San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is one of the three major airports in the San Francisco California Bay Area, along with San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK).
As a long-time Bay Area resident, I frequently chose San Jose as my airport to use due to its smaller, more manageable layout and better access compared to SFO. I often found good flight deals and more convenient timing, making it a solid alternative for Northern California travel, especially if you’re heading to Silicon Valley or destinations south of the Bay Area like Santa Cruz and Monterey.
How to get to and from San Jose Airport
San Jose Airport is conveniently located close to the city with easy highway access and a good mix of public and private transportation options.
San Jose airport location
San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is located just minutes from the hotels, convention centers and attractions of downtown San Jose, as well as the tourist destinations of nearby Levi’s Stadium (home of the San Francisco 49ers) and the Great America theme park.
I’d recommend San Jose Airport as the best airport to access Silicon Valley tech business hubs of Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Palo Alto. The airport’s location at the southernmost tip of the San Francisco Bay means I’d say it’s the airport of choice for anyone planning a Pacific Coast Highway road trip down to Monterey Bay and beyond.
For travelers considering San Jose Airport as an alternative to SFO with San Francisco as the end destination, realize SJC is about a 50-mile drive away from downtown San Francisco. With sometimes dreadful traffic, driving can take well over 90 minutes. Taxis and rideshares between SJC and San Francisco can be quite expensive, and while train service to SF is available, the transfer process can be a hassle if you’re toting a lot of luggage.
Due to its location and traffic considerations, I wouldn’t recommend San Jose as your first choice for reaching San Francisco unless the flight deals are really too good to pass up.
Shuttle services at SJC
Many nearby hotels offer complimentary shuttle buses, which’s your best bet for an overnight layover or local business. On-demand shared shuttle buses and vans (like Super Shuttle) are available, but really only a good choice to save money on longer rides to San Francisco. But the downside is multiple stops will add to your travel time.
Taxis and rideshare services at SJC
Taxis are available on-demand at Terminal A Stop 2 and Terminal B Stop 1, right outside arrivals, and they’re a decent choice for shorter trips into San Jose. For rideshares, most app-based services like Uber and Lyft drop off at the departures curbs of both terminals, while pickups happen at designated Ground Transportation stops: Terminal A Stop 1 for Lyft, Tesla, Uber, and Wingz (plus Stop 9 for Waymo), and Terminal B Stops 7-10 depending on your provider.
Both taxis and rideshares can get pricey for a trip all the way to San Francisco, especially during rush hour. My advice to save some cash is to take a rideshare to a nearby train station, like the Milpitas BART or Santa Clara Transit Center, and continue your journey from there.
Public transit access to SJC
Public transit is possible via VTA Route 60 (running from Milpitas BART to Winchester via SJC), though it’s a hassle with luggage. The bus connects directly to both Milpitas BART and the Santa Clara Transit Center (where you’ll find Caltrain, ACE, and Amtrak). I’d recommend Caltrain from Santa Clara as the most cost-efficient and even the fastest option between San Jose and San Francisco during rush hour. BART trains run from Milpitas station near SFO, (access via Caltrain or driving) with subway access throughout San Francisco. BART can become a little sketchy late at night, but I’ve used it plenty of times with luggage between Milpitas and San Francisco during the day.
Rental cars at SJC
Rental cars from several different companies are easily accessed in a garage just across the street from SJC’s terminal B. If you arrive at Terminal A, shuttle buses run every few minutes to get you there, or it’s about a 10-minute walk.
I’ve found picking up and returning rental cars at SJC to be a breeze, a much faster and more convenient than at SFO or OAK. While you can often rent a car on the day of arrival, I’d advise booking in advance, especially if there’s a big convention or a football game in town.
Navigating the SJC terminal
Terminal layout and tips
San Jose is a simple airport to deal with. Flight gates are split between Terminal A (Gates 1-16) and Terminal B (Gates 17-36), with the terminals connected airside. Restaurants, bars and shops are spread evenly across both.
Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines operate from Terminal B, while American, Delta and United share Terminal A with a handful of other airlines. International arrivals are processed at the International Arrivals Building just past Terminal A ticketing, though ZIPAIR is an oddball - they check in at Terminal B but actually depart from Terminal A.
It’s usually a short walk to your gate after security, but if you’re flying out of the high-numbered gates in Terminal B (30 and up), give yourself some extra time. There are no people-mover walkways, and a transfer between airlines in different terminals can be a 10-minute walk.
Airport security
San Jose operates TSA security checkpoints in both Terminal A and Terminal B, with CLEAR, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry all available. I’ve found the process generally smoother and quicker than at the larger SFO. Given the usually short regular lines and the large number of travelers who already have these services, I haven’t seen an advantage to expedited screening at San Jose.
Airport food and drink
I’d recommend dodging the usual array of fast-food options at SJC and trying some local area favorites. Gordon Biersch in Terminal A is a Bay Area classic for a pre-flight beer and burger. Just do your seatmates a favor and maybe skip the famous garlic fries.
You should try Greenlee’s Bakery, in either terminal, for tasty cinnamon rolls and pastries for the morning flights, while Jim Stump’s Taproom + Kitchen or the San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen in Terminal B are solid bets for some serious comfort food.
Airline service from San Jose Airport
With a large Alaska and Southwest Airlines presence, San Jose has great flight access to Western US cities and Hawaii, with competitive pricing and schedules. The airport offers numerous nonstop destinations, including several cities in Mexico and service to Japan. SJC isn’t nearly a travel hub like SFO, but it’s worth considering for cross-country flights to the Bay Area, particularly given the manageable size and convenience.
International travel from SJC
The international menu at SJC is more of a curated list than a novel. You’ll find regular flights to Mexico through carriers like Alaska and Volaris, plus ZIPAIR’s service to Japan. It’s a small selection compared to SFO, but I’ve seen routes change, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out for new deals and destinations.
Parking at SJC
I’ve found airport parking to be reasonable for pricing and access. SJC has five separate parking lots, with four in close proximity to the terminals for quick turnaround. Lots 3 and 5 are convenient to Terminal B, while Lot 4 (Daily) sits adjacent to the Rental Car Center serving both terminals. Hourly Lot 2 (the Terminal A Garage) is right across from Terminal A and the baggage claim area. Remote Economy Lot 1 is the budget option best used for longer trips, but with a shuttle bus required to access the terminals.
You can make parking reservations at SJC to secure a spot and pre-pay your fee, but I’ve seldom seen the lots completely full, so if you forget to make a reservation you should still be ok.
Lounges at SJC
San Jose’s lounge areas are limited to two locations of The Club SJC, across from Gate A8 and at Gate A15. Priority Pass members get free access, while everyone else can pay for a day pass.
The Club SJCs are pleasant enough, a relaxed atmosphere with recently remodeled sitting and work areas and complimentary snacks and beverages (including alcohol). But given the currently high admission price, I’d pass on the lounge unless you have free membership access, as I feel the pretty basic snacks and drinks aren’t really worth the price.
Also note that the lounges are a long walk from many Terminal B gates, so you’ll need to leave early to catch that Southwest flight at gates in the 30’s, for example.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
