Any recommendations for San Francisco (SFO) vs San Jose (SJC) airport choice
 

Title says it all really. Haven't been through SFO for many a year and see that San Jose is an option for a last minute trip this weekend to Pleasanton. Any recommendations/advice appreciated. I assume/hope they both have Global Entry?

SFO is 747/A380, SJC is 787. When I was there about 2 weeks before Easter immigration was so messed up it took me 2.5 hours to get out of the airport, but that won't be a problem if you have Global Entry.

LF

The BA flight is the only international flight into SJC (i believe), so immigration has never been a problem when I have been there. The traffic can be a nightmare heading north, but you should be on the right side of town to get to Pleasanton vs SFO.

I go to Livermore several times a year and always opt for SJC over SFO. Immigration is an absolute breeze (yes they have Global Entry), you can be curbside in 10 mins from deplaning. As other commenters have noted, traffic can be a nightmare on 880/680 but so can 92/680/238/580. Once you get over the Sunol Grade it's reasonably easy all the way to Pleasanton.

No, Hainan and ANA fly there too BUT 3 international flights spread out across the day means, as you say, immigration really is a breeze.

ANA isn't daily either I don't think. Hainan isn't daily rather...

Flew back from SJC in March. The experience was fine, lounge is pretty good. I've always been massively underwhelmed by SFO so the 787 + flight times made it an easy decision for me.

SJC just so you can easily go to the Winchester Mystery House (a bizarre must see in that area - it's just nuts)!!!!!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/...-mystery-house

Yup, you're right.

I love SFO for a lot of reasons (new food court in International A is pretty good, the museum exhibits throughout the airport, etc) but immigration and baggage are nightmarish these days so I avoid. I've also noticed that fares to SJC are markedly cheaper than SFO too.

That really does sound completely bonkers. I'm heading to SJC at Christmas (booked before the current sale - Grrr) and was planning on heading straight out to Monterey. I might hang out a bit in SJC to see what other wonders they have. It also sounds like I won't need to do my usual ridiculously cautious three-hour-before-the-flight arrival thing.

The second flight into SFO means you arrive in the middle of rush hour so getting anywhere (unless on the BART) is very difficult

I've only departed from SJC on BA .. but I'd definitely do it again if it was equivalent with SFO ( which geographically at least it should be from Pleasanton ... indeed it would even be a bit closer and less traffic-y I'd say ) ... Fairly small airport , TSA lines not bad at all .. lounge is good, quite large, but busy - it's not an Amex lounge, but it reminded me a bit of the Amex lounges if you've been in one .. definitely good for an airport run 'club' ... delays less likely too in SJC compared to SFO

I regularly travel to both airports. SJC is much smaller and has the fastest TSA-pre experience I've witnessed. The 787 is also an advantage for the overnight flight.

The lounges at SFO are better (use Cathy while refurbishments are ongoing) but SJC is not unpleasant.

The only reason I consider SFO, is if I want to take the earlier flight (~16:30) on the 747, so I arrive in London in the morning. The later SFO flight is typically around 19:30 and SJC 20:10.

Getting a taxi/ Uber pickup is a significantly better experience at SJC.

In addition to the previously mentioned NRT and PEK flights, there are also flights to GDL, MLM, ZCL, BJX and multiple flights to SJD.

The biggest advantage of SFO over SJC, in my opinion, is BART. Traffic is horrendous in BayArea freeways during peak hours and I dread 880 in the evening. There is no direct BART from SFO to Pleasanton but it is very easy to connect. BART starts from SFO, so easy to get seats, however BART will be a nightmare if you have large baggages. It works for HBO better
I frequently travel from SFO to Hayward, started using BART 6 months ago during peak hours and it is such a relief