Skipping the US This country's safest A spotlight on America Lost, damaged? Tell us
FLIGHTS
Oakland Interntional Airport

Oakland International Airport Guide

USATODAY

Contact information and flight status

Checkpoint savvy

Busiest times: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. - 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, 7 a.m. - 9 a.m. and noon - 7 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Workarounds: All gates are accessible from checkpoints in Terminals 1 and 2. TSA PreCheck available.

Parking

Parking information: 510-563-3200, 24 hours.

Most convenient: Premier Lot (directly opposite Terminals 1 and 2), $36/day. Hourly lot (across from Terminals 1 and 2), $32/day. Daily lot (across from Terminals 1 and 2), $22/day.

Least expensive: Economy Lot (located off John Glenn Drive, near Terminal 1), $16/day. Shuttle to terminal. See more options. Free electric charging available in Premier Parking lot, Daily Parking lot and Economy Parking lot.

Cellphone lot: Park & Call located off John Glenn Drive, near the Oakland Maintenance Center. No amenities.

Transportation to/from city

Most convenient: A cab ride to downtown Oakland will take 15 minutes and cost about $30. A cab ride to downtown San Francisco will take 25-30 minutes and cost about $60. On-demand ride service UberX is permitted to pick up at OAK. Shared shuttle van to San Francisco will take 30-40 minutes and cost $40-$60. See more options.

Least expensive: Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to downtown San Francisco will take 30-40 minutes and cost about $10. The Oakland BART station is located across from Terminal 1 baggage claim and travels to the Coliseum station in 8 minutes. Fares: To downtown San Francisco BART stations, $10.05; to downtown Oakland stations, $7.85; to downtown Berkeley station, $9.70. See more options.

Wi-Fi and charging stations

Free Wi-Fi service is available throughout the airport. Fee-based Internet kiosks located at gates 7, 22, 25, and 27.

Power outlets: Terminal 1 has Clear Channel charging stations at gates 8 and 10. In Terminal 2, Southwest Airlines gates have workspaces and armchairs with charging stations.

Go local

Good choice for local gifts: Oakland Tribune News (items from the Oakland Zoo and Children's Fairyland; Terminal 1), Sports Scene Oakland (apparel and gifts from East Bay sports teams; Terminal 2). See more options.

Good choice for local food: Silver Dragon Cafe (from Oakland's Chinatown, Terminal 1), Andale Mexican Restaurant & Bar (Terminal 2, next to Gate 29), Fentons Creamery, an Oakland landmark (Terminal 2, next to Gate 28). See more options.

Tips and tidbits

OAK has a changing art exhibition program overseen by the Oakland Museum of California, four permanent pieces of public art, and information panels detailing the history of OAK and the surrounding region (Terminal 2, by Gate 30). The Escape Lounge (Terminal 1, Gate 9) is open to all travelers, for a fee (book ahead and save $5). Mamava lactation suites are located post-security in Terminals 1 and 2.

Aviation history buffs take note: The airport has ties to early aviation history as the site of early flights by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. The first trans-Pacific flight to Hawaii departed from OAK in 1927.

Nearby layover options

The Oakland Aviation Museum is located on OAK's North Field.

Metropolitan Golf Links is adjacent to OAK. Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline Park, three miles from OAK, has 741 acres of paved trails, picnic tables, views of the bay and a variety of shorebirds.

Your tips and picks?

Please share your time- and money-saving tips, favorite restaurants, bars and stores in comments below.

These guides are written by Harriet Baskas, who is the author of six books, including the airport guidebook Stuck at the Airport and a blog of the same name.

Featured Weekly Ad