San Francisco International Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels
At the airport
Its own AirTrain stop, running 24 hours, connected to all terminals in a few minutes with no taxi or shuttle needed.
Best for: Overnight layovers or dawn flights, when every minute of transfer time matters.
- Zero road transfers, convenient with heavy luggage
- Soundproofed rooms designed for aircraft noise
- Higher rates than the nearby areas
- Only the airport around, no neighborhood life
Recommended hotels in this area
- Grand Hyatt at SFO: The only hotel inside the airport perimeter, with its own AirTrain stop for all terminals.
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Millbrae and Burlingame
Airport area · A free hotel shuttle to the terminals in a few minutes; both towns are also BART stops for downtown.
Best for: For those who prefer to stay close to the terminal while spending less than inside the airport.
- Free, frequent shuttle to the airport
- Lower prices than the Grand Hyatt inside the airport
- An area of offices and highway, little to do on foot in the evening
- Some guests report noise from planes taking off
Recommended hotels in this area
- The Westin San Francisco Airport: Free shuttle to the airport and an indoor pool, useful with hours to wait between two flights.
- Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport: A free shuttle running 24 hours, every 15 minutes during the day: convenient with flights at odd hours.
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Union Square
Near the airport link · Direct BART from Powell Street station, with no transfers, in about 30 minutes.
Best for: To visit the city without giving up a direct connection to the airport.
- Theaters, shops and the cable car a few steps away
- Direct BART connection with no transfers all the way to the airport
- Touristy area, rooms more expensive on weekends
- Some surrounding streets are busy and noisy at night
Recommended hotels in this area
- JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square: Two blocks from the Powell Street BART station, for those who don't want to change transport for the airport.
- Hilton San Francisco Union Square: The city's tallest skyscraper, two blocks from the Powell Street BART/Muni station.
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Fisherman's Wharf
Neighbourhood · No BART station in the area: taxi or rideshare to the airport in 25-45 minutes depending on traffic, or cable car/Muni to Powell Street and then BART.
Best for: For the waterfront and the boats to Alcatraz, not for the fastest connection to the airport.
- Piers, seafood restaurants and boats to Alcatraz within walking distance
- Some hotels with bay views
- Farther from BART, transport is needed even just for downtown
- Very touristy and crowded on weekends
Recommended hotels in this area
- Argonaut Hotel, a Noble House Hotel: A 1907 former port warehouse within the boundaries of the national maritime park, the only case in the city.
- San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf: On the border between North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf, within walking distance of Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39.
Guided tours and experiences in San Francisco
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