When Alaska Airlines Move operations from Terminal 2 to Harvey Milk Terminal 1 At San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in mid-June, passengers still had to travel a long way to Terminal 2 to use the airline’s lounge.
But now that Alaska Airlines has opened a luxurious new 11,000-square-foot lounge in Terminal 1, that hassle is gone.
Find Alaska Airlines’ New Lounge at SFO
The new Alaska Airlines lounge is located in Terminal 1 across from Gate B6 and Amy’s Drive-Thru and just a few doors away. Clubs at SFO. You can find the entrance between the Pack-N-Go store and the Proper Food takeout location — once inside, you’ll need to go up one floor via elevator or stairs to reach the lounge.
Travelers can expect 230 seats (55% more than T2), impressive airport views, upgraded food and beverage options (including dual pancake printers), and plenty of charging ports.
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Need some quiet?
As you enter the new Alaska Airlines lounge, turn right into the quiet area. Here, you can choose from luxurious seating options, from couches and armchairs to Alaska’s popular lie-flat seats.
Because the seats are arranged near a series of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the runway, Alaska’s quiet area is a great place to watch planes in peace.
If you need to make an important call, the SFO location is the first Alaska Airlines lounge to offer a TalkBox office phone booth, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep in mind that while these booths offer privacy, they aren’t completely soundproof. I’d step inside and pretend to have an intense work conversation, and people sitting nearby could hear me.
Lots of free food and drinks
For food and drinks, turn left after you check in at the reception desk.
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If you need a little energy for your flight, there are two barista-staffed coffee bars in the lounge serving complimentary espresso drinks made with beans from Ritual Coffee Roasters in San Francisco.
Remember the famous candy bar in Terminal 2’s concourse? It’s moved here. Treat yourself to jars filled with Ghirardelli chocolates, colorful Jelly Belly jelly beans, and colorful fortune cookies made by the Oakland Fortune Factory.
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However, visitors can’t (or shouldn’t) live on caffeine and candy alone, so if you head to the “real” food section, you’ll find muffins, sourdough bread, English muffins, and a bagel counter with spread options including butter, jam, and garlic guacamole. There’s also not one, but two fan-favorite pancake machines, along with a variety of syrups and toppings.
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The buffet menu changes seasonally, but on our visit, options included a full ramen bar and everything you need to make a healthy protein-packed salad. There were also plenty of soup, meat, and rice options.
If the free food isn’t enough for you, the bar offers a to-order food menu from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Options include pizza ($7), cheeseburgers ($12), chicken tenders ($10), chicken teriyaki ($12), and fries or chips ($5).
Drink up!
In addition to the espresso station, the new Alaska lounge features self-serve coffee machines, water dispensers, and Coca-Cola Freestyle soda machines that let you mix and match flavors, as well as a bar staffed by friendly bartenders. If you want a place to relax with a drink of your choice, there are plenty of seating options near large TV screens and windows.
In addition to free-flowing local craft beers, West Coast wines, creative cocktails and mocktails, the bar also offers premium wines and fine spirits.
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Utilities and additional features
Power outlets are located next to most seats and (apparently) can accommodate any type of plug.
Sustainability is the rule here. So while baristas will give you the option of having your espresso served in a to-go cup, you’ll see very few disposable utensils in the waiting room. There aren’t any paper plates or plastic utensils in sight. Instead of individual plastic packets of butter, jam, salt, and pepper, the food area is stocked with glass jars filled with butter and jam cubes, as well as salt and pepper shakers. Signs on the tissue dispensers urge you to “Save the Trees” and “Take Only What You Need.”
What’s missing?
Frequent travelers to the Alaska Airlines lounge in Terminal 1 may notice a few features that haven’t carried over to Terminal 2. The classic sourdough cart is gone—sourdough is now just an option at the bread station. There’s no cozy fire pit. Also gone is the San Francisco Giants-themed kids’ room decorated with memorabilia.
However, the new lounge is so “amazing” that if we didn’t mention what’s missing, you probably wouldn’t even notice that the previous features are gone.
How to get to the Alaska Airlines lounge at SFO
One-day admission to Alaska Airlines lounges may apply, subject to lounge capacity.
Access to the lounge is also open to Alaska Lounge members, Alaska Lounge+ members, and first-class passengers with paid or award tickets on flights of 2,000 miles or more. For full details and to see if there are other ways to access the new lounge, see List of Alaska Airlines lounge policies and regulations.
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