FlyerTalk Forums - SFO or SJC?

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- - SFO or SJC? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-francisco/1116126-sfo-sjc.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJCAAFlyer (Post 22869267)

As a frequent SJC traveller (today marked 13 weeks in a row flying out of that airport) from Phoenix you'll be coming in via US Air, which is in terminal A. Terminal B is the renovated terminal for Alaska and Southwest, but it's connected together about where the ANA 787 comes in. It's a nice terminal don't get me wrong, but I would not suggest this airport as a layover airport. There's not Admirals Club, no US Air club, just a Club at SJC, which is $35 for a day pass right across from Volaris gates.

Comes in no, but departs from, yes?

I'm not eligible for an admirals or us club even if they had them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_la_jolla (Post 22859973)

Yes. And I stand by that statement. It is much easier to get into SF from OAK than from SFO. My frame of reference for airports is SAN. You dodge the downtown buildings landing at our airport. Goodness, you get stuck at SAN for 6 hours and there is stuff you could DO!

I still totally disagree that OAK is in any way more convenient to downtown SF than SFO. Bridge traffic is massively worse than it was when this thread was started four years ago, and other than Bart and the bridge, there are no other good options. Plus, with OAK you have to drive 880, which may be the country's worst freeway at this point. At least at SFO, you have a number of different routes available in addition to Bart, and even if you do slog through the 101 North traffic it is generally much faster than 880 and the Bay Bridge.

This mantra that OAK is more convenient seems to be a remnant of the late 90's/pre-911 era, when parking there was cheap and walking distance to the terminal. SFO had terrible delays back then, and OAK had service from most of the US majors. Bart didn't go to SFO then, either, so I think OAK was arguably a better airport (though the facilities still sucked). Today, the facilities are better, but parking is more expensive and less convenient, and SFO's delays are not nearly as bad as they once were (ignoring the current runway fiasco, of course).

Back to the OP: if this is a segment run, I'd probably pick SJC just to avoid the potential for irrops that might break the run.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjque (Post 22872528)

Plus, with OAK you have to drive 880, which may be the country's worst freeway at this point.

Yes, but the scenery on 880 is so gorgeous you don't mind the traffic.

Kidding!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhuey (Post 22874684)

Yes, but the scenery on 880 is so gorgeous you don't mind the traffic.

Kidding!

Nice!!!

880 is our Jersey Turnpike. The SF Bay Area might be the world's most naturally beautiful metro area, but you sure wouldn't know that if you only saw it from 880.