San Francisco06 Aug 24 1 Traveller Economy
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About Accra
Accra is the capital of Ghana and is one of the liveliest cities in Africa. It's a wonderful blend of colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers. Accra is also one of the wealthier cities in Africa and has a rich history. The fact that it is so close to the sea is what attracts tourists to the city. Accra is known for its never-ending party parade. The locals don't need a reason to celebrate and start partying from Wednesday through Sunday. You can head to Labadi beach in the middle of the week, and you'll see the locals partying. The loud music, the party atmosphere, the flowing drinks and the hangover that follows the next day is a normal thing for the people here. The city has a lot of open-air venues and amphitheatres where they host live music. The groove never ends in this city. Not just musicians but you will also find a lot of artists in Accra. You can also check the artworks and the various art galleries in the city. You can head up to Aburi Hills if you want a break from the city and turn it into an adventure. Accra is full of surprises and one of the most underrated destinations for an adventurous holiday.
Best Time to Visit Accra
January to May is the high tourist season in Accra. The temperature averages to 28 degree Celsius making it the best time to hit the beach. Though the weather is moderately humid, it doesn't stop you from pursuing any outdoor activities. Make sure you book your hotel in Accra for several weeks in advance because the hotels will not get packed but also increase their rates. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Accra well in advance before the prices increase. Since this is a high tourist season, the party scenes will only get more exciting. You will, however, have to make sure that you are using your sunblock regularly and drink lots of water. You will find yourself attending a lot of beach parties during this season. You might also have to wait in queues at certain major tourist attractions owing to the increase in tourists.
You can also visit the city from June to September. The temperature ranges from 21 to 32 degree Celsius, and it's quite humid, but it still won't stop you from stepping out and exploring the city. The hotel prices and flight fares might drop since this season doesn't have a lot of tourists holidaying in the city. You will get great flight deals to Accra online if you decide to travel to the city during this time of the year.
October to December is also considered to be a great time to head to Accra. The temperature reaches a maximum of 32 degree Celsius, and it does get pretty hot, but it is also a decent time to hit the beach, or you can chill by the pool in your hotel. You might get cheap flight tickets to Accra during these months since only fewer tourists are seen holidaying here during these months. Since the city is known for its vibrant party scenes, you know that you will have a great time at the New Year's parties here. You can pick from nightclubs or beach parties or both. Put on your fanciest outfit and get your groove on.
Places to Visit in Accra
Jamestown Lighthouse is one of the oldest structures in Accra and offers you a magnificent view of the city from up top. Artists Alliance Gallery is an art gallery that you wouldn't want to miss. You will find the quirkiest artworks and exhibitions. Nubuke Foundation is another place to head to if you want to witness and appreciate good artwork. Fantasy Coffins is one of the unique coffin makers in the world. The coffin can come in any form that the customer wants, and it is worth it. Labadi beach is a popular beach in the city that is known for throwing the craziest beach parties, and you will absolutely love spending an evening here. +233 Jazz Bar and Grill is a nightclub that you can go to if outdoor parties are not your cup of tea. This is also one of the oldest music venues in Accra. If you want to have some casual lunch, shop at the fanciest places and then enter a premier nightclub to the wee hours, ICON House is the place for you. You can shop at La Maison, have lunch at Coco Lounge and head to Carbon, one of Accra's premium nightclubs.
Don't feel like doing anything crazy today? You can just go for a walk at the Aburi Botanical Garden. Accra also has quite a lot of other extracurricular activities for tourists, and You can also go horseback riding, play rugby, surf, etc. The city has something in store for all kinds of tourists. You might even make a few friends before you leave the city. You can also check out the package tours that are available with your tour guide. It is best to hire a guide to explore the city so you know the history of Accra and you might even meet new people if it is a guided tour. You can also go on a shopping spree at the local markets here. You will definitely need help with the bags because you will end up purchasing a lot of things at a minimal price. Whether it is souvenirs or clothes or jewellery, you will find everything that you need here.
Things to do in Accra
If you love parties, Accra is the right place for you. The locals start partying Wednesday onwards and keep at it till Sunday. Well, you don't have to party for four days straight if you don't want to, but it is an experience of a lifetime. You can also sign up for a guided sightseeing tour of the city and cover the major attractions. If you don't feel like going sightseeing, you can always hit the beach and just relax there. The beaches in Accra also offer a variety of water activities for you to try, like surfing, boating and so on. You can also go horseback riding if you want to. If you are in the city during a football match league, you are in for a treat. The locals cheer for their favourite teams quite fiercely. You can just go to a sports bar and cheer for whatever team you like with a pint of beer. You will definitely make a lot of friends this way unless you are cheering for the opposite team.
Foods and Restaurants in Accra
Accra, or Ghana for that matter, is not particularly known for its cuisine. Still, you will find a variety of cuisines from all over the world being served at restaurants here. Bread & Wine is an expensive place in Accra but is completely worth all the money spent. It is a perfect restaurant for celebratory meals or a romantic date or a far romantic proposal. The restaurant serves authentic French cuisines that come with an excellent selection of Wine. You can pack some desert and take it home as the restaurant also has its own bakery. Most customers prefer outdoor terrace seating. Kaya Energy Bar and Design is a unique restaurant that creates dishes and drinks using raw ingredients. They believe that food must be enjoyed raw, so you don't lose any of the nutrients in the cooking process. This is the best place to go to if you are health conscious. Craving for some sushi? Head over to Santoku. You can also tie the restaurant's signature dish, pan-fried scallops with foie gras and orange tobiko. You can also opt for the teriyaki pork belly with ginger ponzu aubergine.
Buka is an African restaurant that serves fusion dishes from Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria. It would be best if you tried the fresh fish soup, grilled guinea fowl and jollof rice here. You can also try La Chaumiere, a bistro that specialises in French cuisine. You will find vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, too. You must order the French onion soup and Nicoise salad here.
How to reach Accra
Kotoka International Airport is the international airport that functions from Accra. The flight connectivity to Accra from India is quite good. Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates Airline have more frequent flights to Accra than any other airline, with layovers at Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Dubai. Look out for exciting flight deals to Accra online, especially if you are travelling during peak season. You will get cheap flight tickets to Accra during the offseason since the demand is low. The airport has quite a lot of facilities for passengers like several ATMs, information desk, lounges, WiFi, bars, restaurants, cafes, duty-free shops, car rental services and so on. Getting a cab to your hotel from the airport is not a huge task, and even the airport staff offers to book one for you.
About San Francisco
Located on the coast of Northern California is the culturally rich city of San Francisco. The city has been christened with an array of colloquial names such as SF, The City, San Fran and Frisco. The city is a cultural haven and also the commercial and financial hub of Northern California. With attractions such as Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge, the city of San Francisco is one of the best in the United States as a tourist destination.
Best time to visit San Francisco
March through May can be quite the time to visit San Francisco if you wish to avoid the tourist rush. The temperatures are quite comfortable as they range between 10 degree Celsius to 17 degree Celsius. With the temperatures slowly inching towards summer, it is definitely an excellent time to visit San Francisco. This doesn't mean you will get to take a dip in the Pacific. However, you can still take lovely strolls within the city and savour all the beautiful locales of San Francisco. Plus, these months come with exciting festivals such as San Francisco International Film Festival, Carnaval San Francisco, Bay to Breakers, International Beer Festival and St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival.
Summers start from June through August. Tourism is at its peak with many folks flocking over to the city from various parts of the country and worldwide. The summer temperatures range from 11 degree Celsius to 20 degree Celsius. It is perfect to put on your swimming trunks and head straight to the ocean. The hotel rates do get high in San Francisco as it is peak season. For budget-travellers, this might not be the best time to visit the port city. To ensure that you do find a decent accommodation, you can make prior hotel bookings in San Francisco and let the rest follow. Even the flight tickets to San Francisco sees a surge. Not to mention how the city beams with joy to be entertained by a bevy of festivals such as North Beach Festival, Outside Land Music Festival, San Francisco Pride and more.
Fall is undoubtedly the perfect time to visit if you want to enjoy the warm temperatures and to get a good flight and hotel deals in San Francisco. The fall is warmer than summer, and the temperature is comfortably ranging from 12 degree Celsius to 21 degree Celsius. The sunny skies do feel good on the skin, and the brisk breeze is perfect to have a good time. Plus, the flight tickets and hotel bookings in San Francisco are also cheap and easy on the pockets. You will thoroughly have a good time during your trip to the city. Not to mention how there are some festivals too hosted by the city such as the San Francisco Fringe Festival, Castro Street Fair and Treasure Island Music Festival. You will have to pack your clothes that fit the weather's features. A little layer in terms of clothing would do you good. Try to avoid winters in San Francisco. Even though the hotel prices in San Francisco are cheap, the weather might be unfavourable for tourist activities.
Places to see in San Francisco
San Francisco might be a small city in terms of area, but with the packed tourist attractions, food and living culture and much more, it's tourism easily skyrockets. The assortment of outdoor activities that the city has to offer is mind-blowing. The first thing for you to do in San Francisco as part of your tourist endeavour would be to visit the Golden Gate Bridge. The legendary bridge cannot be missed for the view it offers as it faces the San Francisco Bay. The structure was originally constructed to bridge the gap between San Francisco and Marin County. Of course, Alcatraz Island is also a trip that you shouldn't miss. You will need to take a ferry ride to reach the island of Alcatraz, known for its reputation as a federal prison which housed some of the biggest offenders in the US history. They also had mob boss Al Capone in custody at Alcatraz.
Fisherman's Wharf is another lovely place that would be a fun expedition. The pier is often crowded with tourists as it has a slew of interesting attractions such as San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park as well as the Maritime Museum. More places that should be on your list include Lands End, Muir Woods National Monument, Ferry Building Marketplace, The Castro, Yerba Buena Gardens and more.
Things to do in San Francisco
The best part about a trip to San Francisco is the covey of cool activities that can be undertaken. Right from climbing the popular Twin Peaks to riding the cable cars, you have a lot of interesting things you can take up. In fact, divulging in their food culture would be the best of things to do when in San Francisco.
Food and Restaurants in San Francisco
San Francisco's casual lifestyle brings forth a lovely melange of cuisines and flavours that range from budget to upscale. Thanks to the perfect balance of cuisines and Michelin-starred food establishments, the city has easily turned into one of the best food destinations of the US. It is easily one of the most recognised cities in the country with exquisite food. There are quaint coffee shops, steakhouses, Italian trattorias and of course, Chinatown too. You name a cuisine, and San Francisco has it for you. Their commitment towards encouraging diversity in international cuisine is what makes their food culture so popular. You will be surprised to know that the Bay Area alone has over 50 farmers market experiences in store for you. You should definitely visit the farm-to-table styled food establishment called Chez Panisse. The place brings out flavours with fresh ingredients that would certainly go down well with your system. You should also check out the Ferry Building Marketplace. There are many culinary treats that you will be able to find here.
It will take you more than one trip to San Francisco to cover up all the food establishments in the city. Some of the classics include Boudin's, which has clam chowder as its big seller. You should also visit Tartine Bakery to relish some sweet treats. Speaking of the same, you should also check out Bi-Rite Creamery. The ice cream parlour manages to bring forth some exquisite sweet flavours in a cup with sprinklers and other fun toppings. Golden Gate Bakery is another good establishment for sweet and savoury food. They are known for their egg tarts in the city. Geoff of Ichido is also a good place where you can indulge in some Japanese and Asian seafood. Know that the city is on the Pacific coast and hence, has seafood as its top big seller. At the cafe De Casa, you can revel in some exquisite Brazillian cuisine. At Tacorea, you can find a good array of Mexican dishes. As stated, the city has an array of international cuisine, including Greek and Mediterranean. You can actually find this at the Kokkari Estiatorio. Of course, do not miss their breweries and roasteries at Anchor Brewing Company and Philz Coffee respectively.
How to reach San Francisco (Transportation)
San Francisco has brilliant flight connectivity. In fact, the city does see a lot of demand from Indians as it does have some of the finest universities, including UC Berkeley. Flight connectivity to San Francisco from major Indian metropolitan cities is immaculate. Although there are no direct flights to San Francisco from India, they usually have layovers in international cities. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Swiss, to name a few, have dedicated flights flying to San Francisco. The most popular route chosen to fly to San Francisco from India is from cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. In fact, Cathay Pacific is the most popular airline to take this international route to San Francisco. The flight is perfectly connected to San Francisco and reaches the city in close to 21 hours. Singapore Airlines also has excellent connectivity and stops at Singapore to reach San Francisco. For this route though, you will need a transit visa.
With Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, you wouldn't have to worry about changing flights in international cities. In fact, the flight simply has layovers in these cities before reaching the destination. Other airlines mentioned also have flights that directly connect to San Francisco with layovers in their respective cities. The flight tickets to San Francisco are quite reasonable. If you do make prior flight bookings to San Francisco, you might be able to get some discounts. There are innumerable online flight deals to San Francisco that you might be able to avail. Depending on the airlines you choose, the ticket price to San Francisco might vary. It would be best to book your flight and hotels in advance. Often it is recommended that you book your flight and hotels in San Francisco together. When you combine the two bookings, you might be in for some fantastic online deals. Even airlines have their own flight deals to San Francisco that you can avail.
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company QCSC primarily operates under the name of Qatar Airways, is the state-owned airline that is also the flag carrier of Qatar. Qatar Airways' headquarters is located in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha. The airline operates as a hub and spoke network with domestic and international routes that connect to over 150 destinations. The airline has excellent flight connectivity with major international cities spread across Asia, Africa, America, Oceania and Europe. Qatar Airways' main hub is at Hamad International Airport, the newest airport to have taken over all the international operations from Doha International Airport. The airline is a member of the three alliance airlines groups, Oneworld. Qatar Airways joined the bandwagon of the airline alliances in 2013 and is touted to be the first Gulf carrier to be a part of the same. Akbar Al Baker is the newly appointed CEO of Qatar Airways who took his position in 2017. He is also a member of the Heathrow Airport board and has been serving the position since 1996.
The airline is wholly owned by the Qatari government and sees all its operations run under the control of the government. The movement took place in 2014 after a major buyout of 50 per cent took place from the former foreign minister and other shareholders. As of 2018, the Qatar Airways Group is known to employ about 45,000 people out of which 32,000 are directly employed for the airline. Qatar Airways is also recognised as one of the largest shareholders in the International Airlines Group, which operates British Airways and Iberia flights. The airline holds 25.1 per cent of shares in the company.
Qatar Airways came into existence in 1993 with its operations commencing in 1994. The airline served Jordan's capital Amman in the same year. Initially, the airline had only 75 employed staff as well as a fleet of two Airbus A310s that served the international routes of Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Kuwait, Bangkok, Madras, Osaka, Tokyo, London, Kuwait, Trivandrum and more. In the same year, two of All Nippon Airways' former Boeing 747s were bought from the aircraft company. Qatar Airways further acquired a second-hand Boeing 747SP in 1996 from Air Mauritius. Over the years, the airlines managed to reach more destinations including Bangalore, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Hanoi, Phuket, Nice, Kolkata, Medina, Oslo, Venice and more. Over the years, Qatar Airways has expanded its horizons in terms of investment by putting money in a slew of ventures and organisations. Primarily, some of the sponsorships include investing in Sky News, FC Barcelona (shirt sponsor), FIFA Partner in 2018 and the official sponsor for 2022 FIFA World Cups, official airline partner for FIA Formula E Championship and more.
Fleet size of Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways currently handles a fleet of 237 aircraft which only comprises of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. From Airbus A350s, A380s to Boeing 777s and Boeing 787s, the airline has worked to bring forth only the top big aircraft.
Qatar Airways Baggage Allowance
Qatar Airways' baggage allowance protocols are mentioned on the website of the airlines. For the first-class passengers, the airline allows two bags that should not exceed 32 kg and should be within the dimensions of 158 cm. The weight and dimension mentioned are the maximum that you can carry. These are only restricted to flights flying to and from Brazil, Argentina, Canada and the US. As for the other international destinations, a maximum of 50 kg with 300 cm dimensions are allowed. Business-class baggage allowance also follows 32 kg weight and the dimension of 158 cm. 2 pieces of bags are allowed for the passenger to carry. Once again, these are only restricted to the passengers flying to and from cities in Brazil, Argentina, Canada and the US. As for cities worldwide, the airline offers 40 kg weight for baggage with a dimension that should not exceed 300 cm. The economy class is also allowed to carry two pieces of baggage, but the weight should not exceed 23 kg. The maximum dimension should also not go beyond 158 cm, similar to the other baggage allowance. It is applicable for cities such as Argentina, Canada and the US.
The economy class allows passengers to carry 30 kg maximum with dimensions of 300 cm. As for bags that can be allowed in the cabin, the passengers can take about two bags weighing 7 kg in economy class while the first class and business class passengers can carry up to 15 kg of baggage.
Qatar Airways In-flight services
First-class - Qatar Airways' in-flight services are phenomenal as it is a boutique airline. The passenger legroom is over 6.5 ft with reclining seats that can be converted into flat beds with added feather duvets. The additional feature of Qatar Airways' first-class cabin is the functions the seats come with. These include massage functions as well as a dedicated entertainment deck within the private first-class suite. The features on Qatar Airways' A380 have a 90-inch seat pitch that can also be transformed into a full flatbed. A 26-inch television screen with personalised entertainment decks. The seat configuration of A380 is 1-2-1. Meanwhile, Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft also has a two-class configuration.
Business-class - The business class of Qatar Airways flights are quite exquisite as well. The comfortable seats can be turned into full flatbeds that have a seat configuration of 1-2-1. The seating arrangement is available on Airbus A380, Airbus A350, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787. The medium and long-haul flights have seats in the configuration of 2-2-2 which also offers flatbed seating that reclines to about 180 degrees and has massage functions too. Much recently, Qatar Airways also introduced new business class seats for their A320 aircraft. The airlines offer personalised entertainment decks on every seat as well as various other in-flight services. The business class is named Qsuite cabin which offers doors and offers window sides on single seats, middle section suites that can be converted into a quad room and allow four passengers to face each other and form a dining-room set.
Economy class - Skytrax named Qatar Airways' economy class as the best in the world for the year 2009 and 2010. The economy class has a seat pitch of 34 inches with individual TV screens for personalised entertainment. These are available on Airbus A350, A380 as well as Boeing 777 and 787. The airline has been making some alterations with better seats and less personal space. The LED monitor has the best in-flight entertainment services. You can also access the internet with the free WiFi, USB ports and power plug points. There are delicious meals available in-flight.
Popular routes and top cities for Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways has developed into one of the best airlines with respect to flight connectivity. In 2014, the official functions of Doha International Airport were shut down with Doha's Hamad International Airport becoming the new hub for flight operations. The airline has been providing flight services to several international destinations. The airline has excellent connectivity and follows a good range of domestic and international routes. In 2012, the airlines included new destinations such as Addis Ababa, Baghdad, Maputo, Mombasa, Yangon, Erbil, Kilimanjaro, Belgrade, Zagreb, Saint Petersburg, Warsaw and Perth, to name a few. Later in 2014, Qatar Airways also added a few more destinations worldwide and added 146 cities in total. The airlines previously also added more international routes to its network such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Haneda, Miami, Edinburgh, Djibouti, Turkey, Amsterdam and more. The airlines joined Oneworld in 2013 and became the first major Gulf carrier to be a part of alliance airlines group.
A decision to bar Qatar Airways flights from entering Emirati, Bahraini, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian airspace, following a 2017 diplomatic crisis surrounding these countries. In fact, airlines from these countries have also been banned from entering the Qatari airspace as well as airports. Qatar Airways launched its first flight to Davao, the Philippines from Doha in 2019. In the same year, the airlines also introduced flights to Langkawi with a view to expanding its plans in Southeast Asia. The international route is the airlines' third destination in Malaysia following Penang and Kuala Lumpur. The airline also has undertaken codeshare agreements with airlines such as Air Botswana, Comair, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, IndiGo, Japan Airlines, American Airlines and Iberia, to name a few.
Why travel by Qatar Airways?
Qatar Airways, with its world-class in-flight services and tremendously good connection, is one of the best airlines in the world. The airline strictly caters to luxury travelling, which can be experienced in their flights. You can easily book Qatar Airways flights on the internet as they are available on almost all the travel portals. Not to mention how they have exemplary connections with their domestic routes and international routes. Further, the airline has made knowing more about flight status and Qatar Airways flight schedule easy and accessible. Provisions for web check-in are also available on the official website of Qatar Airways. Such convenient facilities make them an ideal airline.
About San Francisco Airport
San Francisco International Airport is located in the San Mateo County of California. It is 21 km away from downtown San Francisco and is located close to San Bruno. The international airport is one of the major getaways for airlines connecting Europe and Asia. After Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport is the second busiest airport in California. The airport is also recognised to be the largest in the Bay Area. It stands at the 24th level on the global list of busiest airports. San Francisco International Airport is also the fifth-largest hub for United Airlines. It operates as a transpacific getaway to the country. The second big airlines that it serves base to is Alaska Airlines. Much recently, the airport started serving Virgin America airlines as the base for operations. The airport has four runways made of asphalt and is arranged in parallel intersections. It has been recorded that SFO witnesses about 1,287 flight operations in a day with approximately 470,164 taking place in a year.
About Airport Terminals
San Francisco International Airport has four functioning terminals namely, 1, 2, 3 and international. These are followed by seven concourses of boarding areas and has 115 gates in total. Terminal 1 caters to boarding areas arranged in alphabetical orders of B and D. Terminal 2 accommodates boarding area D and Terminal 3 takes care of boarding areas E and F. This terminal also handles operations of domestic flights. Meanwhile, the international terminal has boarding A and G with the majority of international flight operations along with a handful of domestic flights. Terminal 1 is also referred to as Harvey Milk Terminal 1 which works predominantly for domestic flight operations. Terminal 2 also caters to domestic flights and hosts airlines such as Virgin America and American Airlines. Terminal 2 has been constructed to cater to sustainability. It is considered to be eco-friendly with respect to paper ticketing and parking bays. Level 2 is reserved for domestic boarding and is in area D. Terminal 3 is also domestic but is directly connected to the International Terminal. It has exclusive functions of inbound and outbound flights by United Airlines and flies within the US. International Terminal is divided into level 2 for arrival and baggage claim and level 3 for departures. Level 2 also has check-in and boarding area.
About Airport Authority
Despite its location in the San Mateo County, San Francisco International Airport is owned and managed by the City and County of San Francisco. The airport is an enterprise that falls under the wing of City and County of San Francisco which strives to bring about a safe and secure travel expedition. The management is responsible for the expansion and infrastructural design and development of San Francisco International Airport. The airport authority recently announced plans to switch to sustainable fuels and have already signed agreements with agencies, fuel suppliers and airlines to enable the same. Following the same, the agreement brought together Shell and NkyNGR to supply sustainable fuels for aviation to KLM, Finnair and SAS flights that operate out of San Francisco International Airport. The airport's body has also been working on enhancing the runway structures' sturdiness as well as that of the terminals and buildings to withstand natural calamities, following an earthquake that took place in the county. Plans to expand Terminal 1 is also being conducted and is scheduled to complete by 2024.
Top airlines flying from San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport has only one Indian airline that operates from the city, Air India. Besides this, the rest of the airlines that operate from the airport are mostly international airlines. The airlines are well-connected to Europe and Asian continents. The domestic connectivity of SFO Airport is also quite good as it reaches almost all cities of the United States. The international airlines operating from San Francisco International Airport are Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. The airport also accommodates a decent number of cargo planes to operate from the vicinity. Carriers such as Asiana Cargo, DHL Aviation, FedEx Express, Korean Air Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines are some of the few prominent ones.
Facilities at the San Francisco International Airport
Airport Butler - Airport Butler is a customised concierge service that is available at the airport. You can avail these services as they include assistance with respect to check-in, personal shopping, translations for non-English speaking travellers, lounge reservations, business services and more. You can make prior bookings and customise the necessities that you might need.
In-transit hotel - The airport actually has a luxury hotel present in the proximity of the airport's terminals. With the views of the Bay, the rooms at SFO's Grand Hyatt are beautiful and accessible. You can take the AirTrain to reach the hotel from the airport. The features of the hotel cater to upscaled hospitality.
Medical services - There are dedicated pharmacies and medical rooms at the San Francisco International Airport. The medical rooms with professionals are stationed for emergency cases that would happen at the terminals. You can also make last-minute medical purchases at the airport pharmacy.
Pets and service animals - Travellers who are travelling with pets can avail some services as well. There are reserved areas where the pet can do their business. There are some experts at the airport too who can help you with your pet.
Spas and showers - There is accommodation for luxury services such as spas and showers. You might have to pay some nominal fee before you can get hold of the services. You can use the showers to refresh yourself if you need to go for a professional meeting. There are spas too where you can get a good massage.
A travel agency - There are specific travel agency booths that are present at the San Francisco International Airport. In case there are any last-minute bookings that you need to make, you can directly head to the airport. You can get your complete travel itinerary sorted along with accommodation bookings.
Yoga Room - San Francisco International Airport is the first airport in the world to have a Yoga Room. The room is located in terminal 2, and you can indulge in yoga while you wait for the connecting flight or for the layover period to be over.
SFO museum - The San Francisco International Airport has a museum and a few galleries installed for travellers' entertainment. There are public art, photography exhibits, student art and video arts that can be found at the San Francisco Museum.
AMTs and currency exchange - The airport has ATM kiosks located at convenient spots. The terminals also have a foreign exchange booth at the departure zones and arrivals. It would be very convenient for international travellers.
Airport lounges – The airport also caters to a slew of lounges located at various departure zones of all the terminals. There are first-class and business-class lounges for travellers holding the respective flight tickets. The airport also has a VIP lounge, meeting rooms and other spaces where one can avail luxury services and hospitality.
WiFi and internet – The airport provides free WiFi services for travellers. You can visit the information desk to get more details on how you can procure the service. Not to mention how the airport also has internet cafes where you can get your work done.
How to reach San Francisco International Airport
Bus
SamTrans, a transit agency of San Mateo County, has dedicated buses that connect to the San Francisco International Airport. You will have to check out their schedules and the routes to know which ones would reach you to the SFO Airport. They can be accessed from the arrivals or baggage counter of the airport.
Car and rentals
The airport sees good connectivity by road, and you can always use rentals or taxis to reach the San Francisco International Airport. You can actually find booths and counters to book transport from the airport itself. Apps such as Lyft and Uber are also available and would be perfect to use when at the airport terminal's arrival section. If you are driving down to SFO Airport, you should opt for the short freeway that links the US 101 with Interstate 280. As the airport is on the US Route 101, this is the most favourable route to reach the San Francisco International Airport. The airport also has short term and long term parking facilities available, in case you plan to do on a day tour.
Ferry
A favourable way to reach the San Francisco International Airport is to take the ferry. From the San Francisco Bay, there are ferry services that go to Oakland and Alameda. You can reach the ferry by taking SFO Airport's shuttle bus services. This can be found at the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal.
About Accra
Accra is the capital of Ghana and is one of the liveliest cities in Africa. It's a wonderful blend of colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers. Accra is also one of the wealthier cities in Africa and has a rich history. The fact that it is so close to the sea is what attracts tourists to the city. Accra is known for its never-ending party parade. The locals don't need a reason to celebrate and start partying from Wednesday through Sunday. You can head to Labadi beach in the middle of the week, and you'll see the locals partying. The loud music, the party atmosphere, the flowing drinks and the hangover that follows the next day is a normal thing for the people here. The city has a lot of open-air venues and amphitheatres where they host live music. The groove never ends in this city. Not just musicians but you will also find a lot of artists in Accra. You can also check the artworks and the various art galleries in the city. You can head up to Aburi Hills if you want a break from the city and turn it into an adventure. Accra is full of surprises and one of the most underrated destinations for an adventurous holiday.
Best Time to Visit Accra
January to May is the high tourist season in Accra. The temperature averages to 28 degree Celsius making it the best time to hit the beach. Though the weather is moderately humid, it doesn't stop you from pursuing any outdoor activities. Make sure you book your hotel in Accra for several weeks in advance because the hotels will not get packed but also increase their rates. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Accra well in advance before the prices increase. Since this is a high tourist season, the party scenes will only get more exciting. You will, however, have to make sure that you are using your sunblock regularly and drink lots of water. You will find yourself attending a lot of beach parties during this season. You might also have to wait in queues at certain major tourist attractions owing to the increase in tourists.
You can also visit the city from June to September. The temperature ranges from 21 to 32 degree Celsius, and it's quite humid, but it still won't stop you from stepping out and exploring the city. The hotel prices and flight fares might drop since this season doesn't have a lot of tourists holidaying in the city. You will get great flight deals to Accra online if you decide to travel to the city during this time of the year.
October to December is also considered to be a great time to head to Accra. The temperature reaches a maximum of 32 degree Celsius, and it does get pretty hot, but it is also a decent time to hit the beach, or you can chill by the pool in your hotel. You might get cheap flight tickets to Accra during these months since only fewer tourists are seen holidaying here during these months. Since the city is known for its vibrant party scenes, you know that you will have a great time at the New Year's parties here. You can pick from nightclubs or beach parties or both. Put on your fanciest outfit and get your groove on.
Places to Visit in Accra
Jamestown Lighthouse is one of the oldest structures in Accra and offers you a magnificent view of the city from up top. Artists Alliance Gallery is an art gallery that you wouldn't want to miss. You will find the quirkiest artworks and exhibitions. Nubuke Foundation is another place to head to if you want to witness and appreciate good artwork. Fantasy Coffins is one of the unique coffin makers in the world. The coffin can come in any form that the customer wants, and it is worth it. Labadi beach is a popular beach in the city that is known for throwing the craziest beach parties, and you will absolutely love spending an evening here. +233 Jazz Bar and Grill is a nightclub that you can go to if outdoor parties are not your cup of tea. This is also one of the oldest music venues in Accra. If you want to have some casual lunch, shop at the fanciest places and then enter a premier nightclub to the wee hours, ICON House is the place for you. You can shop at La Maison, have lunch at Coco Lounge and head to Carbon, one of Accra's premium nightclubs.
Don't feel like doing anything crazy today? You can just go for a walk at the Aburi Botanical Garden. Accra also has quite a lot of other extracurricular activities for tourists, and You can also go horseback riding, play rugby, surf, etc. The city has something in store for all kinds of tourists. You might even make a few friends before you leave the city. You can also check out the package tours that are available with your tour guide. It is best to hire a guide to explore the city so you know the history of Accra and you might even meet new people if it is a guided tour. You can also go on a shopping spree at the local markets here. You will definitely need help with the bags because you will end up purchasing a lot of things at a minimal price. Whether it is souvenirs or clothes or jewellery, you will find everything that you need here.
Things to do in Accra
If you love parties, Accra is the right place for you. The locals start partying Wednesday onwards and keep at it till Sunday. Well, you don't have to party for four days straight if you don't want to, but it is an experience of a lifetime. You can also sign up for a guided sightseeing tour of the city and cover the major attractions. If you don't feel like going sightseeing, you can always hit the beach and just relax there. The beaches in Accra also offer a variety of water activities for you to try, like surfing, boating and so on. You can also go horseback riding if you want to. If you are in the city during a football match league, you are in for a treat. The locals cheer for their favourite teams quite fiercely. You can just go to a sports bar and cheer for whatever team you like with a pint of beer. You will definitely make a lot of friends this way unless you are cheering for the opposite team.
Foods and Restaurants in Accra
Accra, or Ghana for that matter, is not particularly known for its cuisine. Still, you will find a variety of cuisines from all over the world being served at restaurants here. Bread & Wine is an expensive place in Accra but is completely worth all the money spent. It is a perfect restaurant for celebratory meals or a romantic date or a far romantic proposal. The restaurant serves authentic French cuisines that come with an excellent selection of Wine. You can pack some desert and take it home as the restaurant also has its own bakery. Most customers prefer outdoor terrace seating. Kaya Energy Bar and Design is a unique restaurant that creates dishes and drinks using raw ingredients. They believe that food must be enjoyed raw, so you don't lose any of the nutrients in the cooking process. This is the best place to go to if you are health conscious. Craving for some sushi? Head over to Santoku. You can also tie the restaurant's signature dish, pan-fried scallops with foie gras and orange tobiko. You can also opt for the teriyaki pork belly with ginger ponzu aubergine.
Buka is an African restaurant that serves fusion dishes from Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria. It would be best if you tried the fresh fish soup, grilled guinea fowl and jollof rice here. You can also try La Chaumiere, a bistro that specialises in French cuisine. You will find vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, too. You must order the French onion soup and Nicoise salad here.
How to reach Accra
Kotoka International Airport is the international airport that functions from Accra. The flight connectivity to Accra from India is quite good. Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates Airline have more frequent flights to Accra than any other airline, with layovers at Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Dubai. Look out for exciting flight deals to Accra online, especially if you are travelling during peak season. You will get cheap flight tickets to Accra during the offseason since the demand is low. The airport has quite a lot of facilities for passengers like several ATMs, information desk, lounges, WiFi, bars, restaurants, cafes, duty-free shops, car rental services and so on. Getting a cab to your hotel from the airport is not a huge task, and even the airport staff offers to book one for you.
About San Francisco
Located on the coast of Northern California is the culturally rich city of San Francisco. The city has been christened with an array of colloquial names such as SF, The City, San Fran and Frisco. The city is a cultural haven and also the commercial and financial hub of Northern California. With attractions such as Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge, the city of San Francisco is one of the best in the United States as a tourist destination.
Best time to visit San Francisco
March through May can be quite the time to visit San Francisco if you wish to avoid the tourist rush. The temperatures are quite comfortable as they range between 10 degree Celsius to 17 degree Celsius. With the temperatures slowly inching towards summer, it is definitely an excellent time to visit San Francisco. This doesn't mean you will get to take a dip in the Pacific. However, you can still take lovely strolls within the city and savour all the beautiful locales of San Francisco. Plus, these months come with exciting festivals such as San Francisco International Film Festival, Carnaval San Francisco, Bay to Breakers, International Beer Festival and St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival.
Summers start from June through August. Tourism is at its peak with many folks flocking over to the city from various parts of the country and worldwide. The summer temperatures range from 11 degree Celsius to 20 degree Celsius. It is perfect to put on your swimming trunks and head straight to the ocean. The hotel rates do get high in San Francisco as it is peak season. For budget-travellers, this might not be the best time to visit the port city. To ensure that you do find a decent accommodation, you can make prior hotel bookings in San Francisco and let the rest follow. Even the flight tickets to San Francisco sees a surge. Not to mention how the city beams with joy to be entertained by a bevy of festivals such as North Beach Festival, Outside Land Music Festival, San Francisco Pride and more.
Fall is undoubtedly the perfect time to visit if you want to enjoy the warm temperatures and to get a good flight and hotel deals in San Francisco. The fall is warmer than summer, and the temperature is comfortably ranging from 12 degree Celsius to 21 degree Celsius. The sunny skies do feel good on the skin, and the brisk breeze is perfect to have a good time. Plus, the flight tickets and hotel bookings in San Francisco are also cheap and easy on the pockets. You will thoroughly have a good time during your trip to the city. Not to mention how there are some festivals too hosted by the city such as the San Francisco Fringe Festival, Castro Street Fair and Treasure Island Music Festival. You will have to pack your clothes that fit the weather's features. A little layer in terms of clothing would do you good. Try to avoid winters in San Francisco. Even though the hotel prices in San Francisco are cheap, the weather might be unfavourable for tourist activities.
Places to see in San Francisco
San Francisco might be a small city in terms of area, but with the packed tourist attractions, food and living culture and much more, it's tourism easily skyrockets. The assortment of outdoor activities that the city has to offer is mind-blowing. The first thing for you to do in San Francisco as part of your tourist endeavour would be to visit the Golden Gate Bridge. The legendary bridge cannot be missed for the view it offers as it faces the San Francisco Bay. The structure was originally constructed to bridge the gap between San Francisco and Marin County. Of course, Alcatraz Island is also a trip that you shouldn't miss. You will need to take a ferry ride to reach the island of Alcatraz, known for its reputation as a federal prison which housed some of the biggest offenders in the US history. They also had mob boss Al Capone in custody at Alcatraz.
Fisherman's Wharf is another lovely place that would be a fun expedition. The pier is often crowded with tourists as it has a slew of interesting attractions such as San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park as well as the Maritime Museum. More places that should be on your list include Lands End, Muir Woods National Monument, Ferry Building Marketplace, The Castro, Yerba Buena Gardens and more.
Things to do in San Francisco
The best part about a trip to San Francisco is the covey of cool activities that can be undertaken. Right from climbing the popular Twin Peaks to riding the cable cars, you have a lot of interesting things you can take up. In fact, divulging in their food culture would be the best of things to do when in San Francisco.
Food and Restaurants in San Francisco
San Francisco's casual lifestyle brings forth a lovely melange of cuisines and flavours that range from budget to upscale. Thanks to the perfect balance of cuisines and Michelin-starred food establishments, the city has easily turned into one of the best food destinations of the US. It is easily one of the most recognised cities in the country with exquisite food. There are quaint coffee shops, steakhouses, Italian trattorias and of course, Chinatown too. You name a cuisine, and San Francisco has it for you. Their commitment towards encouraging diversity in international cuisine is what makes their food culture so popular. You will be surprised to know that the Bay Area alone has over 50 farmers market experiences in store for you. You should definitely visit the farm-to-table styled food establishment called Chez Panisse. The place brings out flavours with fresh ingredients that would certainly go down well with your system. You should also check out the Ferry Building Marketplace. There are many culinary treats that you will be able to find here.
It will take you more than one trip to San Francisco to cover up all the food establishments in the city. Some of the classics include Boudin's, which has clam chowder as its big seller. You should also visit Tartine Bakery to relish some sweet treats. Speaking of the same, you should also check out Bi-Rite Creamery. The ice cream parlour manages to bring forth some exquisite sweet flavours in a cup with sprinklers and other fun toppings. Golden Gate Bakery is another good establishment for sweet and savoury food. They are known for their egg tarts in the city. Geoff of Ichido is also a good place where you can indulge in some Japanese and Asian seafood. Know that the city is on the Pacific coast and hence, has seafood as its top big seller. At the cafe De Casa, you can revel in some exquisite Brazillian cuisine. At Tacorea, you can find a good array of Mexican dishes. As stated, the city has an array of international cuisine, including Greek and Mediterranean. You can actually find this at the Kokkari Estiatorio. Of course, do not miss their breweries and roasteries at Anchor Brewing Company and Philz Coffee respectively.
How to reach San Francisco (Transportation)
San Francisco has brilliant flight connectivity. In fact, the city does see a lot of demand from Indians as it does have some of the finest universities, including UC Berkeley. Flight connectivity to San Francisco from major Indian metropolitan cities is immaculate. Although there are no direct flights to San Francisco from India, they usually have layovers in international cities. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Swiss, to name a few, have dedicated flights flying to San Francisco. The most popular route chosen to fly to San Francisco from India is from cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. In fact, Cathay Pacific is the most popular airline to take this international route to San Francisco. The flight is perfectly connected to San Francisco and reaches the city in close to 21 hours. Singapore Airlines also has excellent connectivity and stops at Singapore to reach San Francisco. For this route though, you will need a transit visa.
With Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, you wouldn't have to worry about changing flights in international cities. In fact, the flight simply has layovers in these cities before reaching the destination. Other airlines mentioned also have flights that directly connect to San Francisco with layovers in their respective cities. The flight tickets to San Francisco are quite reasonable. If you do make prior flight bookings to San Francisco, you might be able to get some discounts. There are innumerable online flight deals to San Francisco that you might be able to avail. Depending on the airlines you choose, the ticket price to San Francisco might vary. It would be best to book your flight and hotels in advance. Often it is recommended that you book your flight and hotels in San Francisco together. When you combine the two bookings, you might be in for some fantastic online deals. Even airlines have their own flight deals to San Francisco that you can avail.
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company QCSC primarily operates under the name of Qatar Airways, is the state-owned airline that is also the flag carrier of Qatar. Qatar Airways' headquarters is located in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha. The airline operates as a hub and spoke network with domestic and international routes that connect to over 150 destinations. The airline has excellent flight connectivity with major international cities spread across Asia, Africa, America, Oceania and Europe. Qatar Airways' main hub is at Hamad International Airport, the newest airport to have taken over all the international operations from Doha International Airport. The airline is a member of the three alliance airlines groups, Oneworld. Qatar Airways joined the bandwagon of the airline alliances in 2013 and is touted to be the first Gulf carrier to be a part of the same. Akbar Al Baker is the newly appointed CEO of Qatar Airways who took his position in 2017. He is also a member of the Heathrow Airport board and has been serving the position since 1996.
The airline is wholly owned by the Qatari government and sees all its operations run under the control of the government. The movement took place in 2014 after a major buyout of 50 per cent took place from the former foreign minister and other shareholders. As of 2018, the Qatar Airways Group is known to employ about 45,000 people out of which 32,000 are directly employed for the airline. Qatar Airways is also recognised as one of the largest shareholders in the International Airlines Group, which operates British Airways and Iberia flights. The airline holds 25.1 per cent of shares in the company.
Qatar Airways came into existence in 1993 with its operations commencing in 1994. The airline served Jordan's capital Amman in the same year. Initially, the airline had only 75 employed staff as well as a fleet of two Airbus A310s that served the international routes of Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Kuwait, Bangkok, Madras, Osaka, Tokyo, London, Kuwait, Trivandrum and more. In the same year, two of All Nippon Airways' former Boeing 747s were bought from the aircraft company. Qatar Airways further acquired a second-hand Boeing 747SP in 1996 from Air Mauritius. Over the years, the airlines managed to reach more destinations including Bangalore, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Hanoi, Phuket, Nice, Kolkata, Medina, Oslo, Venice and more. Over the years, Qatar Airways has expanded its horizons in terms of investment by putting money in a slew of ventures and organisations. Primarily, some of the sponsorships include investing in Sky News, FC Barcelona (shirt sponsor), FIFA Partner in 2018 and the official sponsor for 2022 FIFA World Cups, official airline partner for FIA Formula E Championship and more.
Fleet size of Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways currently handles a fleet of 237 aircraft which only comprises of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. From Airbus A350s, A380s to Boeing 777s and Boeing 787s, the airline has worked to bring forth only the top big aircraft.
Qatar Airways Baggage Allowance
Qatar Airways' baggage allowance protocols are mentioned on the website of the airlines. For the first-class passengers, the airline allows two bags that should not exceed 32 kg and should be within the dimensions of 158 cm. The weight and dimension mentioned are the maximum that you can carry. These are only restricted to flights flying to and from Brazil, Argentina, Canada and the US. As for the other international destinations, a maximum of 50 kg with 300 cm dimensions are allowed. Business-class baggage allowance also follows 32 kg weight and the dimension of 158 cm. 2 pieces of bags are allowed for the passenger to carry. Once again, these are only restricted to the passengers flying to and from cities in Brazil, Argentina, Canada and the US. As for cities worldwide, the airline offers 40 kg weight for baggage with a dimension that should not exceed 300 cm. The economy class is also allowed to carry two pieces of baggage, but the weight should not exceed 23 kg. The maximum dimension should also not go beyond 158 cm, similar to the other baggage allowance. It is applicable for cities such as Argentina, Canada and the US.
The economy class allows passengers to carry 30 kg maximum with dimensions of 300 cm. As for bags that can be allowed in the cabin, the passengers can take about two bags weighing 7 kg in economy class while the first class and business class passengers can carry up to 15 kg of baggage.
Qatar Airways In-flight services
First-class - Qatar Airways' in-flight services are phenomenal as it is a boutique airline. The passenger legroom is over 6.5 ft with reclining seats that can be converted into flat beds with added feather duvets. The additional feature of Qatar Airways' first-class cabin is the functions the seats come with. These include massage functions as well as a dedicated entertainment deck within the private first-class suite. The features on Qatar Airways' A380 have a 90-inch seat pitch that can also be transformed into a full flatbed. A 26-inch television screen with personalised entertainment decks. The seat configuration of A380 is 1-2-1. Meanwhile, Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft also has a two-class configuration.
Business-class - The business class of Qatar Airways flights are quite exquisite as well. The comfortable seats can be turned into full flatbeds that have a seat configuration of 1-2-1. The seating arrangement is available on Airbus A380, Airbus A350, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787. The medium and long-haul flights have seats in the configuration of 2-2-2 which also offers flatbed seating that reclines to about 180 degrees and has massage functions too. Much recently, Qatar Airways also introduced new business class seats for their A320 aircraft. The airlines offer personalised entertainment decks on every seat as well as various other in-flight services. The business class is named Qsuite cabin which offers doors and offers window sides on single seats, middle section suites that can be converted into a quad room and allow four passengers to face each other and form a dining-room set.
Economy class - Skytrax named Qatar Airways' economy class as the best in the world for the year 2009 and 2010. The economy class has a seat pitch of 34 inches with individual TV screens for personalised entertainment. These are available on Airbus A350, A380 as well as Boeing 777 and 787. The airline has been making some alterations with better seats and less personal space. The LED monitor has the best in-flight entertainment services. You can also access the internet with the free WiFi, USB ports and power plug points. There are delicious meals available in-flight.
Popular routes and top cities for Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways has developed into one of the best airlines with respect to flight connectivity. In 2014, the official functions of Doha International Airport were shut down with Doha's Hamad International Airport becoming the new hub for flight operations. The airline has been providing flight services to several international destinations. The airline has excellent connectivity and follows a good range of domestic and international routes. In 2012, the airlines included new destinations such as Addis Ababa, Baghdad, Maputo, Mombasa, Yangon, Erbil, Kilimanjaro, Belgrade, Zagreb, Saint Petersburg, Warsaw and Perth, to name a few. Later in 2014, Qatar Airways also added a few more destinations worldwide and added 146 cities in total. The airlines previously also added more international routes to its network such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Haneda, Miami, Edinburgh, Djibouti, Turkey, Amsterdam and more. The airlines joined Oneworld in 2013 and became the first major Gulf carrier to be a part of alliance airlines group.
A decision to bar Qatar Airways flights from entering Emirati, Bahraini, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian airspace, following a 2017 diplomatic crisis surrounding these countries. In fact, airlines from these countries have also been banned from entering the Qatari airspace as well as airports. Qatar Airways launched its first flight to Davao, the Philippines from Doha in 2019. In the same year, the airlines also introduced flights to Langkawi with a view to expanding its plans in Southeast Asia. The international route is the airlines' third destination in Malaysia following Penang and Kuala Lumpur. The airline also has undertaken codeshare agreements with airlines such as Air Botswana, Comair, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, IndiGo, Japan Airlines, American Airlines and Iberia, to name a few.
Why travel by Qatar Airways?
Qatar Airways, with its world-class in-flight services and tremendously good connection, is one of the best airlines in the world. The airline strictly caters to luxury travelling, which can be experienced in their flights. You can easily book Qatar Airways flights on the internet as they are available on almost all the travel portals. Not to mention how they have exemplary connections with their domestic routes and international routes. Further, the airline has made knowing more about flight status and Qatar Airways flight schedule easy and accessible. Provisions for web check-in are also available on the official website of Qatar Airways. Such convenient facilities make them an ideal airline.
About San Francisco Airport
San Francisco International Airport is located in the San Mateo County of California. It is 21 km away from downtown San Francisco and is located close to San Bruno. The international airport is one of the major getaways for airlines connecting Europe and Asia. After Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport is the second busiest airport in California. The airport is also recognised to be the largest in the Bay Area. It stands at the 24th level on the global list of busiest airports. San Francisco International Airport is also the fifth-largest hub for United Airlines. It operates as a transpacific getaway to the country. The second big airlines that it serves base to is Alaska Airlines. Much recently, the airport started serving Virgin America airlines as the base for operations. The airport has four runways made of asphalt and is arranged in parallel intersections. It has been recorded that SFO witnesses about 1,287 flight operations in a day with approximately 470,164 taking place in a year.
About Airport Terminals
San Francisco International Airport has four functioning terminals namely, 1, 2, 3 and international. These are followed by seven concourses of boarding areas and has 115 gates in total. Terminal 1 caters to boarding areas arranged in alphabetical orders of B and D. Terminal 2 accommodates boarding area D and Terminal 3 takes care of boarding areas E and F. This terminal also handles operations of domestic flights. Meanwhile, the international terminal has boarding A and G with the majority of international flight operations along with a handful of domestic flights. Terminal 1 is also referred to as Harvey Milk Terminal 1 which works predominantly for domestic flight operations. Terminal 2 also caters to domestic flights and hosts airlines such as Virgin America and American Airlines. Terminal 2 has been constructed to cater to sustainability. It is considered to be eco-friendly with respect to paper ticketing and parking bays. Level 2 is reserved for domestic boarding and is in area D. Terminal 3 is also domestic but is directly connected to the International Terminal. It has exclusive functions of inbound and outbound flights by United Airlines and flies within the US. International Terminal is divided into level 2 for arrival and baggage claim and level 3 for departures. Level 2 also has check-in and boarding area.
About Airport Authority
Despite its location in the San Mateo County, San Francisco International Airport is owned and managed by the City and County of San Francisco. The airport is an enterprise that falls under the wing of City and County of San Francisco which strives to bring about a safe and secure travel expedition. The management is responsible for the expansion and infrastructural design and development of San Francisco International Airport. The airport authority recently announced plans to switch to sustainable fuels and have already signed agreements with agencies, fuel suppliers and airlines to enable the same. Following the same, the agreement brought together Shell and NkyNGR to supply sustainable fuels for aviation to KLM, Finnair and SAS flights that operate out of San Francisco International Airport. The airport's body has also been working on enhancing the runway structures' sturdiness as well as that of the terminals and buildings to withstand natural calamities, following an earthquake that took place in the county. Plans to expand Terminal 1 is also being conducted and is scheduled to complete by 2024.
Top airlines flying from San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport has only one Indian airline that operates from the city, Air India. Besides this, the rest of the airlines that operate from the airport are mostly international airlines. The airlines are well-connected to Europe and Asian continents. The domestic connectivity of SFO Airport is also quite good as it reaches almost all cities of the United States. The international airlines operating from San Francisco International Airport are Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. The airport also accommodates a decent number of cargo planes to operate from the vicinity. Carriers such as Asiana Cargo, DHL Aviation, FedEx Express, Korean Air Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines are some of the few prominent ones.
Facilities at the San Francisco International Airport
Airport Butler - Airport Butler is a customised concierge service that is available at the airport. You can avail these services as they include assistance with respect to check-in, personal shopping, translations for non-English speaking travellers, lounge reservations, business services and more. You can make prior bookings and customise the necessities that you might need.
In-transit hotel - The airport actually has a luxury hotel present in the proximity of the airport's terminals. With the views of the Bay, the rooms at SFO's Grand Hyatt are beautiful and accessible. You can take the AirTrain to reach the hotel from the airport. The features of the hotel cater to upscaled hospitality.
Medical services - There are dedicated pharmacies and medical rooms at the San Francisco International Airport. The medical rooms with professionals are stationed for emergency cases that would happen at the terminals. You can also make last-minute medical purchases at the airport pharmacy.
Pets and service animals - Travellers who are travelling with pets can avail some services as well. There are reserved areas where the pet can do their business. There are some experts at the airport too who can help you with your pet.
Spas and showers - There is accommodation for luxury services such as spas and showers. You might have to pay some nominal fee before you can get hold of the services. You can use the showers to refresh yourself if you need to go for a professional meeting. There are spas too where you can get a good massage.
A travel agency - There are specific travel agency booths that are present at the San Francisco International Airport. In case there are any last-minute bookings that you need to make, you can directly head to the airport. You can get your complete travel itinerary sorted along with accommodation bookings.
Yoga Room - San Francisco International Airport is the first airport in the world to have a Yoga Room. The room is located in terminal 2, and you can indulge in yoga while you wait for the connecting flight or for the layover period to be over.
SFO museum - The San Francisco International Airport has a museum and a few galleries installed for travellers' entertainment. There are public art, photography exhibits, student art and video arts that can be found at the San Francisco Museum.
AMTs and currency exchange - The airport has ATM kiosks located at convenient spots. The terminals also have a foreign exchange booth at the departure zones and arrivals. It would be very convenient for international travellers.
Airport lounges – The airport also caters to a slew of lounges located at various departure zones of all the terminals. There are first-class and business-class lounges for travellers holding the respective flight tickets. The airport also has a VIP lounge, meeting rooms and other spaces where one can avail luxury services and hospitality.
WiFi and internet – The airport provides free WiFi services for travellers. You can visit the information desk to get more details on how you can procure the service. Not to mention how the airport also has internet cafes where you can get your work done.
How to reach San Francisco International Airport
Bus
SamTrans, a transit agency of San Mateo County, has dedicated buses that connect to the San Francisco International Airport. You will have to check out their schedules and the routes to know which ones would reach you to the SFO Airport. They can be accessed from the arrivals or baggage counter of the airport.
Car and rentals
The airport sees good connectivity by road, and you can always use rentals or taxis to reach the San Francisco International Airport. You can actually find booths and counters to book transport from the airport itself. Apps such as Lyft and Uber are also available and would be perfect to use when at the airport terminal's arrival section. If you are driving down to SFO Airport, you should opt for the short freeway that links the US 101 with Interstate 280. As the airport is on the US Route 101, this is the most favourable route to reach the San Francisco International Airport. The airport also has short term and long term parking facilities available, in case you plan to do on a day tour.
Ferry
A favourable way to reach the San Francisco International Airport is to take the ferry. From the San Francisco Bay, there are ferry services that go to Oakland and Alameda. You can reach the ferry by taking SFO Airport's shuttle bus services. This can be found at the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal.
