I like the San Diego Airport. It is spacious; feels airy. Seats are spaced apart and has outlets for phone charging. I like the alternate seating of three. It even has a room labeled pet relief. For the transportation, there is a separate area for the Ubers and Lyfts. There is even the space for Uber XL. The security check officer who checked our IDs had even a sense of humor. I like the lighthearted exchange with him, though how brief it was.
SAN is a relatively small yet fully capable international airport that serves the charming city of San Diego and Southern California as a whole. Over the year, international airlines have been serving it. However, much work needs to be done to allow such airlines to realize the potential of SAN and San Diego as a destination and gateway to southern California and Northern Mexico and potentially alleviating some of the congestion of LAX. The airport is located near to downtown allowing for some awesome landing views of the city and has the advantage of not being to far and difficult to get, the down side of this perhaps, is the limitation in expansion and adding a second runway. There are two main terminals with T2 being more active and housing most of the international traffic. It is equipped with a good amount of check-in kiosks and all the fixtures and services expected of an international airport with well-intentioned helpful staff. The car rental center is vast and as expected with free shuttle service from the airport but it takes a good 15-20minutes to get there, perhaps due to road works around the import during the time of my visit, so factor that in your plans. I'm hoping to see SAN expand and become more active on the international airline seen.
Staff at this airport really go out of their way to make for a comforting experience for travelers. The facility is modern and clean, there are many amenities including fast internet, charging stations, and nice waiting areas. From security to corridor drivers, everyone is friendly and professional. Below is a therapy dog, many of them walk around, you can pet them while you wait for your flight. San Diego has been my portal to international flights, thank you for making it consistently pleasant!
Definitely better than LAX and on par with Ontario. The only real drawback about this airport is that it basically shuts down from 11:30pm until 4:00am with barely any flights allowed in or out. For the few like me who's flights were delayed, nothing is open and there is little staff on hand to help with any issues. Still a solid choice overall and a good alternative.
Very easy pick up and drop off location. The airport felt nice and clean. Convenient stores are not open late at night. The signs are easy to follow and elevators, escalators are available everywhere for convenience. Wheelchair accessible as well. Pick up locations are marked with letters and numbers.
San Diego International Airport is a top-notch facility! Clean, efficient, and well-signposted, it makes travel a breeze. The variety of food and shopping options are impressive. Plus, the staff is always helpful and friendly. A 5-star airport experience!
Terminal 1 review only: for Southwest Each gate area is laid out in a circular orientation. Limited food, poor selection and overpriced and expensive. Two separate gate areas that do not connect so must go through security checkpoints for each. One bathroom for each. Seats have USB ports BUT they do not function. Overcrowded. If flying Southwest you may want to consider an alternate airport although none are close.
Cool Airport, from my experience was able to get through TSA fairly fast. Does seem a little bit of a small airport tho so gets very very crowded quickly. Nice assortment of shops and San Diego themed nicknacks for wild prices of course, like all airports but what can ya do safe travels everyone!
This is specifically a review on Terminal 1. This is clearly the budget airline section and they make it well known. The security line moves quickly but as soon as you get past it you notice how cramped this airport feels. If you arrive while a flight or 2 has landed or has started to board you will have some trouble walking to your gate. Not many food options so if you want a cheaper meal eat at the jack in the box before security.
Terminal 1 sucks, it's quite unfortunate that Southwest exclusively uses terminal 1. The entire terminal is cramped and crowded, including the seating area. The ceilings are low, and the circular hallway is a bit disorienting. They also got rid of the sky bridge for some reason. Their security still requires you take out your laptop for some of the scanning machines Can't wait for the new terminal 1, but I probably won't be in San Diego when it opens
