The airport recommends travelers arrive at least two hours in advance of flight departure to allow time to park, check your bag and to get through security stress free. The lines at the ticket counters and security checkpoints will be longer than normal. If you are flying out of Terminal A (United, Delta, American), plan on a 40 minute wait at peak times (5:00am-6:00am).
To make traveling easier, pet therapy dogs from the
Boarding Area Relaxation Corp. (BARC) will be onsite Thanksgiving week and local musicians will serenade customers in the baggage claim area of both terminals during select time slots on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22.
Parking lots will fill and close, so please plan to arrive early, and keep an eye out for signs directing you to open lots, including our new Overflow Lot. Visit our interactive parking map to see current availability and download the PassioGO! app to see real-time parking shuttle status and ETA.
- Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be aware of your options. The new Overflow Lot will open when both the Economy and Daily Lots fill and close.
- Unlike other lots at SMF, the Overflow Lot is a pay ahead lot using a license plate number or last 6 digits of the VIN.
- Hassle-free covered parking is available at the garage ($18/day). A popular option at other times of the year, the garage has abundant spaces during the holidays. It is a few minutes’ walk from either terminal.
- Parking overnight at the Hourly B lot is not recommended, as is it designed – and priced – for people meeting and greeting passengers in Terminal B.
- Prefer to let someone else drive? Ground transportation options include taxicabs, SuperShuttle, offsite van and shuttle bus companies, Yolobus public transportation and app based ride services like Uber or Lyft.
Picking Up Friends and Family
- Waiting at the curb is prohibited unless you are picking up or dropping off passengers. Save gas and avoid circling the terminal by using the free waiting area, also known as the cell phone lot. Located at Crossfield and Lindberg streets, it allows drivers to park for free until their passenger calls to say they are ready to be picked up. Each terminal is a 3-5 minute drive away.
- The doors at Terminal B are numbered and designated by airline name. Tell your passenger to pick a door to wait by. Tip: Traffic is most heavy by doors 1 and 2. Use doors 3 or 4 (close to the parking garage) to reduce traffic delays.
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