The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced the start of the holiday travel season, outlining travel tips, new facilities and destinations, and an event to illuminate the Airport exterior in holiday lighting. The holiday travel season will begin in earnest this week, and the peak travel day expected to be Friday, November 22, 2019, with more than 171,000 forecasted passengers arriving and departing SFO. In total, approximately 6.9 million travelers are expected at SFO between November 15, 2019, and January 1, 2020.
“Caring for our guests is at the heart of what we do,” said Airport Director Ivar C. Satero. “We’re committed to making the holiday travel season as enjoyable as possible, with exceptional new facilities, exciting new destinations, and plenty of holiday cheer.”
Tips for Travelers
Passengers traveling during the holiday season are strongly encouraged to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure for domestic flights and 3 hours prior to departure for international flights.
SFO recommends that travelers review current TSA regulations for carry-on baggage screening and portable electronic devices. All devices larger than a cellphone, such as laptops, tablets, and e-readers, should be removed and placed in a separate bin at the security checkpoint. For more detailed information and the latest security rules, please visit www.tsa.gov.
Passengers who pack liquids or gels as carry-on baggage are limited to three (3) ounces or less. Such items should be packed in a single re-sealable quart-size plastic bag, with one per traveler.
ID requirements at security checkpoints
Beginning October 1, 2020, every traveler must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification to fly within the United States. Travelers will begin seeing new signs at airports nationwide to remind them that REAL ID-compliant licenses or other acceptable forms of ID, such as a valid passport, federal government PIV card or U.S. military ID, will be mandatory for air travel beginning October 1, 2020. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/real-id.
Options to save time at security checkpoints
Travelers have several options that can save time during the security checkpoint process. The CLEAR product is available at SFO, offering a membership program that provides expedited access to all security checkpoints. For more information, visit www.clearme.com.
The TSA offers the PreCheck program of expedited screening at SFO. This program can be joined on a membership basis through a PreCheck enrollment center located in the International Terminal near the BART station. For more information, visit www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck.
Save time during immigration
Travelers have a variety of options to save time on arriving international flights. U.S. Customs and Border Protection offers Global Entry, a program offering expedited clearance for pre-approved low-risk travelers upon arrival into the United States. Approved Global Entry participants are also eligible to participate in TSA PreCheck. SFO features a Global Entry enrollment office located on the arrivals level of the International Terminal.
SFO offers Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks to expedite the customs entry process for international arriving passengers. The kiosks allow eligible international travelers to submit their customs declaration form and biographic information electronically, thereby reducing the time they spend with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. Individuals can complete the process in approximately 90 seconds.
SFO is also featured on Mobile Passport Control (MPC), the first authorized mobile app to expedite a traveler’s arrival into the United States, allowing eligible travelers to bypass a traditional queue by submitting their passport information and customs declaration form to CBP via smartphone and/or tablet prior to arrival to SFO. Each authorization is valid for four (4) hours. The app is available to download from the Apple Store and Google Play. For more information, visit www.mobilepassport.us.
SFO also recommends travelers to check the expiration date of their passports prior to travel to ensure the document is valid throughout the period of travel. Some countries require your passport to be valid for a certain length of time beyond your return date.
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