Take a look inside Alaska Airlines' swanky new lounge at SFO

24.07.2024 - 20:16 / thepointsguy.com

When Alaska Airlines switched operations from Terminal 2 to Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in mid-June, passengers still had to make a long trek to Terminal 2 to use the airline's lounge.

But now that Alaska Airlines has opened a new, swanky 11,000-square-foot lounge in Terminal 1, that hassle is long gone.

The new Alaska Airlines lounge is in Terminal 1 across from Gate B6 and Amy's Drive-Thru and is just a few doors down from The Club at SFO. You can find the entrance between the Pack-N-Go store and the Proper Food grab-and-go venue — once you're inside, you'll need to go up a floor via the elevator or stairs to access the lounge.

Visitors can expect 230 seats (that's 55% more seating than the T2 lounge), impressive views of the airfield, upgraded food and drink options (including dual pancake printers) and plenty of charging ports.

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Once you enter the new Alaska Airlines lounge, turn right into the quiet area. Here, you can take your pick of plush seating options, from couches and cubby booths to Alaska's popular lounger chairs.

Since seats are arranged near a set of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the tarmac, Alaska's quiet area is a fantastic place to spot planes in peace.

If you need to take an important call, the SFO location is the first Alaska Airlines lounge to offer TalkBox Office Phone Booths, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep in mind that while these booths do offer privacy, they are not totally soundproof. I stepped inside and pretended to have a heated work conversation, and people seated nearby could hear me.

For food and drinks, turn left after you check in at the welcome desk.

If you need a bit of jet fuel yourself, there are two barista-staffed coffee stations in the lounge that serve up complimentary espresso drinks made with beans from San Francisco's Ritual Coffee Roasters.

Remember the popular candy station from the Terminal 2 lounge? It's moved here. Help yourself to jars filled with squares of Ghirardelli chocolates, various hues of Jelly Belly jelly beans and multicolored fortune cookies made by the Oakland Fortune Factory.

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However, travelers cannot (or should not ) live on caffeine and candy alone. So, if you move along to the "real" food section, you'll find muffins, sourdough bread, English muffins and a bagel station with spread options that include butter, jams and garlic guacamole. Also, there's not just one but two of the fan-favorite pancake-printing machines, along with an assortment of syrups and toppings.

The buffet table spread varies by season, but during