Search Flights from San Francisco to San Antonio

Located 21 km from the city center, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a major transit center for passengers, particularly those traveling from Asia. San Francisco International is the second busiest airport in California, following Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Every year SFO handles a significant number of both domestic and international flights. There are a variety of transportation alternatives passengers can utilize to get to and from the airport.  

San Francisco International Airport stands out for the comfortable and exceptional services it offers. The airport features services aimed at meeting your every need, from comfortable passenger lounges, to restaurants that offer a wide variety of cuisines and a vibrant array of stores where you can go shopping.

San Francisco International Airport is accessible by taxi, bus, train, rental car, and personal car as the airport contains parking lots that offer short-term and long-term parking options.

Train

There are two rail systems that you can use to get to San Francisco International Airport from the city center. The first is the rapid-rail system, the BART. The BART starts running in the early hours of the morning, providing easy and fast transportation between SFO and the northern and southern parts of the city.

The other rail system that you can use to get to SFO is the CalTrain. This train departs on the hour, every hour, every day of the week, until 10 pm. This train provides transportation between San Francisco and San Jose and SFO.

Taxi

One of the most convenient and fastest transportation alternatives to get to SFO from the city center is by taxi. Taxi fares are calculated based on the kilometers traveled. A taxi from downtown San Francisco can cost between 42 and 62 dollars and takes about 20 minutes. For more information on taxi companies and their contact information please visit San Francisco International Airport’s website.

Bus

SamTrans buses provide transportation between the San Francisco city center and the airport. These public buses are operated by San Mateo County and run between San Mateo, various parts of San Francisco and San Francisco International Airport. SamTrans lines KX, 292, 397, and 398 run directly to the airport terminals. Buses stop at the arrivals and baggage claim level of Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 and at Level 1 of the International Terminal.

Rental Car

Renting a car is another transportation alternative to get to the airport. There are many rental car companies located in the city. You can drop off your rental vehicle at the Rental Car Center before your departure. From the Rental Car Center the AirTrain Blue Line provides access to the airport terminals and it operates 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Rental car companies that you can choose from include Alamo, Dollar, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, National, Budget, Fox and Thrifty.

Bike

San Francisco International Airport contains bike assembly stations and parking areas for those who want to access the airport by bike. The BART and SamTrans rapid rail systems provide passengers with bike/transit options and the airport features marked bicycle routes. Bike lovers can easily access the airport by bicycle.   

Airport Information

San Francisco International Airport is located 21 km from the city center. The airport covers an expansive area and operates domestic and international flights out of 4 terminals, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the International Terminal. The AirTrain automated system provides free transportation between each terminal, as well as the Rental Car Center and BART station. The AirTrain Red Line links all terminals, terminal garages and the BART Station. The AirTrain Blue Line links the Rental Car Center with all terminals, terminal garages, and the BART Station. SFO also contains a variety of services and amenities to meet passengers’ pre-flight and post-flight needs.

The airport features health services in the terminals, rental car offices, banks, a lost and found, wireless internet, charging stations, clothing stores where you can go shopping, restaurants and cafes, the Aviation Museum & Library, rotating exhibitions, spa services, children’s play areas, free yoga rooms, a market, and much more. 

It is possible to reach the city center from San Antonio International Airport in 20-35 minutes under normal traffic conditions.

Taxi, rental cars, hotel shuttles and shuttle buses will take you to the city center in a shorter time while you only lose a maximum of 15 minutes if you prefer taking bus. You can evaluate your transfer options by deciding whether time and comfort or cost is more important to you.

Taxi

The cost of going to the city center from the airport by taxi is 27-29 dollars. If you are a crowded group or if you have a lot of baggage, you can ask for a bigger taxi. There are taxi stops at the exit of both terminals. You journey by taxi lasts 20 minutes on average.

Car-sharing

You can download Uber&Lift or GetMe applications to your smart phone and you can benefit from the shared-car opportunity in order to get to the city center at affordable prices. Please note that the prices may vary by the company and departure time. The shared cars pick their passengers from B-19 and B-20 points at the end of terminal B.

Rent a car

There are 9 car rental companies in the airport. At the baggage reclaim area of terminal A, you can also benefit from toll-free calls to contact the car rental companies. You can reach the city center in less than 20 minutes by following the US-281 S motorway. There are also 18 different limousine rental companies at the airport for those who prefer to travel more comfortably.

Shuttle Services

The Super Shuttle company offers private shuttle service from the airport to the hotels and main points in the city center. This service is the most expensive way to travel from San Antonia International Airport to the city center and other parts of the city if you are travelling as 2 or more people.

It costs 19$ per person to go to the city center with shuttle service. If you want to go to a point outside the city center and if this is not a hotel, the fee goes up to 29 dollars. Therefore, if you are planning to go to the River Walk or the bus station, it would be more cost-effective for you to give the name of a hotel nearby.

Bus

It is possible to reach the city center by taking the bus number 5. The bus departs every 30 minutes and reaches the city center in 35 minutes under normal traffic conditions. The one-way ticket price for adults only costs 1.30$. The bus service starts at 5 o’clock in the morning and continue until 10 o’clock in the night. Many hotels in the city center are just within walking distance from the bus stop; so, bus is one of the most commonly preferred means of transportation.

One important thing to keep in mind is that the bus number changes from 5 to 30 when it enters the city center; the airport passengers do not have to pay an extra transfer fare. In addition, you can also get a daily ticket for 2.75$ if you need to board the bus again for the rest of the day.

Hotel Shuttle Services

The hotels around the airport offer free of charge shuttle services for their guests and you can benefit from this service by informing your request in advance. However, the hotels in the city center do not offer such a service. Still, they can arrange a shuttle service for you at the airport upon your arrival if you request in advance.