San Jose Airport, CA (SJC) Flights & Information

Perfectly located at the base of the Bay Area in California, San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is a medium-sized airport that’s easy to navigate. Dubbed as the alternative to the giant San Francisco Airport (SFO), SJC has been serving Silicon Valley for decades.

SJC calls itself “the least-airporty airport” for good reason – it’s quieter than many other airports, and is easy to get in and out of when traveling to or from popular places like Carmel and Santa Cruz. In this guide, I will show you all you need to know before you land or take off from SJC.

Getting to and from SJC by public transportation

The airport offers an array of public transportation options, including shuttles, buses and light rail from the terminals (follow the signs that read ‘Public Transportation’). My advice is to download the apps on your phone for all of these options, as they offer tickets for sale and up to date route information.

For the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) there’s a connection via the VTA Route 60 (Airport Flyer bus), which will deliver you to the Milpitas BART station. From here you can take the rapid transit to Oakland or San Francisco (there are various lines you can choose from, all clearly marked). Getting to San Francisco this way could take just over an hour.

Next, there’s a train option – simply take the same Airport Flyer bus, then transfer to the VTA Green Line southbound to the Amtrak Diridon Train Station. From here you can get Amtrak trains to other parts of the West Coast, including Los Angeles and Seattle.

There’s also an option to connect to the CalTrain and ACE train, also by taking the VTA Route 60 (Airport Flyer bus). But this time, take it in the direction of Winchester VTA Station (going south) and alight at the Santa Clara Transit Center. Here you have multiple options for getting to places like Stockton, Fremont and others on the ACE. Also, for the CalTrain you can go from Gilroy (south) to San Francisco (north), which has multiple stops en route.

The city of San Jose is currently constructing a better solution to get to the airport – so, for the moment, the fastest and easiest way is still via a car service or rideshare option that can easily drive right up to the terminal.

Getting to and from SJC by car

In terms of convenience, getting to and from SJC is easiest via a rideshare. For arrivals, they have designated pick-up locations at all the terminals and these are very well-marked and easy to find. Personally, I find this the easiest option, as you can disembark the plane and get out to the curb very quickly for a pick-up.

There are also taxi stands located right outside the terminal – for Terminal A it’s stop 2, and for Terminal B it’s stop 1. The airport’s own shuttle is for transfers between the terminals, and also takes you to the parking or rental car lots (Economy Lot 1 and Daily Lot 4).

Rental cars are located at Terminal B (you can just walk right across if you’re at B) and they offer all the major car rental companies. Their hours are pretty late but not 24/7, so check closure times with the specific brand before you book.

Security

SJC offers some of the latest ways to get through security (for a fee), as well as to your gate or out through passport control and to your car. They have CLEAR, which offers expedited access through security using biometric data (although you need to sign up before arriving at the airport).

They also have Global Entry, which allows international arrivals to clear customs fast with only facial recognition (again, you need to enroll in advance and follow their application process).

There is also available a TSA Precheck, which offers expedited security screening (like being able to keep your shoes on), but again, make sure you have the paperwork ready.

I’ve signed up for all 3 and over the years it’s saved me hours and hours. Many credit cards actually offer this as a perk, bringing the cost down to zero. Pro tip: if you get Global Entry, it includes TSA Precheck, so bundling this works to your advantage.

Airline lounges at SJC

SJC has a range of airlines that run operations through here, including Delta, Volaris, ZipAir, American Airlines, Alaska, Jetblue, Frontier, Hawaiian Airlines, Spirit, United and Southwest.

The airport’s lounges, The Club SJC, aren’t specific to an airline and are open to all for a daily price. There are two located in Terminal A, one near gate 8 and another at gate 15. They both have showers and a private conference room where I like to catch up on work emails. Note that access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure.

When I’m traveling, this is where I go to grab a sparkling water and sit at the bar – a great place to meet interesting new people.

Accessible services

SJC has a unique and sterling program put into place for travelers who might need more assistance at the airport. They call it the “Sunflower Lanyard Program” and it’s available at check-in counters and info booths (or in advance via the airport’s customer service).

When wearing this lanyard, it gives airport staff a subtle nod to know to assist these passengers. This is especially useful for travelers who might self-identify as having a hidden disability. Assistance could mean anything from shuttle services and wheelchairs to extra help at security or restrooms.

Service and amenities at SJC

Although this airport is on the small side, they’ve thought about the many needs of busy travelers, whether you’re with the family or on a work trip. For instance, they’ve installed a Zoom Zone designed by the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose for kids in Terminal B, between gates 24 and 25.

They also have free Wi-Fi throughout the airport, a US Mail Drop (in both terminals at ticketing) and 4 pet relief areas (3 pre-security and 1 post-security), as well as nursing rooms at various gates.

Often, I have a last-minute need to post something – a postcard to my mom, perhaps – so it’s great that they have these on hand. Plus, the dog relief spot also came in handy for my pup Ella on recent travels.

Things to do during a layover at SJC

The public art program, the SJC Art+Technology Program, is well worth checking out. Recently they’ve unveiled their new audio tour featuring the artists themselves, which you can access using QR codes located throughout the airport. It celebrates Silicon Valley as a global nucleus of tech and innovation, and various installations have been created as part of the program.

Some of these are permanent and new works are also installed frequently. My favorite is eCloud by Nik Hafermaas, Dan Goods, and Aaron Koblin, located in Terminal B. It’s a piece with glass squares that change from opaque to transparent with weather data in real time, all suspended from the ceiling.

What to eat and drink at SJC

If you’re hungry there are plenty of quick and easy places to grab a bite, from the usual spots like Starbucks, Dunkin’, and Chick-fil-A, to the more interesting Yo-Kai Express (think sushi served by robots).

There’s also a range of places where you can sit down for a heartier meal. My favorites include the craft beer-focused San Jose Beer Union, which serves snacks and healthier meals, and Sushi Boat.

You’ll also find a few basic shops, with Hudson, Hudson Grab & Go and Hudson News –perfectly good for picking up snacks and incidentals – scattered throughout the terminals. I often grab some healthy dry roasted pistachios and a few magazines when I’m traveling.