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✈️ Airport Guide

Three airports serve the Bay Area — SFO (international gateway, 38 mi from stadium), SJC (closest to Levi's Stadium at just 4 mi!), and OAK (Oakland, 35 mi from stadium). Most international visitors arrive at SFO, but SJC is the smart matchday-focused choice if your itinerary allows.

SFO — main gateway SJC — closest to stadium OAK — East Bay alternative

Step by Step

Arriving at San Francisco (SFO)

San Francisco International (SFO) is the Bay Area's main international gateway — 14 mi south of downtown SF, but 38 mi north of Levi's Stadium. Reach SF via BART (direct from SFO Station). Reach the stadium via BART → Millbrae → Caltrain → Mountain View → VTA — a 2-hour transit journey. International fans staying in SF: SFO is correct. Matchday-focused fans: consider connecting to SJC instead.

01
Land & Clear Immigration
International arrivals clear US Customs at SFO's International Terminal (Terminal A) or Terminal G. Have your passport, customs declaration, and onward travel info ready. Mobile Passport Control or Global Entry kiosks dramatically speed up clearance.
→ Mobile Passport Control is free and almost as fast as Global Entry — download before you land.
02
Take BART to Downtown SF — $9.65
SFO has a BART station inside the airport (connected by free AirTrain). BART runs every 10 min to downtown SF — Powell, Montgomery, Embarcadero stations. ~30 min trip, $9.65. The cheapest, fastest option to SF hotels.
→ Buy a Clipper Card at any vending machine — works on BART, MUNI, Caltrain, VTA. Simplifies the trip.
03
For Stadium-Direct: BART → Millbrae → Caltrain → Mountain View → VTA
From SFO to Levi's Stadium via transit: BART south to Millbrae Station (5 min) → transfer to Caltrain south to Mountain View (~50 min) → transfer to VTA Light Rail Orange Line to Great America Station (~15 min). Total ~2 hours, ~$15-20. The transit-friendly path; rideshare is faster but more expensive.
→ For matchday convenience, connect to SJC instead of arriving at SFO. SJC is 4 mi from the stadium.
04
Get Connected
International visitors should activate a US eSIM or international roaming before leaving the airport. T-Mobile and AT&T kiosks sell prepaid SIMs in-terminal. Airalo offers global eSIM plans you can buy and activate before you land — works on most modern phones.
→ You'll need US data for Uber, Google Maps, FIFA app, BART, Caltrain, and VTA apps.

Getting from SFO to SF / Levi's Stadium

BART (best to SF)
$9.65
~30 min to downtown SF
Direct from SFO Station to Powell, Montgomery, Embarcadero. Fastest, cheapest, most reliable option for SF-staying visitors.
Multi-Leg Transit (to stadium)
~$15-20
~2 hours to stadium
BART → Millbrae → Caltrain → Mountain View → VTA → Great America Station. The transit path; takes 2 hours.
Rideshare to SF
$30-60
25-45 min
Uber/Lyft pickup at designated zones (Domestic Garage Level 1, International Departures Level 1). US-101 traffic adds time during peak hours.
Rental Car
$60-130/day
25-45 min to SF
Rental Car Center is connected to SFO by AirTrain (~10 min). Useful for day trips to Napa, Yosemite, Tahoe, Monterey.

SFO Terminal Guide

Navigating San Francisco International

International ★
Terminal A (International)
Most international long-haul flights — British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar, ANA, Cathay. CBP clearance here. Recently renovated.
United hub ★
Terminal 3 (United)
United Airlines' main hub — bulk of US domestic and trans-Pacific flights. Star Alliance partners.
Mixed Carriers
Terminal 1 (Harvey Milk Terminal)
Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska. Recently renovated, named for SF civil rights icon. Mostly domestic.
Domestic
Terminal 2 (Mixed)
American Airlines, Air Canada, Frontier, Spirit. Mostly domestic. AirTrain connects to all terminals.

All terminals connected by free AirTrain (every 4 min). Allow ~10-15 min between terminals. BART station is a 5-min AirTrain ride from any terminal.

Secondary Airports

SJC & OAK

For matchday-focused fans, SJC is a smarter choice than SFO. Here's what to expect.

★ Mineta San Jose (SJC) — closest to stadium
~4 mi to Levi's · 50 mi to SF
The smart matchday choice. SJC is 4 mi from Levi's Stadium — 10 min by car or VTA Light Rail. Strong domestic carriers (Alaska, Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, United) plus international flights to Mexico City and Tokyo. International fans can connect via LAX or another US hub to land at SJC instead of SFO. Hotels in San Jose / Santa Clara are cheaper than SF.
Oakland (OAK)
~35 mi to Levi's · 12 mi to Oakland
East Bay airport — Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Spirit, Hawaiian. Useful if you're staying in Oakland or want cheaper flights into the Bay. BART direct from OAK to downtown Oakland (15 min) and to SF (35 min). For stadium: BART south to Fremont then ACE train (limited service) — ~90 min total.

Essential Airport Tips

⚠Download FIFA, Uber/Lyft, BART, Caltrain GO, VTA apps before landing — US phone number sometimes required for setup.
⚠SJC is 4 mi from Levi's Stadium — vs SFO's 38 mi. International fans should consider connecting to SJC instead of SFO if matchdays are the priority.
⚠Buy a Clipper Card at SFO/SJC/OAK BART/light-rail stations — works on BART, MUNI, Caltrain, VTA, AC Transit. Simplifies the entire Bay transit experience.
⚠Day-trip rentals: book at SFO's Rental Car Center (or SJC's). Car needed for Napa, Yosemite, Tahoe, Monterey day trips.
⚠Match day: SFO → Levi's Stadium rideshare can hit $80-120 with surge. Plan transit (2 hours) or stay in San Jose / Santa Clara.

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