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SFO San Francisco International Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves San Francisco. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATASFO
ICAOKSFO
Non-stop104
Airlines42
TimezoneAmerica/Los Angeles
Elevation4 m

See on map ↗

The airport in numbers

San Francisco International Airport — facts & history

We pulled San Francisco International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 55M passengers in 2025, against a peak of 58M in 2018.

Passengers / year
55M
as of 2025
Peak traffic
58M
in 2018
Elevation
4 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
City and County of San Francisco
Passengers per year, 1998–2025

Figures: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia

Official links

San Francisco International Airport — official sites

Airport to city

Getting from San Francisco International Airport to San Francisco

Train & bus: Many big airports connect via AirTrain + rail/metro (JFK, EWR, ORD, SFO, ATL, BOS, SEA, DCA, MIA). Others are taxi/car only.

Taxi & apps: A metered yellow cab, with a flat downtown fare at some airports. Uber and Lyft are legal nationwide, picked up from a set zone.

Tipping: 15–20% is effectively expected for a taxi/Uber driver.

Distances

From SFO to nearby cities

Estimated drive times in normal traffic, and an approximate taxi fare at the local tariff. A pre-booked transfer is usually cheaper.

DestinationDistanceDriveTaxi (est.)
San Francisco18 km37 min$36–$58
Choose and book

Which way suits you from San Francisco International Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people.

Private transfer

Fixed price upfront, driver with a sign. For a late arrival, bags, kids or a group.

Car rental

If you're touring the region. Desks in the terminal, booking ahead beats the counter.

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in San Francisco ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from San Francisco International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 104 destinations, operated by 42 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: United Airlines · Virgin America · Delta Air Lines · American Airlines · US Airways · Alaska Airlines · Southwest Airlines · AeroMéxico · Air New Zealand · Air Canada

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at San Francisco International Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sailing from here?

San Francisco International Airport is the airport nearest San Francisco's cruise terminal. Cruises from San Francisco — which lines and where ›

Sleep nearby

Hotels near San Francisco International Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in San Francisco shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — San Francisco International Airport

No reviews yet — be the first to share.

Airports nearby

Other options near San Francisco

Same country

Other airports in United States

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from San Francisco International Airport to the centre of San Francisco?
Many big airports connect via AirTrain + rail/metro (JFK, EWR, ORD, SFO, ATL, BOS, SEA, DCA, MIA). Others are taxi/car only.
Can I use a ride app from San Francisco International Airport?
A metered yellow cab, with a flat downtown fare at some airports. Uber and Lyft are legal nationwide, picked up from a set zone.
What's the cheapest way from San Francisco International Airport to San Francisco?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. Many big airports connect via AirTrain + rail/metro (JFK, EWR, ORD, SFO, ATL, BOS, SEA, DCA, MIA). Others are taxi/car only.
Can I get from San Francisco International Airport into town without a car?
Yes. Many big airports connect via AirTrain + rail/metro (JFK, EWR, ORD, SFO, ATL, BOS, SEA, DCA, MIA). Others are taxi/car only. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from San Francisco International Airport?
About 104 destinations, including Atlanta, London, New York, Seoul. 42 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is San Francisco International Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on San Francisco International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at San Francisco International Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
San Francisco city guide← United States travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026

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