Originally Posted by spin88

While that figure is not the one IMHO to use if you are talking domestic flights (as SMF, OAK, SJC all pull substantial traffic), for international flights to Asia, you can probably throw another 2.2 million people onto that number, all in the Sacramento MSA. Going to Europe, connecting is usually easier, although some will make the treck to SFO, but going to Asia, SFO is the easiest jumping off point, the only other real options are a flight to SEA and connect there.

But I think the bigger point is not just the number of people, but that so many industries with a lot of international J travel are in the Bay Area (and also up in Sacramento) all of which are tightly tied to Asian and also European (and now Isreali) high tech and medical industries.