Bayfront Park at San Francisco Airport

Updated: October 2026 – If you want to watch planes in San Francisco, you will almost inevitably end up at Bayfront Park in Millbrae. The narrow waterfront park lies southwest of San Francisco Airport, directly across from the touchdown zones of runways 28L and 28R. Because SFO handles almost all landings on these two runways in the prevailing westerly winds, aircraft from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the whole US network stream in over the bay every few minutes.

This page explains what you see from the shore, when the light works, how to deal with the heat haze and how to get there without parking stress. For an overview of all the spots in the city, see the guide Plane spotting in San Francisco.

A park on the bay, an airport in the water

SFO is not next to the city but largely on reclaimed land in San Francisco Bay, about 19 kilometers south of the city in San Mateo County. For spotters that has a clear consequence: most edges of the airport border water, and there are hardly any public vantage points at the fence. The west side along the shores of Millbrae and Burlingame is the part that is practically usable.

This is exactly where Bayfront Park is. It runs as a narrow green strip with a waterfront path between Old Bayshore Highway and the water, only a few steps from large airport hotels. Walkers, joggers and cyclists use the path just like spotters do.

The park is simply equipped: a few benches, some shade, nothing else. According to Spotterguide.net, you will find restrooms only in the hotels behind it. In return the view is clear – across the water to the two landing runways, the taxiways and part of the terminal area.

SFO at a glance: two runway pairs crossing

The airport opened in 1927 as Mills Field and is owned by the City and County of San Francisco. It is the largest aviation hub in the Bay Area and, after Los Angeles, the second-largest airport in California. In 2025 SFO counted about 54.5 million passengers and well over 416,000 aircraft movements. United Airlines uses SFO as its most important gateway across the Pacific, and Alaska Airlines also operates a hub here.

The four runways form two pairs that cross:

Runway pair	Runway	Length	Typical use	From Bayfront Park
East-west	10L/28R	3,618 m	Landings on 28R, international departures	clearly visible, farther back
East-west	10R/28L	3,469 m	Landings on 28L, heavy departures	directly across the water
North-south	01R/19L	2,637 m	Domestic departures on 01R	hidden by a fence
North-south	01L/19R	2,332 m	Domestic departures on 01L	hidden by a fence

The special feature is runways 28L and 28R: their centerlines are only about 230 meters (750 feet) apart. That is extremely tight for two parallel landing runways and has shaped operations in San Francisco for decades – more on that below. For more background on the airport, see the page on San Francisco Airport.

Runway configuration: why almost everything lands on 28

SFO mostly operates in the so-called West Plan. The wind in the bay usually comes from the west to northwest, which is why aircraft land on 28L and 28R from the east over the water. In this plan domestic departures go off runways 01L and 01R toward the north, while the heavy long-haul departures to Asia and Europe mostly use the longer 28 runways. According to Wikipedia, this configuration applies about 81 percent of the time, and in strong wind all departures and landings run over 28L and 28R for another roughly 15 percent.

For you that means Bayfront Park delivers on the vast majority of days. Only in southeast wind, typically during winter rainstorms, does SFO switch to the Southeast Plan – about 4 percent of the time according to Wikipedia. Then aircraft land on 19L and 19R, depart from 10L and 10R – and it gets quiet on the shore in Millbrae.

Configuration	What you see at Bayfront Park	When	Recommendation
West Plan (normal case)	Landings on 28L/28R, taxiing traffic, some heavy departures	Most of the year	Park is the first choice
West Plan in strong wind	Landings and departures on 28L/28R	In strong west wind	Very rewarding, lots of traffic
Southeast Plan	Hardly anything in front of your lens	In southeast wind and rain	Pick another day

Construction work can also change the picture. According to Wikipedia, a roughly six-month rehabilitation of runway 01R/19L is also under way in 2026. How such phases affect everyday spotting is explained in the article Runway closures and construction work. For the basics on wind direction, read the guide Understanding runway configuration at an airport.

Parallel approaches to 28L and 28R

The tightly spaced parallel runways made SFO famous among spotters. For decades, two aircraft were allowed to fly side-by-side visual approaches in good weather. That created the classic San Francisco shot: two jets gliding almost simultaneously side by side over the bay. In 2017 The Points Guy also described the so-called “kiss” – one aircraft lands on 28R while another taxis right next to it to 28L.

On March 31, 2026, the US aviation authority FAA permanently banned these side-by-side visual approaches, according to AVweb. The agency cited safety concerns: the old procedures for runways spaced this closely no longer met today’s standards. Since then approaches have been staggered with more distance between the aircraft. Together with ongoing construction work, arrival capacity fell from 54 to 36 aircraft per hour according to AVweb.

What does that mean for you on the shore? You still see pairs on both runways, but offset: one aircraft touches down on 28L, and the next comes in shortly after on 28R. The classic formation picture at the same height is now the exception. In low clouds and poor visibility the number of landings per hour drops further. How instrument approaches work in general is explained in the article ILS approach explained.

Light and photography

The park lies southwest of the touchdown zones, so you look northeast across the water. From midday the sun is in the south and southwest and therefore behind you. That is why Spotterguide.net recommends the time from midday to sunset, and Flightline Aviation Media also names the afternoon. In the morning the light comes from the side or at an angle from the front, and the aircraft are then often in shadow on the side you photograph.

The biggest problem is the heat haze. Spotterguide.net calls it a huge problem that occurs even in winter because of the distance and the expanse of water. In summer warm air passes over the cool water of the bay, and distant aircraft quickly turn mushy. Three rules of thumb follow from this:

• Concentrate on widebody jets. According to Spotterguide.net, short- and medium-haul aircraft look too small at this distance, and heavy crops amplify the shimmer.
• Shoot in the early afternoon or on cool days. According to Flightline Aviation Media, fall to spring brings the best conditions.
• Stay away from the midday heat in summer. Then photograph the final approach farther out over the water rather than the touchdown.

For focal length, up to 400 mm is enough for the big aircraft according to Flightline Aviation Media, and Spotterguide.net names about 400 mm for an A380. A telephoto zoom of roughly 100 to 400 mm covers the spot well. You can read more on choosing a lens in the article Which focal length for plane spotting?, and tricks against the shimmer in the guide Avoiding heat haze.

Spotterguide.net also points out a flag nearby that can poke into the frame depending on where you stand. A few steps along the shore usually solve that.

What you get to see at SFO

Because almost all landings run over 28L and 28R, at Bayfront Park you see practically all of SFO’s international traffic. Flightline Aviation Media stresses exactly that: all international airlines use these runways. Among others, these carriers fly to San Francisco – some routes are seasonal, so check the current schedule in advance:

• US airlines: United Airlines dominates the airport with long-haul across the Pacific and a dense domestic network. In addition there are Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines.
• From Germany and Switzerland: Lufthansa connects SFO with Frankfurt and Munich, Swiss with Zurich, and Condor flies seasonally from Frankfurt.
• Rest of Europe: KLM, Air France, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Aer Lingus and Turkish Airlines.
• Asia and the Pacific: Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Japan Airlines, ZIPAIR, Korean Air, Asiana (only until December 2026 according to the schedule), Philippine Airlines, Air New Zealand and Qantas.
• Middle East: Emirates and Qatar Airways.
• Canada: Air Canada and WestJet.
• Cargo: among others FedEx Express, Kalitta Air and Amazon Air.

Among types, the Boeing 777-300ER, the 787-9 and 787-10 and the Airbus A350-900 dominate on long-haul. SFO has several gates designed for the A380 – whether and which airline is currently sending the superjumbo depends on the schedule, so a look at the flight tracker is worthwhile. In domestic traffic you see a lot of Boeing 737 MAX 9, 737-800 and Airbus A321neo, plus regional jets such as the Embraer E175. If telling them apart is hard for you, the article A350 or Boeing 787? helps.

All three big alliances are strongly represented: Star Alliance with United, Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA and Singapore Airlines, oneworld with Alaska, American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and JAL, and SkyTeam with Delta, Air France, KLM and Korean Air.

Getting there: BART, shuttle or car

Bayfront Park is easy to reach by public transit. Millbrae station is a hub where BART and Caltrain meet. From there you walk east along Millbrae Avenue and across the bridge over US-101 to the shore – roughly one to one and a half kilometers on the map. Check current connections with BART or Caltrain in advance.

If you are coming straight from the airport, hotel shuttles are a convenient option: according to Spotterguide.net they run to the big hotels right at the park. On foot from the international terminal, the guide estimates about 30 minutes. The Points Guy described the park as less than a mile from the arrivals area and took a taxi.

By car you leave US-101 at the Millbrae Avenue exit, drive one block east and turn right onto Old Bayshore Highway. After a few hundred meters the park is on your left. The problem is parking: according to Spotterguide.net there are only about 10 to 15 free spaces, which spotters share with walkers. The rest belongs to the hotel. If you come on a weekend, be there early or switch to the train right away.

An alternative is an overnight stay in one of the airport hotels on the shore. Then you are at the water within minutes, have a restroom and coffee nearby and can react flexibly to weather and runway configuration.

How a good day at Bayfront Park goes

For what else belongs in your camera bag, see the Equipment checklist for plane spotting. If you are brand new, the guide Plane spotting for beginners helps you get started.

Alternative spots and additions at SFO

Bayfront Park covers the landings on 28L and 28R. For other perspectives, these additions are worth it:

Coyote Point lies farther south in San Mateo and juts out into the bay. According to Flightline Aviation Media, you are closer to the final approach there, do not need an extreme telephoto and get less heat haze. It is a recreation area with an admission or parking fee – check the current conditions before your visit.

Fisherman’s Park in Burlingame is, according to Spotterguide.net, a small park with free parking from which you see only landings on 28L. Here you need more like 300 to 500 mm.

At the airport itself there is the SkyTerrace in Terminal 2, before security, with a view of the apron and runways. It is open only on certain days, and the glass makes photos difficult. For places on airport grounds such as the AirTrain stations or parking garages, SFO requires a photography permit according to Spotterguide.net – find out in advance before you take out your camera there.

If you are traveling the West Coast, it is worth combining this with other classics. In Los Angeles, Imperial Hill and the In-N-Out Burger at LAX await, and farther north the Larry Berg Flight Path Park in Vancouver and the Boeing world in Everett at Paine Field. Which other spots around the world belong on the list is shown in the article Spotting spots around the world: the bucket list.

Rules on the shore

Bayfront Park is a public park that spotters share with walkers, joggers and cyclists. To keep it relaxed, a few simple rules apply.

Consideration also applies on the waterfront path: set your tripod and bag down so that cyclists and pedestrians can get past, take your trash with you and use the hotel restrooms only with a friendly word at the front desk or as a guest. A relaxed atmosphere keeps the park a pleasant place for everyone.

Conclusion

Bayfront Park is the most straightforward way into the traffic at SFO. It is public, free, reachable by train and lies exactly where almost all landings pass in west wind. The mix of Asia, Europe and Middle East long-haul and the United hub is hard to beat on the West Coast.

Its limits are just as clear: distance and water cause strong heat haze, short-haul jets look small, parking is scarce, and departures from 01L/01R stay hidden. Since the FAA ended side-by-side visual approaches in March 2026, the legendary formation picture on 28L/28R is also history. If you come from midday, concentrate on the widebody jets and choose cool, clear days, you will still take home strong pictures.