SFO Sees Sustained Passenger Growth, Expects Summer Increase

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — After losing more passengers than any other airport during the pandemic, San Francisco International Airport expects to see an increase in travel this summer and is experiencing its longest sustained period of passenger growth since last March.

According to a news release on Tuesday, SFO saw 30,000 passengers pass through its security checkpoints on May 14, a pandemic-high. Airport officials expect to see an average of 35,000 passengers a day this summer and over 38,000 a day during peak periods. But those numbers are still more than 50 percent below pre-pandemic passenger levels, indicating a slow, if steady, recovery in normal travel.

“We are excited to welcome more passengers back to SFO for the summer travel season,” Airport Director Ivar C. Satero said in a news release. “With new facilities, amenities, and testing clinics, we’re offering an airport experience that is safe, healthy, and enjoyable.”

In April, the San Francisco Chronicle analyzed data from 50 airports across the country that saw the most traffic at the beginning of 2020 and found that passenger totals at SFO were down 97 percent at the lowest point during the pandemic.

The airport has been serving other essential purposes during the pandemic, however. At various points, SFO has been used as a testing site and vaccination center for the public and employees.