Dec 6, 2015, 9:23 am
Last edit by: Zorak
Official SFO terminal map
Check the official SFO airlines listing to see which concourse your airline generally arrives/departs from.
Gate numbers at SFO now include both the concourse letter and the gate number, starting over at 1 for each concourse. Prior to Oct 16, 2019 gates were simply numbered 1-102 starting from 1 in the A concourse through 102 in the G concourse.
SFO has 2 main airside zones:
1. International Terminal A, Gates A1-A15 and Terminal 1 (Harvey Milk), Concourse B, Gates B1-B27
[Note that there is a short airside corridor between the A and B Concourses. You can enter security from A and go to B gates, and vice versa. The AirTrain station at Terminal 1-B is temporarily closed as of 9-22-21.]
Airside Lounges in International-A:
2. Terminal 2, Concourses C and D, Terminal 3, Concourses E and F and International Terminal G, Gates C2-C11, D1-D18, E1-E13, F1-F22, and G1-G14
(as of November 1, 2019 gate C1 is planned for some point in the future)
[Note that there are short airside corridors between the C and D Concourses, the D and E Concourses, and the F and G Concourses. You can enter security from C, D, E, F, or G Concourses and go to gates in any of this group of Concourses.]
Airside Lounges:
Landside SkyTerrace open Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon 10a-6p: (FlySFO) (FT Thread)
Priority Pass eligible restaurants. [Note that PP card issued via American Express Platinum does not include "restaurant lounges"]:
It's possible to walk between gates in a single zone, but going from one zone to another requires clearing security. Several FTers have reported resistance from BP checkers and TSA agents when you try to enter a concourse that is not connected airside to your departure gate. They are mistaken; you can use a same day boarding pass departing SFO at any of the security checkpoints. Press the issue (politely), and you'll get in.
The landside connector between B and C is currently closed due to construction. To go between these two terminals you either need to go upstairs and take the AirTrain, or go down into the parking garage where you can walk freely (on well-marked pedestrian crosswalks) between terminals as well (pictures for walking in the garage can be found in post 512)
If you're arriving from an international destination, unless it's one of the pre-clearance airports, you'll have to clear Customs and Immigration at SFO and then need a departing boarding pass to clear security. SFO has the typical baggage re-check counters right after Customs for connecting passengers. They are usually open, but if closed, you'll need to lug your luggage to the regular domestic check-in counter of your connecting airline.
There's an AirTrain that runs between terminals (including the two parking garages connected to either side of the International Terminal) and the rental car center. AirTrain now has a stop at the long term parking lot. There is one on-airport hotel, a Grand Hyatt, accessible via the AirTrain. Personally, if forum regulars rob_flies_ua and dhuey need to connect between secure zones with only carry-ons, they just walk between terminals instead of waiting for the train. Returnoftheyeti and makfan will walk from BART to all terminals as well.
BART is the local regional commuter rail. The BART station is located on the north side of the airport, adjacent to International Terminal G. You can exit the paid area in two locations. One is by going up an escalator in the middle of the station and then connecting to the air train. You can also walk to the end of the station. Upon exiting you will be in the International terminal, near the chapel. A one-way ticket from SFO to downtown is $9.65.
For things to do on your layover in SFO, check out http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...d-threads.html
Outside of the secure zone, but adjacent to International Terminal G is the SFO Museum
Renovation of Boarding Area C will include a connector to T1-B and is expected to be completed by 2024, following which the entire airport will be connected airside (however going from A to G would require passing through B, C, D, E and F).
AirTrain Map:
As the map shows, Red Line runs clockwise; Blue Line runs counterclockwise. The mistake to avoid is getting on the Blue Line and heading off to the rental car center and long term parking lot when you were only trying to go from one terminal to another (e.g., don't take Blue when you want to go from International-G to Terminal 1). CAUTION: recently when arriving in the late evening, the red line has been closed, and only the blue line is operating but in the opposite direction from the arrows show. Keep an eye out for "sandwich board" signs on the platform, and pay attention to the overhead video screens by the boarding doors for accurate real-time directional info.
Check the official SFO airlines listing to see which concourse your airline generally arrives/departs from.
Gate numbers at SFO now include both the concourse letter and the gate number, starting over at 1 for each concourse. Prior to Oct 16, 2019 gates were simply numbered 1-102 starting from 1 in the A concourse through 102 in the G concourse.
SFO has 2 main airside zones:
1. International Terminal A, Gates A1-A15 and Terminal 1 (Harvey Milk), Concourse B, Gates B1-B27
[Note that there is a short airside corridor between the A and B Concourses. You can enter security from A and go to B gates, and vice versa. The AirTrain station at Terminal 1-B is temporarily closed as of 9-22-21.]
Airside Lounges in International-A:
- Cathay Pacific (near A1) - TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS OF 9/22/21
- Japan Airlines Sakura (near A1)
- Emirates (between A2-6) TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS OF 9/22/21
- Air France/KLM (near A1) - also accessible to Priority Pass holders departing International Terminal A (access may be restricted at certain hours)
- British Airways (between A5-9) (FT Thread) - includes a First Class section inside
- China Airlines (near A1) (recent TR w/photo link)
- Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Lounge (near A1) TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS OF 9/22/21
- Virgin Atlantic Club House (near A1) - also accesible to AMEX Platinum/Centurion cardholders
- American Airlines Admirals Club (near B13)
2. Terminal 2, Concourses C and D, Terminal 3, Concourses E and F and International Terminal G, Gates C2-C11, D1-D18, E1-E13, F1-F22, and G1-G14
(as of November 1, 2019 gate C1 is planned for some point in the future)
[Note that there are short airside corridors between the C and D Concourses, the D and E Concourses, and the F and G Concourses. You can enter security from C, D, E, F, or G Concourses and go to gates in any of this group of Concourses.]
Airside Lounges:
- Delta Sky Club (C Concourse near C3) (FT Thread)
- Alaska Lounge (D Concourse, near retail shops after security) (FT Thread)
- American Express Centurion Lounge (near F1) (FT Thread)
- 4 United Clubs (FT Thread: Best SFO UC, Status of SFO United Clubs)
- United Polaris Lounge (near G1) - FT thread: SFO Polaris Lounge Reopened - 4 January 2022
Landside SkyTerrace open Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon 10a-6p: (FlySFO) (FT Thread)
Priority Pass eligible restaurants. [Note that PP card issued via American Express Platinum does not include "restaurant lounges"]:
- Lark Creek Grill (near gate D2)
- SF Giants Clubhouse (near gate F13)
- Yankee Pier (near gate F4)
- Mustards Bar & Grill (near G3)
It's possible to walk between gates in a single zone, but going from one zone to another requires clearing security. Several FTers have reported resistance from BP checkers and TSA agents when you try to enter a concourse that is not connected airside to your departure gate. They are mistaken; you can use a same day boarding pass departing SFO at any of the security checkpoints. Press the issue (politely), and you'll get in.
The landside connector between B and C is currently closed due to construction. To go between these two terminals you either need to go upstairs and take the AirTrain, or go down into the parking garage where you can walk freely (on well-marked pedestrian crosswalks) between terminals as well (pictures for walking in the garage can be found in post 512)
If you're arriving from an international destination, unless it's one of the pre-clearance airports, you'll have to clear Customs and Immigration at SFO and then need a departing boarding pass to clear security. SFO has the typical baggage re-check counters right after Customs for connecting passengers. They are usually open, but if closed, you'll need to lug your luggage to the regular domestic check-in counter of your connecting airline.
There's an AirTrain that runs between terminals (including the two parking garages connected to either side of the International Terminal) and the rental car center. AirTrain now has a stop at the long term parking lot. There is one on-airport hotel, a Grand Hyatt, accessible via the AirTrain. Personally, if forum regulars rob_flies_ua and dhuey need to connect between secure zones with only carry-ons, they just walk between terminals instead of waiting for the train. Returnoftheyeti and makfan will walk from BART to all terminals as well.
BART is the local regional commuter rail. The BART station is located on the north side of the airport, adjacent to International Terminal G. You can exit the paid area in two locations. One is by going up an escalator in the middle of the station and then connecting to the air train. You can also walk to the end of the station. Upon exiting you will be in the International terminal, near the chapel. A one-way ticket from SFO to downtown is $9.65.
For things to do on your layover in SFO, check out http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...d-threads.html
Outside of the secure zone, but adjacent to International Terminal G is the SFO Museum
Renovation of Boarding Area C will include a connector to T1-B and is expected to be completed by 2024, following which the entire airport will be connected airside (however going from A to G would require passing through B, C, D, E and F).
AirTrain Map:
As the map shows, Red Line runs clockwise; Blue Line runs counterclockwise. The mistake to avoid is getting on the Blue Line and heading off to the rental car center and long term parking lot when you were only trying to go from one terminal to another (e.g., don't take Blue when you want to go from International-G to Terminal 1). CAUTION: recently when arriving in the late evening, the red line has been closed, and only the blue line is operating but in the opposite direction from the arrows show. Keep an eye out for "sandwich board" signs on the platform, and pay attention to the overhead video screens by the boarding doors for accurate real-time directional info.
Connecting in SFO
Mar 3, 2019, 11:42 am
#166
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Yes, International-A and Terminal 1-B are each islands all by their lonesomes. Terminal 1-C and 2 are connected, as are International-G and 3.
Mar 28, 2019, 9:56 am
#167
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 3
Am i cutting it close?
Hi,
I am flying YVR to SJD with a stopover in SFO. Is 1 hour and 16 min enough time to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2?
Previous posts have some good tips -walk fast, get the 2nd-leg boarding pass printed before hand, and sit near the front of the plane. I am currently in row 24 of a ~40 row plane, but debating on paying $30 for a seat in row 8. Do you think this is necessary? I will have only carry-on and YVR pre-screens.
Thanks!
I am flying YVR to SJD with a stopover in SFO. Is 1 hour and 16 min enough time to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2?
Previous posts have some good tips -walk fast, get the 2nd-leg boarding pass printed before hand, and sit near the front of the plane. I am currently in row 24 of a ~40 row plane, but debating on paying $30 for a seat in row 8. Do you think this is necessary? I will have only carry-on and YVR pre-screens.
Thanks!
Last edited by YVR_Kevin; Mar 28, 2019 at 10:17 am
Mar 28, 2019, 10:46 am
#168
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Join Date: Dec 2002
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It is all a function of how lucky you feel about flight delays. From your itinerary I would guess your flights are early in the day? If so there is less chance of delay on your YVR-SFO flight. It should not take you more than 10 minutes to walk from T3 gates to T2 security. Do you have precheck? If so your wait at T2 security will be minimal, and none of the gates is a long walk. It seems like a reasonable wager to me but you can certainly increase your odds by getting off the plane quicker. You can never tell how slow your fellow passengers will be.
Mar 28, 2019, 3:23 pm
#169
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
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International flights require you to check in no later than 1 hour before departure. If for some reason you aren't able to check-in online for your second flight, then you're going to have 16 minutes from the plane arriving to get to the front of the check-in counter in a different terminal. IF your inbound flight is on time.
If you are able to check-in online, you've got an hour from flight 1 landing to flight 2 door closing, which is doable but still tight depending on TSA.
And of course, if your inbound is delayed then all bets are off...
You say you've got carry-on only, but what boarding group will you be in for the first flight? If the overheads are full and they force you to check your bag, then you've just lost another 20-30 minutes in order to reclaim it in SFO.
Mar 28, 2019, 7:58 pm
#170
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Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
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Hi,
I am flying YVR to SJD with a stopover in SFO. Is 1 hour and 16 min enough time to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2?
Previous posts have some good tips -walk fast, get the 2nd-leg boarding pass printed before hand, and sit near the front of the plane. I am currently in row 24 of a ~40 row plane, but debating on paying $30 for a seat in row 8. Do you think this is necessary? I will have only carry-on and YVR pre-screens.
Thanks!
I am flying YVR to SJD with a stopover in SFO. Is 1 hour and 16 min enough time to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2?
Previous posts have some good tips -walk fast, get the 2nd-leg boarding pass printed before hand, and sit near the front of the plane. I am currently in row 24 of a ~40 row plane, but debating on paying $30 for a seat in row 8. Do you think this is necessary? I will have only carry-on and YVR pre-screens.
Thanks!
I would not risk this without Precheck. Even with it, the chance of YVR/SFO delays are not low.
Mar 29, 2019, 9:08 am
#171
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 3
Thanks for the quick Reply @Boraxo -you're correct, early 6am flight out of YVR and looking at its past schedule seems to be on time, almost always. Unfortunately I don't have pre-check. I'm definitely one for increasing my odds though, i'll purchase the seat further up the plane. Thanks for the insight!
Mar 29, 2019, 9:16 am
#172
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 3
Thanks for the info @docbert.
Good point, i'll look into being able to check in online prior to leaving. This all started with Air Canada drastically changing departure times on my original YVR to SJD direct flight because it was serviced by a MAX-8 aircraft. Their partner airline are United & Alaska and I was re-booked on both legs by an Air Canada agent so I was kind of hoping it would be somewhat seamless. That agent also mentioned the minimum connection time was 50 minutes.
In any event, thanks for your reply.
Good point, i'll look into being able to check in online prior to leaving. This all started with Air Canada drastically changing departure times on my original YVR to SJD direct flight because it was serviced by a MAX-8 aircraft. Their partner airline are United & Alaska and I was re-booked on both legs by an Air Canada agent so I was kind of hoping it would be somewhat seamless. That agent also mentioned the minimum connection time was 50 minutes.
In any event, thanks for your reply.
Mar 29, 2019, 9:53 am
#173
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
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Good point, i'll look into being able to check in online prior to leaving. This all started with Air Canada drastically changing departure times on my original YVR to SJD direct flight because it was serviced by a MAX-8 aircraft. Their partner airline are United & Alaska and I was re-booked on both legs by an Air Canada agent so I was kind of hoping it would be somewhat seamless. That agent also mentioned the minimum connection time was 50 minutes.
That said, don't do this. Call Air Canada back and get them to route you differently. MCT for this combination is NOT 50 minutes, it's 105 minutes. 50 minutes is the standard MCT in SFO for a domestic/domestic connection, and it's also the MCT for Domestic->International when both flights are on United (and thus in the same terminal), which obviously isn't the case here. Depending on the airline, this is either an Intentional->International connection (MCT 2 hours for Alaskan airlines), or more likely Domestic->International (due to pre-clearance, MCT 1h45m on Alaskan).
ie, this is an illegal connection. Neither UA or AS has any responsibility to re-route you if you misconnect. That's not to say they wont, but they don't have to - plus that's not helped by the fact it looks like that's the last SFO-SJD flight for the day...
Mar 29, 2019, 11:38 am
#174
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Mar 29, 2019, 7:38 pm
#175
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Actually if you want to get into semantics, it's "Alaska Airlines" (with a capital "A"). I said "Alaskan airlines", which could refer to any and all Alaska-related airlines, of which Alaska Airlines would be one (based on their name, although oddly enough not their headquartered location). And yes, the MCT's times I mentioned do apply to all "Alaskan airlines" under that definition (at least in part because Alaska Airlines seems to be the only such airline that flies to SFO)
Just like the difference between "American Airlines" and "American airlines", which are two very different thing.
(Of course, that isn't what I actually meant - but if you're going to correct someones spelling/grammar on the internet then you want to make sure you get it right yourself, which you didn't...)
Just like the difference between "American Airlines" and "American airlines", which are two very different thing.
(Of course, that isn't what I actually meant - but if you're going to correct someones spelling/grammar on the internet then you want to make sure you get it right yourself, which you didn't...)
Mar 30, 2019, 10:10 am
#177
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Actually if you want to get into semantics, it's "Alaska Airlines" (with a capital "A"). I said "Alaskan airlines", which could refer to any and all Alaska-related airlines, of which Alaska Airlines would be one (based on their name, although oddly enough not their headquartered location). And yes, the MCT's times I mentioned do apply to all "Alaskan airlines" under that definition (at least in part because Alaska Airlines seems to be the only such airline that flies to SFO)
Just like the difference between "American Airlines" and "American airlines", which are two very different thing.
(Of course, that isn't what I actually meant - but if you're going to correct someones spelling/grammar on the internet then you want to make sure you get it right yourself, which you didn't...)
Just like the difference between "American Airlines" and "American airlines", which are two very different thing.
(Of course, that isn't what I actually meant - but if you're going to correct someones spelling/grammar on the internet then you want to make sure you get it right yourself, which you didn't...)
Jun 9, 2019, 12:10 pm
#179
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Plenty. If you have luggage, after baggage claim, walk to your right, from T2 through T3 to International, and you'll end up at the UA International check in area. If you don't have luggage, do the same, but on the departures level (i.e., don't go down to baggage claim). 10 minute walk. Don't bother going to take the train.