Oakland International Airport (OAK) — Terminals, Lounges & Travel Tips

Oakland, CA, United States · OAK

Terminal Guide

Terminal	Airlines
Terminal 1	Southwest (dominant), Spirit, Frontier, Sun Country
Terminal 2	Alaska, Delta, United, Hawaiian, Volaris

BART + Free AirBART Shuttle: Free AirBART shuttle to BART Coliseum station. BART to Downtown Oakland in 10 min or SF Embarcadero in ~30 min for $11.65. Runs 5 am–midnight.
Rideshare: Uber/Lyft from curbside outside each terminal.
Taxi: Metered; expect $25–35 to downtown Oakland, $50–65 to downtown San Francisco (bridge toll included).
Car Rental: On-site facility adjacent to Terminal 1.

The AirBART + BART combo is excellent — significantly cheaper than a taxi to San Francisco.
OAK fares are often $50–100 less per ticket than equivalent SFO flights — always check both airports.
Southwest's heavy presence at OAK means bag fees are waived for most passengers (2 free checked bags).
The terminal facilities are functional but not luxury — don't expect fancy dining or lounges.
BART runs directly to SFO from Coliseum — you can actually get between OAK and SFO by transit in about 50 minutes.
Parking at OAK is reasonably priced compared to SFO; the connected garages are convenient.
Weekend morning flights are often the best value — Southwest's BNA and Vegas routes frequently have deals.

Review these before your flight so you hit the ground running at Oakland.

Confirm which terminal your airline uses — Oakland International Airport has 2 terminals and inter-terminal transfers may take 15–30 minutes.
Rail is available: Free AirBART shuttle to BART Coliseum station. BART to Downtown Oakland in 10 min or SF Embarcadero in ~30 min for $11.65. Runs 5 am–midnight.
Renting a car? On-site facility adjacent to Terminal 1.
Southwest hub: expect higher flight frequency and stronger upgrade/standby availability for Southwest elite members.
Parking at OAK is reasonably priced compared to SFO; the connected garages are convenient.