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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 Air Canada
Air Canada is perceived to be the largest airline in Canada and is also the flag carrier of the country. The stature is with respect to fleet size and passenger traffic. Founded in 1937, Air Canada provides a scheduled air transport as well as cargo to about 207 international destinations. The airline is recognised as one of the founding members of Star Alliance. The airline's headquarters is located in Montreal, Quebec. Meanwhile, its hub is at Toronto Pearson International Airport. A subsidiary of Air Canada to cater to domestic routes of the country is Air Canada Express. Originally started as Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA), the airline was founded in 1936 by the Canadian federal government. The first transcontinental flight operations of TCA commenced in 1938. Much later, in 1965, Trans-Canada Airlines was renamed to Air Canada, after the airlines received a government approval for the same. Although it was wholly owned by the government, in the 1980s, with the deregulation of the Canadian airline market, Air Canada was eventually privatised in 1988.
In 2000, Air Canada obtained the airline's largest competition in the aviation market, Canadian Airlines. The airlines filed for bankruptcy protection back in 2003, following which it once again emerged after some reorganisation of the management. After Air Canada's privatisation in 1989, the airlines are now listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Air Canada Public Participation Act (ACPPA) limits the ownership of Air Canada's voting interests, especially by non-residents of the country. To ensure that Air Canada's articles sustain its Canadian roots, the Canada Transportation Act has added some restrictions in terms of voting interests for licensed Canadian carriers.
Over the years, Air Canada has further expanded its operating divisions which include subsidiaries such as Air Canada Cargo, Air Canada Jetz, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Vacations. These subsidiaries also include private jet charters and leisure flights. Not to mention how there is a specific airline under Air Canada that only works towards vacation packages. Air Canada Jazz, Air Canada Tango and Zip were formerly part of Air Canada. However, they are not marketed under the airline anymore. The regional partner further adds to the airline's revenue. Along with the regional partners who are part of the fleet, the airline collectively operates about 1,613 scheduled flights on a daily basis.
Fleet size of Air Canada
Air Canada currently handles a total of 173 fleets operational from the airline's hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Part of their fleet majorly operates Airbus and Boeing types of aircraft. Some of the fleet combinations include 19 Boeing 777-300ER (77W), 12 Airbus A330-300 (333), 29 Boeing 787-9 (789), eight Boeing 787-8 (788), 15 Airbus A321-200 (321), 24 Boeing 737 MAX 8 (7M8), six Airbus A220-300 (223), 35 Airbus A320-200 (320) and 16 Airbus A319-100 (319).
In the past, Air Canada's Douglas DC-8-63 fleet was restrained from passenger services in 1983. In fact, out of the total, six of them were converted to DC-8-73F freighters in 1984 and reused as a cargo freight for Air Canada. Eventually, the aircraft were sold off around 1990 and 1994. Similarly, Douglas DC-9-15s were used by Air Canada in 1968. Out of these, the DC-9-32CF was used for commercial cargo flights that operated until 1977. Meanwhile, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32s were utilised by the airline from 1967 to 2002, until they were finally suspended. Airbus A340-500s were used by Air Canada but were later replaced with Boeing 777-200LRs in 2007. It has been recorded that Air Canada was the only airline in North America to operate the A340. The Airbus A340-300s also retired in 2008 and were replaced to add Boeing 777-300ERs by Air Canada. More aircraft from Air Canada were retired, including Boeing 767-200ER fleet that bid farewell to the airline by the end of 2008. many aircraft from the subsidiary fleet were also retired, and the newer fleet was added.
Baggage Allowance
When it comes to baggage allowance in Air Canada flights, it is essential for you to know exactly how much would be ideal for carrying in the cabin as well as for check-in. For overhead bin baggage, the standard dimension is 55cm x 23 cm x 40 cm. The weight could differ depending on the cabin class that you have opted for. For business class and first-class passengers, the weight that can be carried is different from the economy class. As for a personal bag that is also allowed for the passenger to carry, the dimension cannot exceed 33 cm x 16 cm x 43 cm. The contents of the baggage are also specific, so you will need to check the airline's website for all specifics on the same. An additional bag for infant products can also be carried if you are travelling with a child. A complete list of items that can and cannot be carried in flight have been mentioned, which you can peruse through to be certain.
Passengers who are members of the Star Alliance group have the liberty to add extra free baggage that they can carry along with them. The perks of Star Alliance members can also be found out at the official website of Air Canada. The check-in baggage should not weigh more than 32 kg and should have a total linear dimension of 292 cm. Baggage allowance in Air Canada for check-in baggage also comes with some rules and regulations that need to be followed. Certain items are restricted and cannot be carried during travel. For passengers who have taken the codeshare flights which are associated with Air Canada, it would be best to go through the diverse baggage policies that have been applied by the said carrier. A thorough perusal through the website of Air Canada will help you gain better insights.
In-flight services
There are three classes of facilities that Air Canada's in-flight services offer, such as Business/Signature, Premium Economy and Economy. For most of the long-haul international routes for Air Canada, all the three classes are offered. However, for short-haul domestic routes, only business class and economy class are featured in the aircraft.
Signature class (Business class) - Air Canada's in-flight services for business class are available on all the widebody aircraft. They comprise of the executive pod and classic pod to provide privacy, noise cancellation headphones and features AVOD )Audio Video on Demand). The reclining seats can be stretched into flatbeds that extend up to 6 ft 7 inch. The services also include complimentary meals with alcoholic beverages for passengers along with other services such as free WiFi, plug points for laptops and other gadgets.
Premium economy class - The premium class is present in all Airbus A330 along with Boeing 777and Boeing 787 aircraft. The features of the premium economy include larger seats, recliner seats and a seat which can stretch up to 37 to 38 inches. The premium economy class also comes with personalised entertainment decks that can be availed. There are AVOD services available and sent by XM Satellite Radio. The airline also offers in-flight meals and WiFi services. You can even ask for blankets from the cabin crew.
Economy - Compared to the business class and premium economy class, the economy class seats are smaller and have decreased seat pitches that recline up to 4.5 to 6 inches. Personalised AVOD is available for all the passengers, as are other features such as in-flight meals, WiFi services, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, to name a few.
Popular routes and top cities for Air Canada
Air Canada is quite popular as it is not only one of the founding members of Star Alliance but also has an excellent connection with a plethora of domestic and international routes. International routes include Sydney, London, Dusseldorf, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Zurich, Vienna, Delhi, Manchester, Brussels, Madrid, Prague, Singapore, Mumbai and Lisbon. These are the top cities that Air Canada caters to and see excellent services as most of the aircraft used are Boeing and Airbus.
Why travel by Air Canada?
As one of the most popular airlines in the world, Air Canada gives travellers many reasons to pick them over the other airlines. Some of the highlights include the same terminal connection. The airline's hub has one linear terminal connection that makes it easier for passengers to reach for their connecting flights. The airline also offers customs pre-clearance to avoid standing in long queues. You can book Air Canada flights without any hassle as it is available on all travel platforms, including the website of the airlines. Further, you can download the official app of Air Canada on your phone to get flight status as well as flight schedules. Not to mention how web check-in is also possible through their mobile app and website. This makes the procedures simpler for a traveller. Air Canada's in-flight services are also a testament to why it should be chosen over the other airlines for travel. The domestic and international routes taken by Air Canada make their flight connectivity excellent. The airline caters to all your need and hence should be considered.
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.
