Here’s a pretty exciting milestone for San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which should make some connections (and lounge hopping!) at the airport easier.
In this post:
SFO now has airside walkways between all terminals
SFO’s terminal organization isn’t necessarily intuitive:
- There’s Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3, and each of those terminals has individual piers, with gates that have letters
- There’s also International Terminal A and International Terminal G, which don’t follow the terminal numbering system
For context, below is a map of SFO, which gives you a general sense of the layout. As you can see, the airport has a sort of circular layout for the central area, and then gates are largely located in piers that stick out.
Note that you can’t get directly from International Terminal A to International Terminal G, as you’d have to walk via all other terminals. So in that case, it’s probably faster to leave security and clear it once again at the other terminal.
Over the years, we’ve seen huge improvements to SFO. As part of this, we’ve seen increased opportunities to make airside connections at the airport. This has been a gradual process. With the opening of the final phase of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, all terminals and concourses at the airport are now connected airside. That’s right, you can walk between all terminals at the airport without leaving security.
The ability to get between terminals airside could be useful if you have a connecting flight, if you’re looking to visit a specific lounge or restaurant, or just if you’re looking to get as many steps in as possible.
Budget lots of time for getting between terminals
While it’s great to be able to walk between terminals airside, don’t necessarily expect that it will be quick. As you can see, SFO doesn’t have some central airside part of the airport, where you can then go directly to each terminal. Instead, you’ll in many cases have to walk quite a distance to get between some terminals, transiting several other concourses.
Now, for most connecting passengers, there’s not actually a need to travel that far. That’s because there’s some logic to the terminal organization for airlines. For example, United domestic flights depart from Terminal 3, while United and Star Alliance international flights depart from International Terminal G, so you just have to go through one connector.
However, if you’re connecting on separate tickets or have an itinerary that includes interline partners, it’s possible you may be arriving at and departing from opposite sides of the airport.
For example, several weeks ago I arrived on a United flight at International Terminal G, and then departed on a JetBlue flight from Terminal 1. I wanted to use the United Polaris Lounge first, so I stayed in International Terminal G for as long as possible. Then I had to get to Terminal 1 for my JetBlue flight, and at the time, it wasn’t possible to make that transfer airside. Fortunately that has now changed.
I imagine moving airside between terminals will be especially valuable for those looking to do some lounge hopping. Maybe you want to use the Amex Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3 when traveling out of Terminal 1, or maybe you want to use The Club in Terminal 1 when traveling out of Terminal 3.
Bottom line
For the first time ever, all terminals at SFO are connected airside, which is great for passengers. A lot of work has happened to get to this point, but the most recent thing that makes this possible is the completion of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, which included the introduction of the last connector.
While you can now travel airside between all terminals at SFO, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be a quick journey, so budget your time accordingly. California’s biggest airports sure are making some nice improvements — just last year, all LAX terminals finally became connected airside.
What do you make of this update to SFO connectivity?
This week I was on a United flight leaving from F19 in terminal 3 (SEA) and tried to go standby on a direct flight to VVR — it was at A15, which is the furthest A gate and the further possible walk! It took about 25 minutes to walk airside. So not all United international flights use the G gates. (The direct flight was full so I had to rush all the way back and just made my flight). Wish there was an airside train like at SEA.
California just can't have airtrain behind security, what a third world.
So just to clarify:
This is still not useful for an international connection from say FRA to LAX via SFO, because I would still have to clear immigration first, and afterwards I am no longer airside, correct?
Still true for all international arrivals to the US (except pre-clear airports like Y?? DUB SNN, etc.).
Not quite sure. After customs and before the exist glass door, I think there is a passage way to other terminal. Haven't checked it out though.
All US airports are considered ports of entry. Unless you have pre cleared customs in one of a few international locations, you'll have to clear and go back through security at every US airport.
About time. Great development. As far as lounge hopping, it's unlikely to happen (At least with most priority pass lounges). They are always crowded and often times have been too full to allow members in. Still, this is a good development and great to see progress at the airport overall.
It should also be noted that the new The club lounge at SFO opens in T1 tomorrow June 26. Hopefully should help improve situation
This helps SFO as a connecting hub, specially international gate connections.
Lovely. So, you no longer have to scrape off your shoes after venturing out on the Bay Area sidewalks?
OK - the peninsula is not exactly the tenderloin!
SFO is an above average airport and much nice for international arrivals than LAX for example, IMHO
Long term, SFO wants to add a post-security connection inside the International Terminal between the A and G gates (where the food court currently exists). See https://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/default/about/Appendix_F_ITB_Departures.pdf. But I think that's a long way off.
All large airports should be connected airside. Especially if you want to be a true international hub. People connecting off or onto a domestic flight from international should not need to reclear TSA.
I'm looking at the hot mess that is JFK, which greatly holds it back.
That is excellent news. Eva business customers have been using the BA one world lounge for at least a year, will be nice to have the Polaris lounge instead.
Thank you for the update! Exciting!
A and G are connected airside... via the long way around. If you have Pre-Check, you're better off just exiting G, walking across to A landside, and clearing security again. Security at SFO tends to be quick.
As an SFO longe-hopper and lover of getting my steps, I'm really excited about this.
But to visitors: if you have pre-check, unless you're going to the terminal next door, I'd venture that the fastest route will almost always be landslide, even accounting for security (either air train, or across the international terminal between A and G.)
I fly mainlt the AA transcon out of SFO, so airside access to Centurion is welcome even if it is a walk, though T1 will also soon have a PP lounge.
Nice! And great improvement.
Though coming back through the international terminal it feels like some 3rd world country (not to disparage them). Leaving sometimes is worse. The rest rooms are rather disgusting: routinely out of soap, paper towels. Not cleaned. This is SF?
Looking forward to T1.
The use of third world term is completely out of date. It's now developing versus developed countries. What you consider third world is actually the US now.
FYI - United is using terminal 2 for several domestic flights now too. It is a good 15 minute walk between International G and terminal 2
I wondered why Alaska moved to 1, now it makes sense - United has a need for more gate capacity.
Alaska also wanted to facilitate more connections to American (at T1) and oneworld international partners, which are all in A.
Nope, other way around: Now that Alaska has moved out of T2, their former gates are available for United to use temporarily. The next construction project at SFO will take T3 gates F1-F4 offline for several years, so United needed replacement space. The T3 project couldn’t start until T1 was finished, freeing up gates in T2.
Finally-a;; Terms are connected !!It has taken 20 years... Lax has joined the connection club too.. Not sure if JFK will ever join the connected club!!
How long does it take to walk from G to A?
I’ll guess 15 minutes from G1 to A1, longer for farther gates.
As others have noted, if you have PreCheck, It’s likely faster to cut across the Intl terminal and go through security again.
i was in the Polaris lounge when I checked that my tap flight was going from A and I had to got through security again. very bad layout. hope that is solved now
That is “solved” now.
How is it solved ?
They were always connected. It just was before there was interior construction that meant that some passengers might have to walk nearly a full circle because of a gap in T1.
Huh?
All the terminals have never been connected post security before now.
Not correct.
No, they were not always connected. It has been a very gradual process over the past 20 years. One by one...
Up till about 2021(?), you couldn't even get from 2 to 3 airside…
Is it now possible to move between INTL G Gates and A Gates? It'll be really useful for those with PP flying Star Alliance airlines departing from G Gates. All the PP lounges there are in A Gates.
The club at sfo is in terminal 1
Yes.
You would probably have to walk through BCDEF to get between A and G? Might be faster to reclear security at that point lol
Yes, and it will nearly always be quicker to reclear security IF you have pre-check.
Technically yes, but it'll be a schlep, as others have pointed out. If you're starting in G, you can either take a long walk clockwise all the way around to A. Or you can take a short walk counter-clockwise, where you'll have to re-clear security.
To be honest, I haven't been able to use PP lounges in the last few times I was there. The lounges always seem overflowing.
Great news. If only JFK could figure out a way to make airside connections possible. The AA-B6 shuttle was useful when the NEA was in effect.