From the hourly parking lot, the terminal is only a few steps under a sheltered walkway. | Leslie Endicott
Easy, easy, easy. That’s what appeals to me about Oakland International Airport, whether I’m flying or picking someone up. Easy to drive up to—one road, one obvious place to drop off visitors—easy to leave and get back to the freeway. The airport shuttles are right across the street from the passenger drop-off and the main parking lot is just beyond that.
When I’m flying, I actually look forward to hanging out in the airport. After security, I head straight to the Peet’s for a latte and a muffin (yes, they have a Starbucks for the rest of you), watch a little TV, and locate my gate. Then I like to wander the terminals and look at the smart and fun exhibits. One of my favorites was on comic strip artists. OAK has one now called “Music Makers: Bay Area Guitar and Ukulele Builders.” By the time my flight is ready, I’m cultured, caffeinated, and ready to go.
What’s your favorite airport? Do you have any good tips about how to navigate or enjoy an airport?
More about:California, Oakland
I agree – Oakland is my favorite airport too – easy to use, great atmosphere.
I love OAK and Terminal 2 (Southwest), but am very unhappy with JetBlue moving most of its nonstops to JFK from OAK to SFO. I rarely get to visit Terminal 1 anymore. I hope others feel the same way and JetBlue will listen!
While Oakland International is a perfectly nice little airport, it’s main benefit is none of the things Leslie listed, but it’s location. Not only the simple point that, for folk heading to or from the east bay it avoids bridges, but also for the less obvious reason that it has better microclimate: while SFO is slowed down because of weather, OAK may be running at full speed.
That said, for the sheer terminal experience, OAK is just average. Yeah, there’s Starbucks and Peets, but there’s not a lot else (and you may have to walk a long way for your coffee, too). The real jewel in the Bay Area travel crown is across the bay: SFO’s Terminal 2, home of American Airlines and our local airline, Virgin America. I travel a lot (I mean, a LOT), and I’ll stack Terminal 2 against any airport in the world: LHR’s T5, Dubai, Singapore.
For convenience, it’s got OAK beat, too: BART is in walking distance (or shuttle train if you prefer) with connections to Caltrain, rental cars on a train (no waiting for the right bus), and — most valuable of all — security is performed by private companies NOT by TSA personnel.
Have you flown to/through SLC? It’s amazing!
I agree with Elizabeth. SLC is awesome. I once had to kill three hours between flights and I had a blast in SLC. And it seems like everybody is happy there. I didn’t meet one grumpy passenger
For those of us in the North Bay, it is hard to beat Sacramento. Not only do you get a no rush hour and no toll trip – [take 113 up to Woodland - cross over to I-5 and then go S a few miles] you get cheap and easy parking, no crowds, and cheaper fares.
For example – returning from Hawaii on a flight that goes to SFO. Continuing on to Sacto saves me $300 for two..
Yea, Jay is right. Our (SMF) newer terminal is awesome. It is set up a lot like SFO. I just picked my sister-in-law up at OAK and then two weeks later at SMF and really liked SMF. OAK is way too far from the freeway and even though it is simple its just blah also. SFO is nice, but when it gets busy it gets very hectic unlike SMF that gives you time to adjust lanes and very hard to make a mistake. As far as departing/arriving they use a tram like in Las Vegas to take you from a hub out to the planes. So glad to see Sacratomatoe has finally stepped up to the big boys in the bay let alone almost any airport I have been to in California (8) let along the United States (23).
I used to fly a lot between OAK and Portland, OR (PDX). I appreciated the ease of OAK (although it became less easy when they moved the AirBART stops at the airport end) but I loved, loved, loved PDX.
PDX has gorgeous architecture (yes, in an airport!), lots of neat shops both outside and inside the security gates, and easy to manage transit and car rental connections (although I think they’ve move car rentals offsite now). I used to arrive early at PDX for my flights home because not only was it less stressful to get there in good time, but I knew I’d enjoy the wait time in the airport.
My favorite airport is the one closest to home, wherever that may be. That being said, each airport seems to have their pluses and minuses. You just need to decide what makes you most happy at the time you are there.
Amsterdam’s is amazing. Has a branch of the famous museum (Reijks…can’t remember how to spell). A room for religious practice. Recliners to sleep on. Just to name a few.
Oakland Airport isn’t always Tea and Crumpets; with the popularity and brand recognition of Southwest Airlines, Terminal 2 is a place where extremely long lines can be found not only at the baggage check but also security too. On holiday weekends I’ve witnessed exorbitant delays just getting from the interstate to the parking lot. Normally Oakland is Okay, I mean no airport is great. The food and merchandise are expensive and service is segregated by money, in this case from First Class to Steerage. In closing Oakland Airport is a small airport that didn’t keep up with with the urban growth that happened around the bay area over the past 4 or 5 decades.
No more OAK for me! I’m a north bay person used to SW from Sacto and Jet Blue or Virgin from/to SFO via Airporter. So much easier to SW at Sacto. SW hub at OAK is just too busy. My mid-week 12/21 6:00 AM flight was a nightmare. Took over an hour just to stand in line OUTSIDE at 4:30 AM, get inside, check baggage even with a boarding pass, and then go through TSA security. I’d rather be in my car listening to jazz while driving to Sacto. Everything cheaper and easier there. And I’ll look at new flights from/to Santa Rosa. No more Oakland for me, and I am an Oakland native and it used to be my preferred Bay Area airport. SFO is even easier now.
So far my most unfavorite airport other than Moscow USSR, is the airport at Rome. No little battery powered cars available when the airport is open. They are all plugged in early in the morning. So when my sister and I had to shlep luggage and ourselves from international to natrional and on the return the opposite. This from an airport the website of which boasts travel friendly services. Che sera sera!!
Pittsburgh International Airport makes early arrival at the airport or a delay easy to enjoy. Centrally located in the center of a star-shaped layout for the various gates, you can shop at a pharmacy, buy collectible stamps and mail purchases at the post office, buy high-quality jewelry and western wear, try on make-up at Clinique or The Body Shop, get a local brew at the pub, and choose from a variety of restaurants with a price range that extends from McDonalds and other national chains to locally owned eateries and health-conscious delis. Travel information is well-marked and airport staff are friendly. The security officer even showed me a place to dump liquids so I could keep my water bottle going through the security check.