San Francisco International Airport, International airport in San Mateo County, United States.
San Francisco International Airport is a major aviation gateway in San Mateo County south of San Francisco, handling more than 50 million travelers each year. The complex includes four terminals with about one hundred gates connected by an automated train system, serving hundreds of daily departures to domestic and overseas destinations.
The facility opened in May 1927 on former pastureland and grew into a major hub for Pacific traffic after the Second World War. Today it ranks as the second largest commercial airport in California and serves as a primary gateway for travelers between North America and Asia.
The terminals house a permanent aviation museum displaying aircraft parts, photographs and documents from the history of Pacific air travel. Passengers can walk through the galleries between flights and follow the development of commercial aviation while waiting for their connections.
The regional rapid transit system links the terminals to downtown San Francisco in roughly half an hour and runs every quarter hour during the day. Travelers should allow extra time for security checks and terminal transfers during morning and evening rush periods.
Terminal 2 was the first passenger building in the United States to receive the LEED Gold certification for sustainable construction and uses numerous environmental technologies. Travelers can see living plant walls, natural daylight systems and recycled building materials that together reduce energy consumption considerably.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
