SFO Gate Explorer
flysfo.com
flysfo.com
This SFO version looks a bit nicer, though. You can apply 30 days out vs PHL's 7 days. And PHL makes me choose a specific entry gate when applying. So if you show up and that gate has a long line you can't just go through another gate that has a shorter line (at least that's what they tell you - in practice I've entered through different gates without any problems).
Both PHL and SFO won't notify you whether you are approved until midnight of the day you want to enter, which I find interesting. I guess that's some sort of security feature? I've never been denied, but it could be a hassle if you don't find out until the last minute that you were denied.
SFO: Brand new, high ceilings, quiet, clean, soft lighting and overall chill vibe. Variety of healthy (or not) food options, Ritual and Equator coffee. Decent bathrooms.
PHL: Dingey, cramped, loud. Bad food - not even good cheese steaks. Security checkpoints are spread out, PreCheck is far and no Clear. And absolutely FILTHY. I tried to point out to the TSA management that their employees are literally surrounded by dust bunnies the size of my fist, and they said cleaning is not their department. (No duh?!)
It's going from best in the country to worst, IME.
But it really depends on the terminal, too. I can never keep track of which terminal is which (other than international), but most of them are quite nice, with nice shops, art work, and restaurants (though, at the end of the day, nearly all airport food is mediocre).
As for "Security checkpoints are spread out, PreCheck is far and no Clear". There are 5 terminals and 6 security checkpoints. They are all quite close together, so I'm not sure why you think they are spread out. Especially compared to other major airports. You can easily walk from one to another. And they all sort of get you to the same basically place once you're past security. You can easily access any terminal, regardless of which entry you used.
It's true we don't have Clear, but personally I've never found it that useful. I've used it mostly in Denver (which, to be honest, I think is way less inviting than PHL!), but Clear has never gotten me through security any faster than PreCheck would have. Often times it's been slower! And I can't remember ever waiting longer than maybe 5 or 10 minutes to get through PreCheck at PHL.
There's a lot of things I hate about PHL, but I think your particular characterizations are unfair. Maybe it's been years since you've been through?
For example the airline can give you a “gate only” pass. Essentially you need somebody to sponsor you to be on the other side of the security gates. In this case the airport itself is openly offering to sponsor folks.
I haven't been to SFO recently. Does anyone know if they genuinely have good art or good dining?
I've seen families tag along all the way to the security to say goodbyes... This seems like a great way to spend some more time right until the flight
The food is better than most airports and often they are outposts of known restaurants though not as good as the actual main restaurants that have locations in the area.
It’s still an airport and most people are just transiting and not too interested in the exhibits. They might as well have community college students put up their work there and few would be the wiser.
Airports are expensive, loud, and uncomfortable.
- Margaret Kilgallen (RIP): https://www.sfomuseum.org/public-art/public-collection/untit...
- Barry McGee: https://www.sfomuseum.org/public-art/public-collection/untit...
- Paul Madonna: https://www.sfomuseum.org/public-art/public-collection/here-...
- Robert Bechtle: https://www.sfomuseum.org/public-art/public-collection/untit...
- Ned Kahn: https://www.sfomuseum.org/public-art/public-collection/wind-...
- Emily Fromm: https://www.sfomuseum.org/public-art/public-collection/four-...
- Shawn HibmaCronan: https://www.shawnhibmacronan.com/#/the-press/
They also have a sculpture by Noguchi and another by Kusama, but those particular pieces don't speak to me.
Theoretically the space should be conducive to art viewing, but the reality is most travelers are hurrying from security to their terminals, so few folks have the time to stop and appreciate.
Overall SFO is my favorite large airport. Things just work. The fact they went through the hurdles to get a private contract for TSA now looks like a prescient move. Only about 20 US airports have it. [0]
[0]: https://www.flysfo.com/flight-info/alerts-advisories/tsa-lin...
I fly out of JFK and a smaller city airport in the northeast mostly. JFK is crazy. The smaller one is excellent, except like 20% of their flights leave at 6AM and TSA starts at 4, so the lines can be awful during peak events (like winter breaks when half the population to going to Florida via low cost airline).
Having flown in and out a lot of the last decade, it is a stupendously run airport.
That's the only difference.
It’ll also usually be branded “priority” or “premium” with the dominant airline for that airport/terminal (eg. Sky Priority or Premier Access).
Large airports like SFO, DEN and LAX have all combinations of CLEAR/PreCheck/Premium. Smaller ones only have some (ie. premium line doesn’t have precheck or clear).
The only airport I’ve been to recently that I don’t recall having a line like that was Bozeman.
Terminal 3 definitely has a United “Premier Access”/Star Alliance Gold line.
I never use it, though... the pre check line is usually as fast or faster.
I think overall regional culture plays the biggest factor.
And in that regard, I far prefer SFO over any experience I've had in Texas, Atlanta, Philly, NYC, etc. It does not feel like the security agents are on a power trip trying to intimidate you or make you feel stupid.
I live in SF, so my most frequent airport is SFO, and I cannot remember a single instance with rude, power-tripping security staff. I don't think I can say that about literally any other airport in the US. (I won't make judgments about other countries, considering language barriers and cultural differences that I may not be aware of.)
On top of all that, SFO security had zero delays and staffing issues during the recent time period when DHS was partially shut down.
San Diego has SAN Pass, which is essentially the same program with the same rationale for existence.
How easily we forget that, before 9/11, anyone could go through security to the gates, without a boarding pass or any kind of approval. We've lost a lot to the security-theatre state.