LOCATED 13 MILES SOUTH of The Golden City’s bustling downtown area lies San Francisco International, the largest airport in Northern California and the second-busiest in the state, after Los Angeles International Airport. With flight points throughout North America, Europe and Asia, the airport services non-stop flights to more than 46 international cities on 39 international carriers and connects nonstop with 79 cities in the United States. It is one of the largest hubs for United Airlines and the principal base of operations for Virgin America.

The airport experienced regular growth in traffic since 2004, with a 6.1 percent increase in numbers in 2016 from the previous year, having served a record-breaking 53.1 million passengers. The airport reported a 10 percent increase in international traffic alone in 2016, with new international airlines including Iceland’s low-cost airline WOW air, Fiji Airways and Volaris.

Contributing to airport growth, United Airlines launched three new international destinations from San Francisco in 2016, including the first-ever non-stop flights to Tel Aviv (TLV) and two new cities in China, X’ian (XIY) and Hangzhou (HGH). China Eastern also added the first non-stop service to Qingdao (TAO). With these gains, SFO now serves more cities in China than any other airport in the Americas.

As we often see with busier airports, significant growth means significant construction. Between 2020 and 2022, the airport will undergo a demolition and rebuild of the southern portion of Terminal 1, Boarding Area B and Boarding Area A. The $2.4 billion project, led by the Gensler architectural firm, will modernize the concourse and add 24 new gates. The four-phase plans ensure at least nine gates remain open throughout the process to avoid disrupting service.

In April the airport announced its selection of View Dynamic Glass for the redevelopment of Terminal 1, which will install more than 66,000 square feet of the glass to create a world-class travel experience while continuing to make strides in energy efficiency. The airport also recently opened its Request for Proposals process for 10 duty-free and luxury retail leases for the International Terminal and Terminal 1, marking exciting things on the horizon for airport dining and shopping.

In addition to terminal upgrades, in February the airport announced plans to repave one of its four runways, Runway 28L, one of two runways used primarily for arriving flights. The project will also install new, long-lasting LED centerline lights and ground markings, and a new taxiway and enhancements to a current taxiway will improve the runway’s operational efficiency.

Renovations and expansions aren’t the only things going on at San Francisco International. In March the airport received the top sustainability award from Acterra, a nonprofit organization in Silicon Valley dedicated to the promotion of a healthy and sustainable planet. The organization named the airport a nationally recognized sustainability leader in the aviation industry for its history of climate action and sustainability reporting.

Since 1990 the airport reduced greenhouse gas emissions from airport-controlled operations by 38 percent, reduced energy consumption by almost 11,000 megawatt-hours per year and improved 558 acres of wetlands throughout the Bay Area. The airport’s reduction strategies include construction of the AirTrain, an electric-powered light rail system that eliminated more than 600 daily bus trips to shuttle passengers between terminals; programs and incentives to encourage airport employees to take public transit to work; and the creation of a Clean Vehicle Policy to promote adoption and deployment of energy-efficient vehicles throughout the airport.