I have arrived and depart from the San Francisco International Airport, about eight times.
The Terminals are built around a round underground parking lot. There are three terminals, that stem from the departure area.
On The Departure Level
One Terminal is for domestic flights, another for trans-border flights, (to Canada and Mexico).
On The Arrivals Level, (the first floor)
There is one area for people who don't have to go through customs and another area for people who do. I have never been to the customs area, because Canadians go through United States customs at our departure point.
The turn tables are clearly marked, and show the flights that the bags will come down on.
Out side there are cabs, limos, (limousine only cost a dollar more than a taxi), buses and transfer buses.
The Airlines who fly into SFO
Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines (Domestic, and trans-border to Mexico and Canada), America West Airlines, American Airlines, ANA, (All Nippon Airways), Asiana, ATA Airlines, (Domestic and for Mexico), British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, EVA Airways, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Horizon Air, Japan Airlines, KLM, ( Royal Dutch Airlines), Korean Airlines, LACSA, Lufthansa, Mesa Airlines, Mexicana, Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, TACA, TED, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
After You Check in you might want something to eat or drink. There are a lot of choices:
There must be almost 50 places to eat and drink. They range from snack foods, to coffee houses, bars, cafes and fine dinning.
The Places I've Tried
North Beach Deli makes deli sandwiches so big I can't even eat half of one, so my husband and I share.
Jamba Juice, makes freshly squeezed juice, while you wait for it. I like the pomegranate juice and the mango juice the best. If you are connecting on to another flight, this is the place to stop for a quick pick me up.
The ice cream is wonderful at the Croissant and Ice Cream Shop. The flavours are real not artificial, so if you try a cone, I'll tell you the lemon flavour is sour.
Just Desserts, makes desserts to die for. I love their double, double, chocolate mousse cake.
Crab Pot Brew Pub, makes a great crab stew.
At the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, I tasted Steamer Beer, for the first time.
I go to Noah's Bagel's and Boudin Bakery before I go home. I like dark rye bagels so I buy a bakers dozen, (13), of them to take home. No one makes sour dough bread, like the bakeries in San Francisco. At the Boudin Bakery I buy a loaf,(because sour dough bread is only good on the day it's baked). They put the bread into a woven tote bag, (it smelt like hemp to me), and I put in the bagels, so it's easier to take them home.
Shopping
The first place we stop, (before our return flight), is the Duty Free Shop. My husband buys a bottle of Bourbon, (we can't get that in Canada), and some cigars and pipe tobacco. I buy Canadian Rothmans cigarettes, (for $20.00, per carton, cheaper than I can buy in Canada.
At the News and Gift Shop I buy a lot of pocketbooks, because they are 3/4 of the price they are sold for in Canada.
See's Candies make the best chocolates so I buy a few boxes.
I believe that there are at least 20 places to shop.
You might be wondering how I bring all the things home. When I return from any trip, I only put my prescription medicine into my carry on bag. That leaves room for the items I know I'm going to buy at the Airport.
Thanks for reading my review.
©LL2004
