San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is moving forward with plans to build a private luxury terminal exclusively for passengers willing to pay a premium. The terminal will feature private security lines, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) services for international travel, and valet service from terminal to tarmac, catering to commercial flights rather than business or corporate jets.
Project Details and Timeline
SFO is seeking bidders to develop, construct, and operate the 75,000-square-foot terminal, located across the runway from all current public terminals. The airport will accept proposals from late September to early October, with a contract award expected by early December. The terminal is slated to open in late 2028.
Airport spokesperson Doug Yakel cited a “high level of demand” for “premium experiences” in travel, noting the popularity of existing credit card and premium lounges. “Somebody that uses this product really wouldn’t see the other passengers they’re traveling with until they’re taken up the stairs of the jet bridge and on to the aircraft,” Yakel said.
Market Context and Pricing
The move comes amid a rise in spending on “pay-to-play” luxury experiences, according to a Bain & Company and Altagamma report. The airline industry has revamped lounges and onboard experiences with chef-designed menus and expanded premium seating. In San Francisco, an AI-driven wealth boom is already affecting the housing market, with homes selling at the fastest pace in five years and a median single-family home price of $2.2 million.
Pricing for the private terminal will be determined by the winning bidder, offered on a membership or per-use basis. Yakel said the traffic at public terminals likely won’t change. Comparable services include PS (formerly The Private Suite) at airports like Los Angeles, Dallas Fort Worth, Miami, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, where a one-time experience costs $1,295, or up to $4,850 for a yearly membership. Heathrow’s private terminal costs thousands of pounds per person.
Global Precedents and Competition
Private terminals have become popular worldwide. London Heathrow and Paris-Charles de Gaulle have long operated luxury terminals, and São Paulo/Guarulhos recently opened the first in Latin America. PS has expressed interest in opening private terminals at every major US airport by 2030. Multiple PS representatives attended a June conference hosted by SFO about the private terminal.
SFO’s interest reflects a broader trend. “We see the level of interest that’s being invested onboard aircraft, inside terminals, around airports, and clearly this is something that other airports are rolling out,” Yakel said. If successful, SFO would become the next major US airport to offer such a facility.
