route from Palo Alto to downtown San Francisco.
The Airport Express provides transportation to Sonoma County, including Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Santa Rosa.
The Marin Airporter provides transportation to multiple locations in Marin County including San Rafael, Mill Valley, and Sausalito.
External Links