FWAAA

My take on it is that AA isn't demanding to locate next to its Oneworld partners at SFO; SFO is calling the shots, and the airport obviously envisions VX needing all 14 gates of T2 in the next few years.

T3 will be the Star terminal and thus it makes sense to put AA closer to its own kind (Oneworld members) than in the midst of the UA hub. My assumption is that AA couldn't care less where it parks at SFO as long as SFO keeps paying for the moves and there are adequate club facilities.

Peter T.

It's not happening and partly it's the fault of the City of San Jose that operates the airport.

First Caltrain will not be running any baby bullet trains to its Santa Clara station, so keep dreaming.

But while I live and work closer to SJC than SFO (a 12 minute drive vs. 25 minute drive) I prefer flying out of SFO for a variety of reasons (despite its notorious weather delays during bad weather).

First and foremost is cost. My most frequent flights are to and from Southern California, often same-day or RT flights, other times just one night down in SoCal. The parking options are more costly and limited at SJC compared to SFO, especially the airport parking lots whose rates are controlled by the City of San Jose.

(Doesn't everyone love the SJC $30/day FLAT RATE charge for it's nearby "HOURLY" parking? One parks their car there overnight lets say for 26 hours, and instead of paying $30+$8 ($4/hour "hourly" rate) one now pays $30+$30. Yes, park there just even one minute past the initial 24 hours and the cost is an additional $30!)

Second, SJC has a curfew so there are no late night return flight options back to SJC from any of the Los Angeles airports (or elsewhere).

And finally, usually the fares are lower from SFO and SJC thanks to the competition between VX and WN.

So I'm willing to drive a bit further (and even endure the weather delays in winter (due to bad weather)) than pay extra for the "privilege" of flying out of SJC.

(And that's why the AA first attempt at a hub in SJC failed. AA jacked up the fares from SJC and then wondered why everyone chose to drive farther to either SFO or OAK.)

brp

I pay $9.50 a day at SJC (off-site) for valet parking that is closer to the terminals than any parking option at SFO and far closer than the SJC airport parking. Seems a better deal to me.

Cheers.

Peter T.

Name of the place?

Also how can an off-airport parking lot be closer than parking across the street from the terminal (SJC) or connected directly to the terminals (SFO)?

When I want to economize my parking costs at SFO, I just park at the Millbrae BART station. Cost: $8.10 BART RT ticket + $6/day weekdays (free on weekends) parking fee.

brp

Sorry, I was talking about long term parking options. Connected parking is, of course, closer.

This is a nearby hotel in San Jose. If the shuttle is there waiting, it takes about as much time to be dropped at the terminal as it does to park in short term parking and walk across, though. And definitely less time than the same activity at SFO. I've done all three

Cheers.

nnn

I am almost certain (from experience) that SFO does the same thing.

Xero

AA 3193 currently leaves LAX at 10:20 PM and arrives at 11:35 PM. That's pretty late night. The final flight to SFO (2471) leaves LAX at 8:20 PM.

TheBeerHunter

Dang brp, there you go telling people about my fave parking place! The last 2 times I went to make a parking reservation here they were full up. Let's not tell all of FT about them, please, OK?!

brp

Fixed. Actually, I've only had it full once, ever, and that was because they had some conference going on there, and not because of airport parkers, Didn't think it would really fill up.

Cheers.

Peter T.

Thanks for the info (got the hotel name before you redact it. )

In the past, when my schedule before my flight permitted it, I used to take advantage of the low parking rate offered at the San Jose Airport Garden Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn).

Peter T.

That flight hasn't always been offered. (Especially when I could have used it.)

I'll see if they keep it on the schedule.

Peter T.

Not the last time I parked at the short-term domestic lot at SFO.

The SFO rates for its short-term lots are as follows:

Domestic Terminals: $2 per 20 minutes. $36 daily max. (NO FLAT DAILY RATE thereafter).

International Terminal: $2 per 20 minutes. $28 daily max. (NO FLAT DAILY RATE thereafter).

FlightNurse

LOL, as long as BUR expands thier runway another 5100 ft....

WChou

I'm with Science Goy, I say AA needs to hub PAO and launch PAO-DXB. It will be a winner just like LIT-NRT. What's good for me is good for AA.

mvoight

Wow, it's been a long time since I have parked in the hourly lot overnight, I thought they used to charge for partial days.

For weekend trips, I usually park on the Metro Drive off First Street (or off Technology... depending on which bus stop you want)
2 hour parking M-F 7AM -6PM (I think).. That means you can park from 4PM Friday until 9AM Monday. Outside of those hours I park one block further south.
Then I take the free Light Rail shuttle bus to SJC. I don't see a way to do this at SFO