Inside Alaska Airlines’ new terminal and lounge at SFO T1
This week, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) completes the phased opening of the $2.4 billion Harvey Milk Terminal 1.
There are new amenities for everyone, but Alaska Airlines passengers will benefit the most.
On Wednesday, Alaska Airlines will move its SFO hub operations from Terminal 2 to Harvey Milk T1.
On this day, all Alaska flights to and from SFO will begin arriving and departing from the T1 gates. The airline’s check-in and baggage drop-off activities will be transferred to the brand new T1 hall. Delivery of all Alaska baggage will also take place at T1.
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New lobby features self-service bag tag and bag drop
With the opening of its new T1 concourse, Alaska becomes the first airline at SFO to offer automatic bag drop, a service the airline has been testing at San Jose Norman Y. Mineta International Airport (SJC).
This should help reduce congestion in the SFO T1 concourse and avoid long lines, according to Neil Thwaites, Alaska regional vice president for California.
To use automated bag drop, you will need to check in online and obtain a boarding pass on a mobile device. At the airport, you will then scan your boarding pass at one of the baggage tag kiosks located in the new T1 concourse. The machine will print a peelable bag tag that you can put on your luggage. Then you will carry your bag to the counter.
There, instead of handing your bag to an airline employee, you will scan your bag tag and put the bag on the belt. Cameras will read your bag’s tag and measure the size of the bag, and scales will weigh the bag before sending it down the conveyor belt, through the airport baggage system and onto your plane. If you have to pay baggage fees or your bag is oversized or overweight, the machine will ask you to pay.
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The baggage tag kiosk will soon have biometric identity screening, but upon deployment, airline staff members will verify identities. If you don’t want to go the self-service lane to drop off your bags, don’t worry. Thwaites says customer service agents will always be there to help you.
Easy access to Oneworld partners
In addition to the new ticket hall and automated bag drop, Alaska Airlines is touting the terminal change as a win-win-win in terms of amenities, access and convenience.
Terminal 1’s new post-security area features amenities including SFO’s third yoga room, a wide variety of seating configurations, numerous charging stations, lounge chairs, inclusive restrooms, children’s play areas , new museum galleries and new restaurants and shops. From Tuesday, there will also be a new lounge accessible to all, The Club SFO.
There is also a “bonus” Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. Terminal 1 has a new security checkpoint on the mezzanine level, accessible from the AirTrain system. And the completion of the terminal 1 connection gateway means that all terminals in SFO are linked after security. It is therefore no longer necessary to leave one terminal, take the AirTrain to another and go through security again during certain connections.
In Harvey Milk T1, Alaska Airlines is now close to its Oneworld alliance partner, American Airlines, and right next to the international terminal. “So connectivity for customers traveling on a long-haul service on our Oneworld partners such as British Airways, Qantas, Cathay, etc., is a much improved proposition,” Thwaites said.
Alaska Airlines to Open Flagship T1 Lounge at SFO in July
Alaska Airlines is putting the finishing touches on a new lounge in Terminal 1 that is expected to open in the second half of July.
The new 11,000-square-foot Alaska Airlines lounge will offer 55 percent more seats than the Terminal 2 lounge, with many of the same amenities. You will see lots of deck chairs; a coffee bar staffed with barista staff; free wine, beer, craft beers and cocktails; a crepe maker; and a changing menu of snacks and small meals. San Francisco-themed touches will be the Acme Bread Company sourdough bread cart and self-serve candy station featuring Ghirardelli chocolates, jelly beans, M&M’s and fortune cookies made by Oakland Fortune Factory.
About 90 percent of the seats in the new lounge will have power outlets for charging gadgets, and there will be two “chat boxes” for private conversations. Locally themed artwork will include a “candy wall” featuring candies made in San Francisco. Unfortunately, the charming kids’ lounge decorated with San Francisco Giants baseball memorabilia will not be moving to the new Terminal 1 lounge, said Liz Vernon, lounge program manager for Alaska Airlines.
Until the Terminal 1 Alaska Airlines Lounge opens, Alaska Lounge and Lounge+ members, as well as first class passengers traveling on flights over 2,000 miles, will be able to use the Terminal 2 Alaska Lounge, which lasts 10 to 15 minutes. walk from the new Alaska Gates in Terminal 1. Lounge+ members also have access to the Admirals Club in Terminal 1 through Gate B13.
