SAN FRANCISCO, October 4, 2026 — Update to our October 1 story. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) planned to move most departures back to Runways 1L and 1R on Saturday, October 3. That is the airport’s normal layout, last used before Runway 1R closed in March. Fleet Week flying is expected to change traffic patterns on the afternoons of October 8 to 12.
What changed since October 1
We reported on October 1 that Runway 1R reopened on September 29 after a six-month, $215 million rebuild. The new detail, published by Airways on October 3, is the return to the usual runway split:
| Period | Departures | Arrivals |
|---|---|---|
| March 30 to early October (1R closed) | Runways 28L and 28R | Runways 28L and 28R |
| From Saturday, October 3 | Mostly Runways 1L and 1R | Runways 28L and 28R |
- Source of the change: SFO’s Aircraft Noise Office, as reported by Airways. We did not find independent confirmation that the switch took place on schedule.
- Arrival rate: 45 to 48 aircraft an hour in good weather, up from 36 during construction. The pre-construction rate was 54.
- Poor visibility: the rate stays at about 36 an hour because of spacing rules on SFO’s closely spaced parallel runways.
- Wind: strong winds can still push departures back onto the 28s.
- Date for a return to 54 arrivals an hour: TBA.
Fleet Week, October 8 to 12
Airways reports that Fleet Week activity is expected to alter SFO traffic on the afternoons of October 8 to 12. A local events listing shows practice flights on Thursday, October 8, from about 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and the air show on October 9, 10 and 11 from noon to 4:00 p.m. SFO delay estimates for those afternoons: TBA.
What it means for non-revs
- Clear-weather days at SFO should run closer to schedule. Taking departures off the arrival runways removes a bottleneck that slowed the airport all summer. That means fewer misconnects for standby travellers.
- Fog mornings are unchanged. In low visibility SFO still drops to about 36 arrivals an hour, so expect metering and late inbound aircraft.
- Avoid tight afternoon connections from October 8 to 12. If you can, fly through SFO in the morning on those days, before the Fleet Week flying window.
- Loads do not change. This affects delays, not the number of seats. Check loads as usual.
Sources
- Airways — San Francisco International Airport Plans October 3 Return to 1L/1R Departures
- CBS San Francisco — SFO expects fewer potential delays as runway improvement closure ends
- Funcheap SF — San Francisco Fleet Week 2026: Air Show + Schedule of Events
Get NonRev Travel News by email
A weekly recap newsletter, sent out every Sunday, with the airline, airport, cruise and travel-warning news that matters to airline employees and retirees. Free.
Subscribe free
