March 15, 1927
City and County of San Francisco leases 150 acres from the Mills Estate for use as an “Air Port”
Image of
Waterfront property east of the Bayshore Highway before airport improvements 1927
SFO Museum 2011.032.0021
Pastureland located twelve miles south of San Francisco’s Civic Center was leased from the family of banker D. O. Mills for three years at the rate of $1,500 per year for a temporary and experimental municipal airport. It remains part of SFO today.
May 07, 1927
Dedication of Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco
Image of
Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco
Administration Building 1928
SFO Museum
2011.032.0028
The first Administration Building at “Mills Field” measured 34 feet by 84 feet, with a 13-by-14-foot public waiting room, a lunchroom, and sleeping quarters. It was accessible by a one-lane vehicular bridge over the canal running along the unpaved Bayshore Highway.
June 06, 1927
Mills Field officially begins operations
Image of
Boundary for Runway “A” at Mills Field 1927
SFO Museum 2011.032.0037
The first graded airstrip was 4,950 feet long and surfaced in rolled rock fill covered with two inches of earth. In its first full month of operation, the airport registered nineteen airplane landings and nineteen passengers.
September 16, 1927
Charles Lindbergh visits Mills Field
Image of
Charles Lindbergh lands his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis at Mills Field 1927
SFO Museum 2011.134.001
“Lindbergh Day” in San Francisco celebrated the famous aviator with a parade on Market Street and a reception at the Civic Center. A special enclosure was installed at Mills Field for his airplane.
September 23, 1927
Hangar No. 1 at Mills Field is completed
Image of
Hangar No. 1 at Mills Field 1928
SFO Museum 2011.032.0042
The first hangar at Mills Field was made of steel framing with galvanized-corrugated iron siding. Navigational aids included a 24-inch revolving beacon, an illuminated wind cone, and 11-foot high lettering identifying the airfield.
1927
First commercial airliner lands at Mills Field
Image of
Boeing Model 40 at Mills Field 1927
SFO Museum 2011.032.0031
The first commercial transport airplane to utilize Mills Field was the Boeing Model 40 operated by Boeing Air Transport, a company that would become part of United Air Lines.
October 09, 1928
Three additional hangars are completed at Mills Field
Image of
Hangars No.1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 at Mills Field 1928
SFO Museum 2011.032.0069
Three attached hangars opened at Mills Field in late 1928 adding over 30,000 square feet of interior space. Each hangar could accommodate up to ten typical aircraft of the day. These structures were assembled with nuts and bolts instead of rivets so they could be moved on the chance that the airport needed to be relocated.
April 05, 1929
Airport Advisory Committee is formed by San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Image of
Airline sign at San Francisco Airport 1933
SFO Museum 2011.032.0138
In order to create a business plan for bringing commercial air carriers to Mills Field, the Board of Supervisors Airport Committee appointed a citizens’ advisory group. City administrators and civic leaders resolved that progress for San Francisco’s airport required a permanent acquisition of land.
April 20, 1930
U. S. Army Air Corps maneuvers held at Mills Field
Image of
Military air show at Mills Field 1930
SFO Museum 1993.07.17.001
Fare-paying passengers were few in the early days of commercial aviation. Thousands came out to the airport, however, to see air shows and attend hangar dances. On such occasions, grandstands were set up and parked cars often lined the highway.
August 30, 1930
City and County of San Francisco purchases Mills Field and surrounding property
Image of
Mills Field 1928
SFO Museum 2011.032.0077
Confident of the Bay Area’s important role in the future of commercial aviation, San Francisco began a ten-year purchasing program with the Mills Estate to acquire 1,112 acres. Payment was made in annual installments of $105,000 each.
June 09, 1931
Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco is renamed San Francisco Airport
Image of
Airshow participants at San Francisco Airport 1932
SFO Museum 2011.032.0115
Attracting airline business in the first several years of operation was challenging. Most activity at San Francisco Airport centered on private flying, flight instruction, and aerial entertainment by barnstormers. Air circuses were held to promote the airport, and weekend stunt flying featured skywriters and daredevil acts.
July 31, 1931
Century Pacific Lines begins service at San Francisco Airport
Image of
Century Pacific Lines Ltd. Stinson Tri-Motor at San Francisco Airport 1931
SFO Museum 2011.032.0103
Western Air Express and Maddox Air Lines had both used San Francisco Airport for their Bay Area bases, but only briefly as they each relocated to Oakland Airport. Newly formed Century Pacific Lines Ltd. selected San Francisco Airport for its base. It began service in 1931 with a bright red, ten-passenger Stinson tri-motor.
January 08, 1932
Airport administration is placed under the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Image of
San Francisco Airport Administration Building office 1931
SFO Museum 2011.032.0111
Personnel at San Francisco Airport included a superintendent and an assistant, one meteorologist, one computer (an assistant to the meteorologist), one part time flight surgeon, one police officer, one fire marshal, one aircraft inspector, seven mechanics, and one gardener.
December 22, 1932
Pacific Air Transport, part of United Air Lines, becomes a tenant at San Francisco Airport
Image of
Pacific Air Transport Travel Air 2000 on the flight line at Mills Field 1927
SFO Museum 2011.032.0032
Several commercial air carriers of the day flew in and out of San Francisco Airport for mail and passenger service, but few used it as a fixed-base of operation. As facilities improved, however, airlines began leasing storage and maintenance space in the hangars and counter space in the terminal building.
November 17, 1933
San Francisco voters approve $260,000 in airport development funds
Image of
San Francisco Airport airfield expansion 1935
SFO Museum 2011.032.0156
With the land now owned by San Francisco, and the indications for slow but steady growth in commercial aviation, capital improvements were made to the airport throughout the 1930s that included runway extensions and a new terminal building.
May 01, 1934
United Air Lines becomes an operating company
Image of
San Francisco Airport lobby and ticket counter 1934
SFO Museum 1995.87.31
With the consolidation by United Air Lines of Boeing Air Transport, National Air Transport, Pacific Air Transport, and Varney Air Lines into a single operator, San Francisco was positioned at the intersection of the coastal and transcontinental routes.
November 25, 1935
First airfield expansion is completed extending Runway “C” to 3,000 feet
Image of
San Francisco Airport 1935
SFO Museum 2011.032.0172
The airport’s first reclamation project took two years and augmented the airfield with 38 additional acres. The extension enabled the development of a runway with an orientation that could take better advantage of the prevailing west-northwest winds.
January 01, 1937
First United Air Lines Douglas DC-3 service to San Francisco Airport
Image of
Passengers board United Air Lines Douglas DC-3 at San Francisco Airport 1938
SFO Museum 1997.52.050.002
The efficiency of advanced airliners began to make passenger service profitable. United Air Lines used the 21-seat Douglas DC-3 for eight flights daily from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and coast-to-coast service to New York in just fifteen hours.
September 05, 1937
Transcontinental & Western Air establishes a base at San Francisco Airport
Image of
Transcontinental & Western Air Ford 5-AT-C Tri-Motor at San Francisco Airport 1935
SFO Museum 2011.032.0132
With upgrades to the airfield, including hard-surface runways, taxi areas, and terminal ramps, carriers could bring the heavier transport airplanes into San Francisco, some of which weighed 24,000 pounds.
October 24, 1937
Dedication of new Administration Building and Passenger Terminal at San Francisco Airport
Image of
San Francisco Airport Administration Building 1937
SFO Museum 1997.52.078.023
Construction of a new terminal and administration building began in 1936 with funds from the Public Works Administration. Created in a Spanish Mediterranean architectural style, it measured 88 feet by 206 feet and featured a four-story control tower.
November 02, 1937
San Francisco voters approve a $2.85 million airport bond issue
Image of
San Francisco Airport 1939
SFO Museum 2009.104.037
Municipal bond revenue and federal funds were allocated for major improvements at San Francisco Airport in 1937. Construction of a 9,000-foot seawall defined a seaplane harbor and the boundary of a 315-acre airfield extension. The dredging of the harbor and its channel provided much of the material for the airfield.
August 22, 1938
Pan American Airways signs a ten-year lease with San Francisco for a base at Treasure Island
Image of
Pan American Airways Pacific Division personnel at Treasure Island 1943
SFO Museum 2008.069.001.057 - Gift of the estate of G. W. Bill Taylor
In 1935, Pan American Airways inaugurated the world’s first transoceanic service in fixed-wing aircraft with service to Asia from its base at Alameda on San Francisco Bay. The airline’s fleet of flying boats, such as the famous China Clipper, put the San Francisco Bay Area at the leading edge of long-range commercial aviation.
February 05, 1939
First scheduled Pan American Airways flight from Treasure Island
Image of
Pan American Airways Boeing 314 California Clipper
at Treasure Island 1939
SFO Museum 2000.069.003 - Gift of Carla B. Bos in memory of Abraham Bos
When Pan American Airways moved the eastern terminus of its Pacific Division from Alameda to Treasure Island in 1939, to coincide with the Golden Gate International Exposition, it became San Francisco’s first international carrier.
May 07, 1940
San Francisco Airport employees granted Civil Service rights
Image of
Weather module repair work on San Francisco Airport
control tower c. 1940
SFO Museum 2008.129.003
By the start of the 1940s, the number of San Francisco Airport employees on the City payroll had exceeded twenty. While the utility had experienced significant growth, made possible by state and federal work relief programs implemented during the Great Depression, it still operated at a deficit despite increased revenue.
October 01, 1940
United Air Lines signs a twenty-year lease for a maintenance base at San Francisco Airport
Image of
United Air Lines Douglas DC-3 State of California c. 1937
SFO Museum 2000.104.001 - Gift of United Airlines Archives
United Air Lines relocated its Western Division maintenance and overhaul base from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to San Francisco Airport in 1940. The move established the airline as San Francisco’s largest airport tenant and brought an economic boon to local communities.
November 15, 1940
Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco is commissioned at San Francisco Airport
Image of
San Francisco Airport 1943
SFO Museum 2000.058.1577 - Gift of the Pan Am Association
In an agreement between San Francisco and the federal government to share costs for dredging and maintaining the new seaplane harbor, and to compensate the City for the U.S. Navy takeover of Treasure Island, San Francisco Airport deeded twenty acres to the federal government for a Coast Guard facility at the head of the newly created seaplane harbor.
December 07, 1941
United States military authorities assume control of San Francisco Airport
Image of
Douglas C-47 Skytrain military transport at San Francisco Airport 1945
SFO Museum 2005.062.013 - Gift of Charles Loomis
At the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific, San Francisco Airport became an U.S. Army Air Corps training and staging facility. Fortified revetments were installed on the airfield to protect aircraft from attack. While commercial airlines were permitted to operate under wartime conditions, all civilian flying was suspended.
October 01, 1942
Transcontinental & Western Air signs a twenty-year lease for hangar facilities at San Francisco
Image of
Transcontinental & Western Air hangar at San Francisco Airport 1939
SFO Museum 1997.52.053
By establishing its Northern California base at San Francisco, Transcontinental & Western Air became the airport’s second major carrier offering coast-to-coast service. By 1942, annual totals for landings and takeoffs exceeded 110,000 at San Francisco Airport.
April 01, 1944
Pan American Airways moves its Pacific-Alaska Division to San Francisco Airport
Image of
Pan American Airways Boeing 314 flying boats moored at San Francisco Airport 1946
SFO Museum 2000.058.1407 - Gift of the Pan Am Association
With Treasure Island converted to a naval station during the war, Pan American Airways relocated to San Francisco Airport’s seaplane harbor, adjacent to the Coast Guard station, where it continued overseas military transport operations. When commercial service resumed, its base served as the airport’s international terminal.
November 07, 1945
San Francisco voters approve a $20 million airport bond issue
Image of
Lobby and ticket counters at San Francisco Airport 1948
SFO Museum 2011.032.0210
In preparation for an anticipated post-War air travel boom, funds were secured for improvements to San Francisco Airport in order to keep pace with demand. Larger, faster, and longer-range airplanes, combined with economy fares, attracted many more domestic and international vacation travelers.
April 08, 1946
First scheduled passenger flight from San Francisco Airport to Honolulu
Image of
Pan American World Airways Lockheed 049 Constellation Clipper Southern Cross at San Francisco Airport c. 1946
SFO Museum 1993.03.02
After World War II, Pan American World Airways resumed regular international service. The flying boats were replaced with long-range landplanes, such as the Douglas DC-4 and the Lockheed Constellation, and San Francisco Airport became the aerial gateway to the Pacific.
December 01, 1947
The three-letter code “SFO” first appears in the American Aviation Air Traffic Guide
Image of
San Francisco Airport curbside entrance 1948
SFO Museum 2011.032.0213
As airline business increased, ground transportation companies were enfranchised at the airport. New foreign carriers, such as British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines and Philippine Airlines, prompted the addition of “International” to the airport’s name.
June 01, 1948
San Francisco International Airport exceeds one million annual passengers
Image of
Passenger lobby at San Francisco International Airport 1954
SFO Museum 2011.032.0406
The once spacious airport lobby quickly became outdated as more airline ticket counters competed for space. Having all arriving and departing passengers on the same level created congested conditions during peak hours.
October 05, 1951
Construction begins for new terminal building at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
New terminal groundbreaking ceremony at San Francisco International Airport 1951
SFO Museum 2011.032.0280
With an additional $10 million bond issue passing handily at the polls, San Francisco launched a master plan to create the modern terminal facilities and extended runways needed to serve the international community in the coming jet age. An era of unprecedented mobility was unfolding as air passenger traffic surpassed railroad and ocean liner travel.
June 01, 1952
San Francisco International Airport exceeds two million annual passengers
Image of
Nearly completed new terminal at San Francisco International Airport 1954
SFO Museum 1997.52.045.008
While the new terminal was under construction, annual passenger traffic more than doubled reaching over two million. The new facility featured an innovative roadway that encircled an 800-space parking area and split into two separate drop-off and pick-up levels for departures and arrivals.
August 27, 1954
Dedication of new San Francisco International Airport Terminal Building
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Opening celebration of new San Francisco International Airport Terminal Building 1954
SFO Museum 2011.032.0369
The dedication ceremony for the new terminal kicked off a three-day celebration. Forty-three aircraft were exhibited on the airfield for crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The festival program included air shows, flying tours, and demonstrations of the latest jet engine technology.
June 01, 1958
San Francisco International Airport begins operating in the black
Image of
San Francisco International Airport 1959
SFO Museum 2011.032.0502
With rapid growth of the commercial aviation industry and sound fiscal management, San Francisco International Airport was no longer operating at a deficit by the end of the 1950s. The airport had become an economic engine for the region and now it was on its way to being San Francisco’s largest revenue generating department.
1959
A hotel opens at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
San Francisco Airport Hilton 1962
SFO Museum 2011.032.0740
SFO added a 380-room hotel to its growing list of amenities. The San Francisco Airport Hilton was the first of the Hilton chain to be located at an airport. It featured the Tiger-A-Go-Go nightclub, which was popular with passengers, flight crews, and the general public.
March 20, 1959
First commercial jet service at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Jetliners observed from the International Room Restaurant at San Francisco International Airport 1962
SFO Museum 2011.032.0756
The speed of commercial jet aircraft, such as the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8, enabled airlines to offer customers dramatically reduced flying times. It was the capacity and efficiency of the jets, however, that dramatically reduced per-passenger costs. This in turn spurred a wave of economy fare programs.
July 29, 1959
First jet bridge at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Jet bridge installation at San Francisco International Airport 1959
SFO Museum 2011.032.0477
Shortly after the start of commercial jet service, San Francisco International Airport introduced the jet bridge, or “Jetway,” to the passenger experience. These enclosed passageways allowed boarding directly from the upper level gates. Moving stairs and walking across the tarmac were becoming things of the past.
May 14, 1960
Lufthansa German Airlines inaugural jet service to San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Lufthansa Boeing 707-430 jet by Pier D at SFO 1960
SFO Museum 2011.032.0363
International carriers from Asia and Europe began adding new jet aircraft to their fleets in the early 1960s. These long-haul airliners allowed substantial route development as more direct and non-stop service was offered to overseas airline customers and San Francisco became a popular flight destination.
1962
San Francisco International Airport ranks fourth busiest in the US
Image of
United Air Lines Douglas DC-8 jets at SFO 1962
SFO Museum 2013.099.012, Gift in memory of Margot Doolin Samuels
The fleets of jet airliners used by both domestic and international carriers created demands for new boarding area configurations at SFO. With decreasing travel times and far more economical ticket prices, air tourism to San Francisco and from San Francisco to destinations such as Hawai’i increased rapidly.
1963
First all-cargo jet service offered at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Pan Am Boeing 707 Clipper Cargo jet at SFO 1963
SFO Museum 2009.108.032
The air cargo industry thrived at SFO with the introduction of jet transports built specifically for this non-passenger service. The Boeing 707-321C all cargo jet could carry over 38 tons of payload. A special ULD (Unit Load Container) was developed to fit the contour of the 707 fuselage.
September 15, 1963
South Terminal dedicated at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
South Terminal construction 1962
SFO Museum 1997.52.051.017
The first major addition to the new terminal at San Francisco International Airport was completed in 1963. Named South Terminal, it further encircled the central parking area and began a pattern of growth that would continue at the airport for decades to come.
1964
A new Pan American World Airways base opens at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Pan Am’s new facilities at SFO 1964
SFO Museum 2011.032.1131
With its pioneering clipper ship service to Asia in the 1930s, and its predominant postwar jet fleet operations, Pan American World Airways was a major carrier during SFO’s development as a Pacific gateway airport. The airline completed a $5 million maintenance base, service center, and office complex at SFO in 1964.
October 15, 1965
Multi-level parking structure opened at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
View of garage construction from South Terminal 1964
SFO Museum 2011.032.1199
The airport parking lot quickly became inadequate. A 1962 bond measure provided $9.8 million to build a five-story 2,700-car garage between the terminals. This compact, vertical design further showcased the airport’s approach to architecture and engineering that maximizes the use of limited space.
1966
San Francisco International Airport exceeds ten million annual passengers
Image of
San Francisco International Airport 1966
SFO Museum 2011.032.1459
SFO passenger traffic continued to increase dramatically through the 1960s. Airfield improvements provided four runways from 7,000 feet to 9,500 feet in length in anticipation of even larger aircraft being developed and spurred on by the economic success of the jet age.
February 01, 1966
Plans approved for a Post Office at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Pubic Utilities Commission officials and rendering for the Post Office at SFO 1966
SFO Museum 2011.032.1466
With SFO cargo and airmail business reaching record numbers, the US Post Office Department began planning for a $3.5 million facility on airport grounds.
June 24, 1966
United Service Organizations lounge opens at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Ribbon cutting ceremony for the USO lounge at SFO 1966
SFO Museum 2011.032.1438
A spacious lounge was developed on the mezzanine level of the South Terminal so the USO could offer its services to members of the United States Armed Forces and their dependants while in transit. Staffed by volunteers, the USO lounge provides a broad range of amenities on a twenty-four hour basis.
December 21, 1969
First wide-body jet lands at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Pan Am Boeing 747 Clipper Flying Cloud at SFO 1969
SFO Museum 2011.068.140
In advance of the regularly scheduled wide-body service that would begin in 1970, Pan American World Airways brought its new Boeing 747 “jumbo jet” to SFO to display the new class of airliner for the people of the Bay Area. SFO had reconfigured and equipped its gating areas to handle the new airliner with its top-mounted cockpit and partial upper level passenger deck.
January 05, 1970
First scheduled Boeing 747 service from San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Shirley Temple Black inaugurating first Boeing 747 jet departure at SFO 1970
SFO Museum 2011.032.2237
TWA was the first carrier to put the Boeing 747 into service at SFO. As the world’s first wide body jet, the 747 commercial airliner soon became a common sight at international airports. With its speed and capacity, it became one of the most successful transport airplanes of all time with over 1,400 produced.
September 01, 1970
The San Francisco Airport Commission is formed
Image of
Swearing-in ceremony for members of the first San Francisco Airport Commission 1970
SFO Museum 2011.032.2153
Authority for San Francisco International Airport was transferred from the Public Utilities Commission to a newly formed Airport Commission. This five-member body was created by mayoral appointment and the first Commissioners took their oath of office on August 26, 1970.
April 22, 1971
North Terminal construction begins at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
SFO North Terminal groundbreaking ceremony with water cannon salute 1971
SFO Museum 2011.032.2542
Construction of the North Terminal began in 1971. With the South Terminal in place, the addition of the North Terminal continued the circular growth pattern at SFO. The original 1954 building was then renamed Central Terminal and would later be designated as the International Terminal.
August 14, 1971
First DC-10 service at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
United Air Lines McDonnell Douglas DC-10 1971
SFO Museum 2005.015.032, Gift of United Airlines Archives
United’s McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was the first of the three-engine, or tri-jet, wide-body airliners to arrive at SFO. The DC-10 and the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar were both designed for medium to long-range flying and could carry close to 400 passengers.
1973
New master plan proposal adopted at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Master plans presentation for SFO 1968
SFO Museum 2011.032.1689
With airport planners projecting that annual passenger traffic at SFO would reach 23 million, a series of design, engineering, and construction projects were proposed during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1973, a comprehensive master plan to meet the demand was approved.
October 23, 1973
The Medical Clinic opens at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Medical Clinic at SFO 1973
SFO Museum 1997.52.083.241
In meeting the health needs for the traveling public and the many thousands of employees at San Francisco International Airport, a fully staffed and equipped Medical Clinic was opened to the public in 1973.
1974
The rotunda in South Terminal Boarding Area ‘A’ is completed
Image of
Rotunda ‘A’ construction at SFO 1971
SFO Museum 2011.068.041
The addition to South Terminal of the rotunda at the end of the Boarding Area ‘A’ pier allowed SFO to provide a greater number of gates for airlines. Radial gating structures would continue to be added in order to provide facilities for the demand of the new mass air transport system.
October 24, 1974
First supersonic transport lands at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Air France Concorde 02 at SFO 1974
SFO Museum 2011.032.2604
Air France flew its Concorde 02, registry F-WTSC, on a West Coast tour in October of 1974. Stops included San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Anchorage. Regular passenger SST service began in 1976, but was confined primarily to trans-Atlantic routes and never operated at SFO.
1980
Museum exhibitions program established at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
North Terminal Boarding Area ‘F’ connector exhibition cases at SFO 1980
SFO Museum 2008.129.025
The San Francisco Airport Commission created the Bureau of Exhibitions and Cultural Exchange in 1980 as a division of SFO to humanize the airport environment.
1981
North Terminal completed at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
North Terminal ticket counters at SFO 1980
SFO Museum 2008.129.019
Boarding Area ‘F’ was activated in 1979, and with the completion of Boarding Area ‘E’ in 1981, the North Terminal at SFO was in full operation for domestic passenger service.
1981
New control tower constructed at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Steel framework for new control tower at SFO 1980
SFO Museum 1993.07.38
Construction for a new air traffic control tower at SFO was completed in 1981. The new tower increased the cab height by three stories and provided superior airfield visibility for air traffic controllers.
1981
San Francisco International Airport exceeds twenty million annual passengers
Image of
Concession areas at SFO 1983
SFO Museum 2011.032.2769
With passenger numbers surpassing twenty million per year in the 1980s, and an additional population of “meeters and greeters,” SFO began upgrading amenities and providing an increasing array of concessions. Restaurants and shops became a large of part of the airport environment.
1983
Central Terminal converted to international operations at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Interior of the International Terminal at SFO 1980
SFO Museum 2011.032.2759
By 1983, the Central Terminal conversion was completed and the building was renamed as the International Terminal. Departing passengers used the upper level to reach ticket counters, security checkpoints, and gates. Immigration and customs services were located on the lower level for arriving passengers.
1986
Regional airline business increases at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Air California British Aerospace 146-200 at SFO 1986
SFO Museum 2007.039.048, Gift of Tryg McCoy
Domestic carriers realized benefits from operating short-range small aircraft on regional route systems. Quiet and efficient, several California-based carriers used small jet and turboprop fleets on the north-south corridor providing discount service to passengers at SFO.
May 14, 1990
Lufthansa German Airlines marks thirty years of service to California at SFO
Image of
Lufthansa German Airlines crewmembers and ground personnel at SFO 1990
SFO Museum 2011.046.088, Gift of Hans and Margret Steuck
Beginning in 1960, with the first commercial jets, Lufthansa extended its route system to the West Coast of the United States with service to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
March 10, 1994
Groundbreaking for master plan program at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Groundbreaking ceremony for the new International Terminal Complex at SFO 1994
SFO Museum 2011.046.074
SFO began work on a $2.4 billion master plan that would create a new midrise international terminal served by two rail systems. It was the largest public works program in the history of Northern California.
1995
United Airlines begins Boeing 777 service to San Francisco International Airport
Image of
United Airlines Boeing 777 1995
SFO Museum 2012.167.038, Gift of Bill Hough
The Boeing 777 was the largest twin-engine, long-range wide body airliner ever built when introduced for airline service in 1999, and the world’s first commercial aircraft designed entirely by computer.
September 25, 1996
New parking structure opens at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Dedication ceremony for new parking facility at SFO 1996
SFO Museum 2010.203.012
A new six-story parking structure on South Airport Boulevard opened at SFO in 1996. It was the first project completed as part of the master plan.
June 01, 1997
Last pile driven for the new International Terminal complex at San Francisco International Airport
Image of
Pile driver team at new International Terminal construction site at SFO 1997
SFO Museum 2010.203.018
A total of 6,231 steel piles were driven up to 130 feet deep to create the structural foundation for the new International Terminal complex at San Francisco International Airport.
1999
San Francisco Airport Museums receives accreditation
Image of
SFO Museum gallery in the new International Terminal Main Hall 2000
SFO Museum
San Francisco Airport Museums, which started as the Bureau of Exhibitions and Cultural Education in 1980, received accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 1999. The name was changed to SFO Museum in 2010.
December 10, 2000
The new International Terminal opens at SFO
Image of
The new International Terminal at SFO 2000
SFO
Officially opened to the public in December 2000, the new International Terminal Complex provided a signature structure and the largest international terminal in North America.
December 10, 2000
The Aviation Museum and Library opens
Image of
Aviation Museum and Library 2000
SFO
The San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum opened upon the activation of the new International Terminal as part of the SFO Museum. It houses a permanent collection of objects related to the history of commercial air transport history and provides research services to the public.
March 03, 2003
The AirTrain, SFO’s internal people mover begins service
Image of
AirTrain at SFO 2003
SFO
Providing quick and convenient rail service to all terminals and the Rental Car Facility, SFO’s AirTrain makes connecting easy for the traveling public and airport employees.
June 22, 2003
A Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) opens at the International Terminal
Image of
The BART station at SFO 2003
SFO
Located at the G-Side of the International Terminal, BART now connects SFO with rapid rail service around the Bay Area.
April 14, 2011
The new Terminal 2 opens at SFO
Image of
Terminal 2 at SFO 2011
SFO
The completely remodeled Terminal 2 opened with fourteen common-use gates, LEED Gold certification, and industry-leading amenities that include a renowned collection of fine art and a museum gallery.
May 10, 2011
Lufthansa begins first regular Airbus A-380 service to SFO
Image of
Lufthansa German Airlines A-380 at SFO 2011
SFO
SFO’s new International Terminal complex was designed and built in anticipation of the new “super jumbo” double decker aircraft such as the A-380.
January 12, 2012
Design-build work begins for Terminal 3 Boarding Area 'E' renovation at SFO
Image of
Architectural rendering of new Boarding Area 'E' SFO 2012
SFO
Construction for an entirely new Boarding Area 'E' in Terminal 3 at SFO. This major improvement project completely upgraded the concourse and apron level of the boarding area, which dates to 1979, and provides ten aircraft parking positions.
January 26, 2012
SFO opens a first-of-its-kind yoga room in Terminal 2
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Yoga at SFO 2012
SFO
Placing a top priority on enhancing the passenger experience, SFO created a quiet, contemplative space for yoga practitioners located in Terminal 2.
July 09, 2012
Construction begins on new Control Tower at SFO
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Architectural rendering of new Air Traffic Control Tower at SFO 2012
SFO
The new control tower, located between Terminals 1 and 2, will rise 228 feet and provide a 650-square-foot controller work area at the top. At the base will be 44,000 square feet of administrative offices and equipment facilities, and incorporate a secure connector bridge between terminals for passengers. The new tower will be 48 feet higher than the present tower.
November 18, 2015
Terminal 3 Boarding Area E opens
Image of
Terminal 3 Boarding Area E 2015
SFO
SFO opens Boarding Area E, the first phase of Terminal 3’s renovation, in 2015. The $138 million project completely transformed Boarding Area E to meet the needs of today’s modern travelers.
June 29, 2016
Terminal 1 renovation breaks ground
Image of
Architectural rendering of Terminal 1 2016
SFO
The $2.4 billion Terminal 1 renovation project, slated to be completed in phases from 2016 to 2024, will create a new centralized security checkpoint, a new consolidated baggage handling system, new dining and retail concessions, and post-security connecting walkways.
October 11, 2016
New Air Traffic Control Tower commissioned
Image of
SFO's New Air Traffic Control Tower 2016
SFO
Situated between Terminals 1 and 2, the new award-winning tower includes a three-story Integrated Facility building for the FAA and other personnel, two connector walkways, and improvements to the Terminal 1 Boarding Area C entrance.
May 07, 2017
SFO's 90th Anniversary
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SFO Celebrates its 90th Anniversary 2017
SFO
View a retrospective video in 4K high-definition format featuring archival photographs, vintage color film, and rare audio interviews with pilots and flight attendants who recall the airport’s earliest days.
