San Francisco International Airport
About SFO
Overview
San Francisco International Airport sits about 21 kilometers south of downtown San Francisco, on the western shore of San Francisco Bay in San Mateo County, California. It serves as the principal international gateway for Northern California and the wider Bay Area. The airport opened in 1927 as Mills Field Municipal Airport and gradually expanded into one of the busiest hubs on the United States West Coast.
Terminals & runways
The airport operates four interconnected terminals arranged in a horseshoe configuration: Terminals 1, 2, and 3 handle primarily domestic traffic, while the International Terminal accommodates long-haul arrivals and departures. Four runways are laid out in two intersecting pairs, a configuration sensitive to the region's frequent low marine stratus. SFO operates around the clock and has undergone successive renovations to modernize concourses and boarding areas.
Airlines
SFO is a major hub for United Airlines, which maintains an extensive domestic and transpacific network from the airport, and a focus city for Alaska Airlines. It is served by most large North American carriers and a wide range of European, East Asian, and Oceanian airlines, reflecting its role as a key transpacific gateway.