The Abridged version:
- Sacramento International is rated one of the best midsize airports in the nation, but current construction projects disrupt some travelers.
- Parking, vehicle access and food options, in particular, have proven challenging. As the busy holiday season looms, travelers may be better off looking for a ride to and from SMF.
- More projects are on the horizon as the airport continues to grow.
If you’re planning to fly in and out of Sacramento International Airport this holiday season, assume the best parking spots are taken and bring your own snacks.
Between an ever-increasing number of travelers and ongoing construction projects limiting parking, the garage and daily lot closest to the airport’s two terminals are already reaching capacity on most days, spokesperson Lindsay Myers said. During the holidays, it’s even more likely the only available parking will be in the more distant economy lots where travelers may have a long wait for shuttle buses to the terminals.
Meanwhile, many of the dining options in Terminals A and B have closed while they’re being updated with new choices that will open over the next few months, but generally not in time for the holiday rush.
Travelers should build in extra time
Despite these limitations, navigating the airport should be smooth as long as travelers build in extra time for parking, Myers said during a recent tour of the airport with Abridged. Although traffic has been hampered occasionally in recent months — often late at night — by changing traffic patterns or road closures to accommodate construction, airport managers plan no similar changes that could cause snags during the holiday season, she said.
And now that the federal government shutdown is over, getting through security should be more predictable.
“As we approach a busy holiday weekend, TSA is prepared to handle the increase in passengers at Sacramento International Airport,” Transportation Security Administration spokesperson Jessica Mayle said.
Also, some travelers may be heading to the airport for the first time since new REAL ID requirements kicked in. Those without the required identification will spend extra time in security screening.
Parking has been tighter since October 2024, when construction began on a 5,500-space parking garage next to Terminal B. Loss of surface parking in an hourly lot where the garage is being built put more pressure on other lots and the existing garage between terminals A and B. The new garage is scheduled to open by the end of 2026.
‘The timing is not ideal’
Making parking even trickier is a lighting and sign update in the existing garage that began in July with one floor closing at a time for 45 days. That update will not end until May.
Add in construction of a pedestrian walkway that will supplement, and eventually replace, the tram between Terminal B and the gates, installation of security bollards in front of Terminal A that is limiting access to the curbfront for drop-offs and pickups, and the restaurant closures, and it may seem a bit chaotic at the airport.
“The timing is not ideal,” said Claudia Bow, a self-proclaimed “aviation nerd” who is at the airport nearly every day picking up or dropping off clients for her concierge car service.
Airport growth driving projects
Why are so many projects happening at once? It has everything to do with growth. Sacramento recovered from the pandemic travel slump faster than many other airports and continues to break travel records monthly. July 2025 was the busiest month ever, with 1.3 million passengers. SMF also offers more nonstop flights than ever.
“This airport is seeing record-breaking travel numbers every month, no matter what time of year it is,” spokesperson Scott Johnston said. “There isn’t any good time to do it. We just have to wear it and get it done.”
The current inconveniences are part of a master plan for the airport to grow with demand, Myers said. The plan triggers specific projects when service levels will fall below acceptable levels.
For example, without the new garage, demand for parking would exceed acceptable supply by 2027–2028, Myers said. The Terminal B tram is reaching the end of its useful life, and even if it stayed in operation, breakdowns would have a growing impact on heavier volumes of travelers. The pedestrian walkway will be more reliable in getting people to their gates.
More significant airport work on the agenda
More projects are coming before the current ones finish. The exit road for Terminal A is about to get reconfigured for better traffic flow. Construction is starting soon on six more gates to be added to the Terminal B concourse beyond the current Southwest Airlines gates.
Southwest, with its passenger arrival and departure areas directly across from the garage construction and its gates next to the upcoming expansion, isn’t expecting the projects to impact its operations, spokesperson Chris Perry said.
In 2027, the airport will have one ground transportation center between the two terminals for taxi, rideshare and shuttle service, and even farther into the future will have a consolidated rental car center by the terminals. More gates at Terminal A and a new Terminal C are also future possibilities.
The current projects are part of a four-year, $1.4 billion plan called SMForward, which is using a combination of airport revenue, grants, loans and bonds. It doesn’t use local taxpayer funds, Johnston said.
Economy lot complaints include infrequent, full buses
For now, frustrations with parking and eating at the airport will continue to be the two most common complaints about an airport that otherwise gets high marks from travelers.
Bow said she sees people walking with their luggage from the economy lots often and questioned why shuttles aren’t more frequent now that parking is tight.
Several buses have been added and drivers are fully staffed, making typical wait times under 10 minutes since August, Myers said. That’s 50% better than wait times a year ago. But the wait for shuttles can be as long as 30 minutes, especially during early morning peak hours. Travelers should plan for longer waits and assume it will take one hour from the time they park to the time they reach their gates.
Dining is another issue.
“How could they close down all of the food?” asked Katrin Kuhlmann, a Davis resident who commutes weekly during the academic year through Terminal A to her job as a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C. She lost her favorite healthy option, Freshii, and now makes sure she brings her own food for her weekly flights.
When the new restaurants open, many will open earlier and stay open later, Myers said. New options will include local favorites Magpie, Cafe Bernardo, One Speed Pizza and Nixtaco. Sidewalk Juice and West Coast Sourdough have already opened in Terminal B.
Airport generally wins high praise
Even with the current inconveniences, Kuhlmann said as a domestic and international frequent flyer, Sacramento airport is one of her favorites — not too big and not too small.
“I find the Sacramento airport to be a traveler’s dream,” she said.
“It’s a gem,” Bow agreed. “It will be lovely when it’s done.”
Tips to navigate Sacramento airport during the holidays
- If you’re planning to park at the airport, assume it will be in a remote lot and factor in one hour for parking. Johnston suggests arriving 2.5 hours early for domestic flights and 3.5 hours early for international flights if you’re parking.
- Check the overhead sign at the airport entrance with real-time information about parking availability. If the sign says the daily lot and garage are full, they’re really full. Follow signs to economy lots rather than thinking you’ll take a chance in the daily lot or garage.
- Monitor airport websites with real-time parking availability and shuttle bus tracking so you know what to expect.
- Consider asking family or friends for a ride, or use Uber, Lyft, car services or taxis to get to and from the airport. Although no trains go to the airport, SacRT route 142 and Yolobus Route 42 are public transit options.
- If you want coffee and the lines at Starbucks and other shops are long, Myers vouches for the Illy coffee machines in the airport concourses. “People are like ‘I’m not going to get coffee from a vending machine,’ which is a mistake,” she said.
Laura Mahoney is a regular contributor, writing Dollars and Sense for Abridged.