San Diego International Airport

Understand

San Diego International Airport, commonly called by its IATA identifier SAN, sits in the south-eastern part of the Point Loma-Ocean Beach area of San Diego, just north of downtown. So near downtown, in fact, that first-time visitors are sometimes alarmed by how close the approach is to downtown buildings while landing.

The airport opened August 16, 1928, as San Diego Municipal Airport - Lindbergh Field with a flyover of 140 Navy and 82 Army planes.

Within California, its domestic passenger traffic is third only to Los Angeles and San Francisco and is also the 25th busiest airport in the United States for domestic flights. It is also the world's busiest single-runway airport.

The three most common domestic destinations from San Diego International Airport are Las Vegas, Denver, and Seattle. The three most common international destinations are London, San José del Cabo, and Toronto. SAN is also a hub for Alaska Airlines.

The airport has two terminals. Terminal 2 was renovated in 2013, and Terminal 1 is undergoing renovations as of 2025. The first phase was completed in September 2025 with 19 new gates, and eleven more are coming in early 2028.

The USA does not allow sterile transit so all passengers arriving on international flights must go through customs and immigration formalities. See United_States#Get_in for details.

Get around

San Diego International Airport has 3 free shuttles.

• Rental Car Shuttle, Operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week that takes people to and from terminals and the rental car center.
• San Diego Flyer, If you need to go to the Old Town Transit Center, Take the San Diego flyer between 4:45AM-12:30AM. Look for San Diego Flyer signs in the ground transportation areas as they are the pick up and drop off locations for both terminal 1 and terminal 2.
• Terminal Loop Shuttle, If you find yourself in the wrong terminal, or you landed in one terminal, and the flight to your destination is in the other terminal, you can take the Terminal Loop Shuttle which runs from 6AM–11PM, All you have to do is go to the curbside in front of the terminal 2 baggage claim, and look for the MTS bus stop, which is where you will catch the terminal loop shuttle. Pickup is every 10 minutes. As this is the same bus stop for the MTS Bus Stop route 992, Please make sure you catch the terminal loop shuttle and not the MTS Bus because the MTS Bus will be more expensive, crowded, and will most likely take longer to get to the other terminal.

Eat and drink

Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, The restaurants here boast a selection of San Diego’s best flavors and brands. From healthy food to fast food, they have your airport dining covered.

Terminal 1

Terminal 2

Pre-Security/Sunset Cove

Eat Asian Kitchen

ChineseJapaneseKorean

Authentic Asian cuisine including Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean.

Sunset Cove🕒 Daily 9AM–9:30PMChecked Aug 2024

Video reviews: Instagram reels · TikTok · YouTube

MapsWebsite☆ Want to go

At the gate

= Gates 20-29 =

= Gates 30-51 =

Stay safe

If you need to call the police, the San Diego International Airport is served by the San Diego Harbor Police. If you need to call them for a non-emergency, please call +1 619 686 6272. If you need to call them for an emergency then call +1 619 686 6272 , +1 619 223 1133, or 911. If you need the San Diego Fire Department for an emergency, then please call 911, If you need them for anything else from them then please call +1 619 533 4300.

Flights

San Diego has two terminals: Terminal 1 is directly east of Terminal 2. If you have a connecting flight to a different concourse from where you arrived, then you will need to go through TSA screening again.

The airport recommends that you arrive at least 2 hours before your flight leaves (3 hours if on an international flight). You can check for delays or problems by tuning into 1690 AM on the radio.

Ground transportation

By bus

City bus public transit is available to and from the airport and downtown San Diego. The Metropolitan Transit System's (SDMTS) Route 992 will take you to/from downtown in less than 20 minutes. Route 992 operates between 5am and midnight, every 15 minutes on weekdays, and every 30 minutes on weekends. The bus has the following stops in the following order: Italics/Listing are to indicate the stop is at airport property.

• Broadway & Park Pl is the first & last stop of the 992 bus in downtown San Diego. It is also the location of the City College Station of the Blue, Orange and Silver (Downtown Loop) Line Trolleys; and the SDMTS 2, 12, 225, and 235 buses on Broadway and the 5, 7, 20, and 215 buses on 11th Ave towards 'C' St.
• Broadway & 8th Ave
• Broadway & 5th Ave
• Broadway & 2th Ave
• Broadway & Union St
• Broadway & Kettner Bl is the downtown transfer point to Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, NCTD Coaster, CBX Shuttle (operated by Mexicoach), and the 'Blue' and 'Green' Line Trolleys at the Santa Fe Depot. Transfer to the 'Blue' and 'Silver (Downtown Loop)' line trolley at American Plaza across the street (Kettner Blvd) from the Santa Fe Depot. This same stop is also served by SDMTS bus #280, 290, and 923.

* To continue towards Tijuana International Airport take the southbound 'Blue Line' trolley to the border in San Ysidro. Cross the border through the main border crossing and take a taxi from the other side to the airport. If entering Mexico through the CBX terminal there are CBX shuttles (operated by Mexicoach) leaving from Terminal 1 (T-1) at San Diego International Airport and the downtown Santa Fe Station. From San Ysidro they connect the San Ysidro bus station (725 E San Ysidro Blvd) and Las Americas Mall (4211 Camino de la Plaza) to the CBX Terminal or take a taxi from the south terminus of the Blue Line Trolley to the CBX.

• Broadway & Pacific Highway
• N Harbor Dr & Broadway
• N Harbor Dr & Ash St
• N Harbor Dr & Hawthorn St
• N Harbor Dr & Cellphone Lot Transfer to the outbound (SDMTS) Route 923 for going to Point Loma. Get off at the N Harbor & Cellphone Lot stop and go across the street (Harbor Dr) to the bus stop at the opposite side.
• N Harbor Dr & Liberator Way

A non-reduced adult fare from someone without a Pronto Card is $2.50 per boarding or $6 for a day pass if you require a transfer to another bus or train (Aug 2024). If staying in San Diego and planning to get around by public transportation a Pronto Card is more economical as it allows for transfers every two hours and ensures you will never pay more than the value of a day pass in a day, or a month pass in a calendar month.

The free Flyer Shuttle connects the airport to Old Town Transit Center next to San_Diego/Old_Town-Mission_Valley

If you need to get on the North County Transit District's (NCTD) Breeze bus service then please check the NCTD's website to make sure the station you plan to go to runs the route you plan on going. You can get to the Oceanside Transit Center by getting off the MTS 992 Bus at Broadway & Kettner Bl, walking to Santa Fe Depot, get on NCTD Coaster train, get off at any station between Sorrento Valley and Oceanside, and from there take a Breeze bus route.

By trolley

MTS doesn't have a trolley station at the airport. You will first need to catch the MTS Bus for Route 992, described above. Once on the bus, Get off at the Broadway and Park Pl stop, and from there is a very short walk to the City College station. From there you can catch an Orange line or UC San Diego Blue line train 7 days a week, or the Silver line on select days (check the MTS Website to see what days it operates), on a more vintage looking trolley. No matter which trolley you catch, a non-reduced fare will cost $2.50. If you would like to catch the green line you can board either the UC San Diego Blue, Green, or Silver line trolley, and get off at the 12th & Imperial stop, the only MTS Trolley station where 4 of the MTS trolley lines run. If you would like to catch the Copper Line while at City College Station, get on the orange line, and get off at El Cajon.

By car

The airport is served by I-5 with connections to State Route 163, I-8 and I-15. The airport is about 3.5 mi away from Downtown San Diego about a 10 minute drive.

Both terminals have regular and valet parking. If you valet park be sure to drop your car off between 5AM and 11PM, you will be able to retrieve your car at any time and you can expect to pay about $60/day (Aug 2024). If you park in the regular parking plaza in either terminal you can expect to pay about $38/day or $2.50 per every 15 minutes. The Cell Phone Lot is free for up to an hour. This is useful if you are at this airport to pick someone up or drop someone off, you're looking to save money, and you are willing to sit in your car until the person is ready. Stay in your car and until you get the call from the person you are picking up, and drive to their terminal.

By rental car

All car rental pick-ups and drop-offs for rental car companies serving San Diego International Airport occur at the Consolidated Car Rental Center on 3355 Admiral Boland Way. Free dedicated shuttle busses run continually to ferry customers between the airport terminals and the Consolidated Car Rental Center. See a list of rental agencies at the airport website. If the car rental company is off-site (not in the Consolidated Car Rental Center), call to pick-up at the Consolidated Car Rental Center.

By taxi

Many companies provide taxicab service at San Diego International Airport. If you need a taxi, simply follow the signs leading to the . A Customer Service Representative will place you with the first available taxi, unless you specify a particular taxicab company. You can also call directly to find the taxicab service that best suits your needs, the guide below lists taxicab radio/dispatch services in San Diego.

+1 800-368-2947 +1 858-444-4444

By train

If you need to go to the San Diego Old Town Transit Center, see the By Bus section.

If you need to go to the Santa Fe Depot, then take Route 992 from any bus stop that specifies route 992, and get off at the Broadway & Kettner Bl stop which is a very short walk to the Santa Fe Depot train station.

At either station you will be able to get on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner route or the North County Transit District's (NCTD) Coaster commuter rail service. If you need to catch the North County Transit District's light rail the Sprinter, Then get on the coaster at either Santa Fe Depot or Old Town Transit Center, and get off at the Oceanside Transit Center.

If you are looking to catch the commuter rail that goes throughout Southern California the Metrolink then get on while at the Oceanside Transit Center as it is the only stop within San Diego County.

By ride share

As of October 2025 the only companies permitted to operate at the airport are Lyft, Opoli, Uber, and Wingz. You can find your ride by following the signs that lead to the transportation plaza.

By foot

Getting to the airport by foot is easier than you would expect. A shared path for bicyclists and pedestrians, separated from vehicle traffic, connects the airport to Little Italy and Downtown to the east, and to Liberty Station and Point Loma to the west. There is also a scenic path between the San Diego Bay waterfront and North Harbor Drive that passes through the Spanish Landing Park, with crosswalks which allow pedestrians to safely cross North Harbor Drive to reach the car rental center or Terminal 2. Pedestrian walkways within the airport connect Terminal 1 and 2.

By bike

Getting to the airport by bike is pretty much the same as it is by foot. Once at the airport, exercise caution traveling along the airport roadways in front of terminals, and walk your bike on the sidewalk. You will find bicycle lockers in well-lit areas near the terminal buildings. Bike lockers are first come, first serve. Using the bike lockers are free, But you will need to pay a refundable $25 deposit and you will need to sign up in advance here.

You will be able to find bicycle lockers:

• West of the Terminal 2 East escalators, along the ground transportation island fence line (able to park up to 4 bikes)
• South of the pet relief area at Terminal 2 West, adjacent to northeast corner of NTC parking lot (4 bikes)

You will also be able to find bicycle racks:

• Under the Terminal 2 West pedestrian bridge
• Under the Terminal 2 East pedestrian bridge
• North East corner of the NTC parking lot
• East side of the SDCRAA administration building
• South side of the taxi hold lot building
• South side of the Rental Car Center

Wait

Recline, rest, and take it easy before your flight at an airline lounge or day spa. Whether you’re looking for a quick chair massage, luxurious table massage, manicure, or pedicure, SAN has plenty of options to help you enjoy a moment of calm

If you would like to look at airport art, please visit san.org/arts to find out what art if any will be at the airport when you're there. One other thing to mention is that there is a therapy dog that walks around through the airport along with a volunteer, the therapy dogs at the airport are known to calm down stressed passengers, or maybe you will see the dog and it will make your day. You can also ask the volunteer any questions you have about the airport.

Nearby

If you have a long layover and would like to leave the airport, you can refer to the By bus or By trolley subsections in the ground transportation section on how to get out of the airport. You can also check out the MTS Trip Planner to find out the best way to get around San Diego from the airport to wherever you want to go.

• Balboa-Hillcrest - Balboa is a massive urban parkland in the city's heart, home to many museums and the renowned San Diego Zoo. Next door is Hillcrest, a trendy urban neighborhood.
• Downtown San Diego - A hub of business and nightlife on the bay, downtown has many tourist attractions among its gleaming office and hotel towers. Also home to the Gaslamp Quarter and Petco Park. It is connected from the airport by the SDMTS 992 bus.
• La Jolla - An upscale beach community, it features some of the most picturesque coastline and lovely beaches around, an exceptional aquarium, and the University of California at San Diego (UCSD).
• Mission Beach-Pacific Beach - Two popular beach communities with plenty of shops, restaurants, and nightlife, alongside a man-made inlet that is home to Sea World. Mission Bay park is the largest water-based city park in the nation.
• North San Diego - A large region of the city composed of many suburban neighborhoods stretching far inland to the hills of the north, with a few scattered tourist attractions, including the popular Safari Park.
• Old Town-Mission Valley is a popular tourist district of historic buildings including California's first Spanish settlement and Mexican-themed shops and restaurants sitting at the foot of Mission Valley, a major commercial center lining the San Diego River that is home to several shopping centers, Snapdragon Stadium, and the Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the oldest of the California missions. The birthplace of San Diego is connected from the airport by the San Diego Flyer shuttle that goes to the Old Town Transit Center
• Point-Loma-Ocean Beach - A scenic peninsula curving around the bay, this area offers gorgeous views of San Diego, beautiful coastline, and quiet, laid-back beach neighborhoods.