Take a look inside Alaska Airlines' swanky new lounge at SFO
When Alaska Airlines switched operations from Terminal 2 to Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in mid-June, passengers still had to make a long trek to Terminal 2 to use the airline’s lounge.
But now that Alaska Airlines has opened a new, swanky 11,000-square-foot lounge in Terminal 1, that hassle is long gone.
Finding the new Alaska Airlines lounge at SFO
The new Alaska Airlines lounge is in Terminal 1 across from Gate B6 and Amy’s Drive-Thru and is just a few doors down from The Club at SFO. You can find the entrance between the Pack-N-Go store and the Proper Food grab-and-go venue — once you're inside, you'll need to go up a floor via the elevator or stairs to access the lounge.
Visitors can expect 230 seats (that's 55% more seating than the T2 lounge), impressive views of the airfield, upgraded food and drink options (including dual pancake printers) and plenty of charging ports.
Need quiet?
Once you enter the new Alaska Airlines lounge, turn right into the quiet area. Here, you can take your pick of plush seating options, from couches and cubby booths to Alaska’s popular lounger chairs.
Since seats are arranged near a set of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the tarmac, Alaska's quiet area is a fantastic place to spot planes in peace.
If you need to take an important call, the SFO location is the first Alaska Airlines lounge to offer TalkBox Office Phone Booths, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep in mind that while these booths do offer privacy, they are not totally soundproof. I stepped inside and pretended to have a heated work conversation, and people seated nearby could hear me.
Plenty of complimentary food and drinks
For food and drinks, turn left after you check in at the welcome desk.
If you need a bit of jet fuel yourself, there are two barista-staffed coffee stations in the lounge that serve up complimentary espresso drinks made with beans from San Francisco’s Ritual Coffee Roasters.
Remember the popular candy station from the Terminal 2 lounge? It's moved here. Help yourself to jars filled with squares of Ghirardelli chocolates, various hues of Jelly Belly jelly beans and multicolored fortune cookies made by the Oakland Fortune Factory.
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However, travelers cannot (or should not ) live on caffeine and candy alone. So, if you move along to the "real" food section, you’ll find muffins, sourdough bread, English muffins and a bagel station with spread options that include butter, jams and garlic guacamole. Also, there's not just one but two of the fan-favorite pancake-printing machines, along with an assortment of syrups and toppings.
The buffet table spread varies by season, but during our visit, options included a well-stocked ramen noodle station and everything you’d need to make a healthy protein-rich salad. There was also a nice selection of soups, meats and rice dishes.
If the complimentary food items aren’t quite enough for you, the bar offers a food-for-purchase menu from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The options include pizza ($7), cheeseburgers ($12), chicken tenders ($10), chicken teriyaki pot stickers ($12) and tater tots or fries ($5).
Drink up!
In addition to the espresso station, the new Alaska lounge has self-service coffee machines, water machines and a Coca-Cola Freestyle soda machine that lets you mix and match flavors, as well as a bar staffed by friendly bartenders. If you want a place to unwind with the drink of your choice, there are plenty of seating options near large TV screens and windows.
Other than complimentary local craft brews, West Coast wines, cocktails and creative mocktails, the bar offers premium wines and top-shelf spirits for purchase.
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Bonus amenities and features
Power outlets are next to just about every seat and can (seemingly) accommodate any kind of plug.
Sustainability rules here. So, while baristas will give you the option to have your espresso drink served up in a to-go cup, you will find very few single-use items in the lounge. There are no paper plates or plastic utensils in sight. Instead of individual plastic packs of butter, jam, salt and pepper, the food area is stocked with glass jars filled with butter balls and jam, as well as salt and pepper shakers. Signs on the paper napkin dispensers ask you to “Save the trees” and “Take only what you need.”
What’s missing?
Regular visitors to Alaska Airlines’ lounge in Terminal 1 may notice that a few features didn’t make the switch over to Terminal 2. The vintage-style sourdough cart is gone — sourdough bread is now just an option at the bread station. There’s no cozy fire pit. Additionally, the memorabilia-adorned San Francisco Giants-themed kids room is no more.
Still, the new lounge is so "wow" that had we not mentioned what's missing, you probably wouldn’t have noticed that these former features are gone.
How to get into the Alaska Airlines lounge at SFO
Single-entry day passes for Alaska Airlines lounges may be available, depending on lounge capacity.
Entry to this lounge is also open to Alaska Lounge members, Alaska Lounge+ members and first-class passengers with paid or award tickets on flights 2,000 miles or more. For full details and to see if there are other ways to access the new lounge, see Alaska Airlines’ list of lounge policies and rules.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.