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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.

San Francisco International Airport / SFO

“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.  For more information, visit www.travel.state.gov/passports.

What’s New at SFO for 2019 holiday season

First phase of Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is open

The first nine-gate section of the new Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is open, with nine gates operated by Southwest Airlines and JetBlue. The first section of this new facility features nine concession concepts, seven installations of public art, and an SFO Museum exhibit – Harvey Milk: Messenger of Hope, which features nearly 100 images, including photos, correspondence, and campaign materials, giving travelers a glimpse into Milk’s life, including his activism and ascendance as a political leader in San Francisco, as well as his tragic assassination, and a legacy fighting for diversity, equity, and inclusion that lives on today. For more information, please visit www.flysfo.com/T1.

New on-airport hotel is open, linked seamlessly via AirTrain

The Grand Hyatt at SFO, the only hotel located on airport grounds, is open, featuring 351 rooms with 22 suites, 14,435 square feet of well-appointed meeting and event space, two distinct culinary concepts, and impressive art. The hotel is connected seamlessly via the AirTrain light rail system to all terminals, parking garages, rental car center, and BART station. For more information, please visit www.flysfo.com/hotel.

New gate numbering makes finding your way easier than ever

In October 2019, SFO launched a new airport-wide gate numbering system to make navigating easier than ever. The new system is alphanumeric, in which gates will be assigned both a letter and a number. The letter corresponds to the concourse, which SFO calls Boarding Areas, while the number refers to the specific gate within that Boarding Area. For more information, please visit www.flysfo.com/gate-renumbering.

New destinations for holiday 2019

For the 2019 holiday travel season, SFO offers new international destinations, including Norwegian Air service to Barcelona and Paris, new United Airlines nonstop service to Melbourne, Australia, and a second-daily United flight to Hong Kong. On December 5th United will also launch new daily nonstop service from SFO to New Delhi.

Holiday Cheer at SFO

Holiday lighting event

The illumination of exterior lighting at SFO has been a holiday tradition for over a dozen years and features one of the largest public displays of lights in the entire Bay Area. A ceremony, open to media and the public, will be held on Wednesday, December 4th at 5:00 pm to turn on the holiday lighting. The event will be held on the connecting bridge between Garages “A” and “G”. Pedestrian access is available from Level 3 of Garage “G”.

The “Wag Brigade” stress-relief animals

Launched in December 2013, the SFO “Wag Brigade” brings trained animals to the terminals to make passenger travel more enjoyable. The San Francisco chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) certifies all participating animals through their Animal Assisted Therapy (ATT) Program. Carefully selected for their temperament and airport suitability, the animals will wear vests that read “Pet Me!”.  You can view profiles of each animal at www.flysfo.com/wag-brigade.

Getting to SFO Quickly and Conveniently

Transit & shared rides

With holiday passenger volumes, SFO recommends that travelers take transit or share rides to the airport.  BART provides direct service from San Francisco and the East Bay, and there are several shuttle services to SFO.  To learn more about transportation options and to plan your trip to SFO, visit www.flysfo.com/to-from/overview. If travelers elect to drive, they should allow extra time for parking or have someone drop them off.  Travelers are encouraged to check with their airline to confirm their flight.

Parking availability will be tight this holiday

In anticipation of peak holiday parking demand, SFO strongly advises travelers to take an alternate mode of transportation to and from the airport.  All parking facilities are expected to be at or near capacity during peak holiday periods, so please plan accordingly.  Long term parking is offered at a daily rate of $18.  The daily maximum parking rate for terminal parking at the International Garages and the Domestic Garage is $36 per day.  Use FasTrak-designated lanes to quickly enter and exit parking garages at SFO.

Use SFO’s Kiss-and-Fly and Cell Phone Waiting Lot to avoid traffic around the terminals

During periods of peak traffic, SFO encourages people to drop off friends and family at the Kiss-and-Fly curb at the rental car facility, where they can catch the AirTrain and be at the airport in minutes.  SFO also offers a free cell-phone waiting lot, located adjacent to the Long Term Parking Campus just five minutes north of the terminals. Avoid curbside traffic by using short-term parking. Any vehicles which enter and exit the International and Domestic Garages within 30 minutes will not be charged. Vehicles parked in the garages for longer than 30 minutes will be charged for the full duration of their stay. For more information, visit www.flysfo.com/parking.

 

Mobile car-washing service available in Airport parking lots

Parking lots at SFO feature an innovative mobile car-washing service, which allows customers to park in any of the Airport’s parking lots, keep their keys, and return to a freshly-cleaned vehicle.  Customers can call 510-519-8685 to schedule the service.  Washing is available from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, seven days a week.  All reservations must be made at least one day in advance.  Prices start at $35 for a standard passenger vehicle. For more information, visit www.ProntoWash.com.

About San Francisco International Airport 

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers non-stop flights to more than 51 international cities on 43 international carriers. The Bay Area’s largest airport connects non-stop with 86 cities in the U.S. on 12 domestic airlines. SFO is proud to offer upgraded free Wi-Fi with no advertising. For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit www.flysfo.com. Follow us on www.twitter.com/flysfo and  www.facebook.com/flysfo.