Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (IATA: OAK, ICAO: KOAK, FAA LID: OAK) is an international airport in Oakland, California, United States. It is about seven miles south of downtown Oakland and twelve miles east of San Francisco. This airport serves the East Bay area and is owned by the Port of Oakland.

The airport has many flights within the United States and some flights to places like Mexico and El Salvador. It also has cargo flights to China and Japan. Oakland Airport covers 2,600 acres and is a busy place. It is a home base for Southwest Airlines.

History

Early years

The city of Oakland started planning an airport in 1925. They bought land in 1927 to host the Dole Air Race from California to Hawaii. The airport’s long runway was finished quickly before the race. Famous pilot Charles Lindbergh dedicated the airport in September 1927. Early on, Oakland was a start point for important flights, including trips by Charles Kingsford Smith and Amelia Earhart.

Boeing Air Transport, later United Airlines, began flights in 1927, followed by Trans World Airlines in 1932. Boeing opened the Boeing School of Aeronautics in 1929 to train pilots and mechanics.

In 1943, the U.S. Armed Forces used Oakland Airport for military flights. After the war, airlines slowly returned. Western Airlines began flights in 1946, followed by American Airlines, Trans World Airlines, United, Transocean Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines. Oakland grew as a center for smaller airlines. The airport’s first jet terminal opened in 1962.

During the Vietnam War, World Airways used Oakland for military flights. After the war, new low-cost airlines started flying from Oakland. FedEx opened a major cargo base there in 1988. Southwest Airlines began flying from Oakland in the 1990s. The airport also saw flights to Mexico and other international places.

2000s

United Airlines left Oakland in 2003, moving to San Francisco International Airport. Oakland began a big renovation in 2004. By 2008, high fuel costs caused some airlines to cut flights, including trips to Hawaii.

2010s

After the Great Recession, Oakland slowly recovered. New airlines like Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines began flying there. In 2011, the airport celebrated its 85th anniversary. United Airlines left Oakland in 2012. FedEx upgraded its cargo hub in 2013. Norwegian Air Shuttle started flights to Europe, and a new train line opened in 2014.

In 2015, Terminal 1 was renovated and finished in 2017. Norwegian and British Airways started flights to London. Southwest Airlines added flights to Mexico. New routes to Europe were announced in later years.

Recent years

Between 2018 and 2020, Oakland lost some flights due to airline changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. Some traffic returned after 2020. In 2023, new flights to San Salvador and Monterrey were announced. In 2024, the airport changed its name to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, but later changed back to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.

Proposed developments

OAK served about 13 million passengers in 2019 and plans to grow to 20 million by 2028 and 25 million by 2035. Plans include building a new terminal, consolidating existing terminals, and improving facilities for passengers and cargo.

Facilities

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport has two terminals with 29 gates. After security, passengers can move between flights easily. Terminal 1 handles most international flights.

• Terminal 1 has 16 gates and serves airlines such as Advanced Air, Alaska, Allegiant, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest, Viva, Volaris, and Volaris El Salvador.
• Terminal 2 has 13 gates and serves Southwest flights.

JSX operates from a separate area not connected to the main terminals.

The airport has four runways. In 2013, two runways were renamed because of changes in Earth’s magnetic field.

• South Field (for commercial and cargo planes):

  • Runway 12/30: 10,520 feet long and 150 feet wide, made of asphalt

• North Field (for smaller private planes):

  • Runway 10R/28L: 6,213 feet long and 150 feet wide, made of asphalt
  • Runway 10L/28R: 5,458 feet long and 150 feet wide, made of asphalt
  • Runway 15/33: 3,376 feet long and 75 feet wide, made of asphalt

A taxiway connects the north and south runways, passing over a road to form an aircraft bridge.

Most of the time, winds blow from the west or north, so planes arrive from the southeast and leave toward the northwest. Sometimes, when winds blow from the east or south, planes arrive from the northwest and leave toward the southeast.

Signature Flight Support is the main provider of services for small private planes at the airport. KaiserAir also provides services for private jets and small planes, including flights to Hawaii.

Access

Car

You can drive to the airport using Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway). It is only 2 miles away. Use Hegenberger Road or 98th Avenue to reach Airport Road at the airport. State Route 61 also helps you get to nearby Alameda.

Public transportation

Train

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stops at the airport at Oakland International Airport station using the Oakland Airport Connector. This train links the airport to the Coliseum station. There you can catch BART trains and Amtrak services. Trains leave every five minutes when it is busy and take about eight minutes to reach the airport.

Bus

Two AC Transit bus lines go to the airport. Line 73 runs from early morning to midnight and goes to the Eastmont Transit Center. It connects with Amtrak and BART services. Line 805 runs overnight and goes to the Uptown Transit Center in Downtown Oakland. It connects with Amtrak and BART too.

The Sonoma County Airport Express also runs buses between the airport and places in Marin County and Sonoma County. This includes the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport.

Airlines and destinations

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport has many airlines. They fly to cities across the United States and some places outside the country, like Mexico and El Salvador.

The airport also sends cargo flights. These flights carry goods to faraway places such as China and Japan.

Statistics

Annual traffic

Top destinations

Airline market share