SFO Airport Parking Guide: Garages, AirTrain and Cheaper Options

Where can you park at SFO?

SFO's parking is run by the airport itself, and the main parking page lists every official option. ^[1] Here is how they differ in plain terms.

Option	Where	How you reach the terminal	Best for
Domestic Garage	Center of the airport	Short tunnels to Terminals 1, 2 and 3	Short trips and domestic pick-ups
International Garages A and G	North and south sides of the International Terminal	Walkways to the International Terminal, AirTrain to the others	International flights
Long-Term Garage and lot	794 South Airport Boulevard	AirTrain Blue Line from Level 5	Multi-day trips
ParkFAST	Inside the Domestic Garage, own entry	Short walk, domestic terminals	Fast in and out, online booking only
Valet	Grand Hyatt at SFO	AirTrain to all terminals	Hands-off parking, long or overnight

The Domestic Garage is described by SFO as an ideal place to park for short business or leisure trips or to pick up arriving domestic passengers. ^[2] The valet service is on airport grounds at the Grand Hyatt at SFO and connects to all terminals by AirTrain. ^[1]

For other airports, see the airport parking guides and our guide to cheap airport parking.

Which garage is closest to your airline?

SFO has a domestic side and an international side, and the right garage depends on your gate. For domestic flights, the Domestic Garage serves Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Follow the Domestic Terminal signs under the International Terminal, then the hourly parking signs to the entrance, and inside the garage head to the section nearest your airline. ^[2]

For international flights, International Garage A is closest to the A Gates and International Garage G is closest to the G Gates. Take the pedestrian walkways to the Dianne Feinstein International Terminal. To reach Domestic Terminals 1, 2 and 3 from these garages, use the AirTrain, which SFO calls an easy 10 minute ride, with stations in both garages. ^[3]

SFO publishes an airline and terminal guide that shows the garage section nearest your flight. Check it before you leave, because a wrong turn at SFO means looping back through the airport roadways. Our editorial policy explains that lot details here come from the official SFO pages, and the rate table shows when each price was last checked.

How do Long-Term Parking and AirTrain work?

Long-Term Parking is SFO's most affordable option, with garage and surface lot parking. It is just north of the terminals and is easy to reach from Highway 101 and Highway 380. From Highway 101 north or south, take the San Bruno Avenue exit and follow the signs. The address is 794 South Airport Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94128. ^[4]

The AirTrain Blue Line connects Long-Term Parking to every terminal, runs 24 hours a day, and has station departures as frequent as every 4 minutes. The station is on Level 5 of the Long-Term Garage. There is no charge to board AirTrain. ^[4]

If you fly United from Terminal 3, note that the AirTrain station currently serving Terminal 3 is closed until the new facility opens in 2027. Use the current Terminal 2 station instead, which SFO will rename the "Terminals 2 & 3 AirTrain Station", and SFO asks all United passengers arriving or departing on AirTrain to use that combined station. ^[11]

Remote Bag Check is a free service at the Long-Term Garage, located before the AirTrain station on Level 5, open daily from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It is available for domestic flights on certain airlines, and airline baggage fees still apply. ^[4] Confirm your airline is included before you count on it.

The Long-Term facility also has a surface lot for vehicles 8 feet 2 inches and taller, and overheight vehicles that need accessible parking should check in with the parking attendant. ^[4]

What is ParkFAST, and should you pre-book?

ParkFAST is a dedicated area inside the Domestic Garage with its own entry. Access is available only through the online booking system, an 8-hour minimum booking is required, and the entrance is a left turn into the garage opposite Harvey Milk Terminal 1. ^[5]

Pre-booking works the same way for all SFO garages that accept reservations. You choose dates, prepay, and receive a QR code that you use to enter and leave, with no ticket to pull. ^[2] The official booking FAQ sets out the rules:

• You can book up to 365 days ahead and as late as 2 hours before your entry time.
• The minimum booked stay is 8 hours and the maximum is 60 days.
• You can amend or cancel up to 2 hours before entry without penalty, and refunds go back to the card that paid.
• You cannot reserve a specific stall. You still find an open space when you arrive.
• Online booking covers Long-Term, Domestic Garage, ParkFAST and International Garages A and G, but not valet, accessible, motorcycle or over-height parking. ^[6]

One catch: if you amend a booking, the website treats it as a new booking, and the price is based on garage occupancy and products available at that time, so it may differ from the original. ^[6]

How do you pay, and what height limits apply?

If you do not pre-book, SFO accepts several payment methods. You can insert a credit card at entry and use the same card at exit, take a ticket and pay by card or cash at an exit booth, or use a Pay-on-Foot kiosk before you leave. The kiosks are on floor 3 of the International Garages, floor 1 of Long-Term Garage 1, and floors 1 and 5 of Long-Term Garage 2. ^[7] FasTrak is no longer accepted as a payment option at SFO parking facilities. ^[7]

The height limits are posted per garage, and a tall vehicle will not fit in the wrong one:

• Domestic Garage and ParkFAST: no vehicles over 6 feet 6 inches
• International Garages A and G: no vehicles over 8 feet 2 inches
• Long-Term Garage 1: maximum height 6 feet 10 inches
• Long-Term Garage 2: maximum height 8 feet 2 inches ^[1] If you drive a tall van, a truck with a roof rack or a car with a cargo box, measure before you go and use the Long-Term surface lot if needed.

What if you are only dropping off or picking up?

You do not have to park in a garage for a pick-up. SFO's free Cell Phone Waiting Lot is next to the Long-Term Parking facility, about five minutes from the terminals. The maximum wait is 60 minutes, the lot is closed from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., and vehicles must be attended. ^[8] The Kiss & Fly drop-off area at the Rental Car Center on North McDonnell Road also links to the terminals by the AirTrain Blue Line. ^[9]

For leaving the car at home, BART runs directly from the SFO station on the Departures level of the International Terminal, and AirTrain connects the other terminals to it. SamTrans Route 292 stops at the terminals, and Caltrain riders transfer at Millbrae. ^[10] Rideshare prices change by time and demand, so run the parking vs rideshare calculator to compare for your own trip. If you are choosing between airports, our Seattle-Tacoma guide and Minneapolis-St. Paul guide cover the same questions, and more tips are in the parking guides.