San Diego Airport (SAN) Terminals Guide: Which Airline Where

San Diego International Airport (SAN) has two terminals. Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier, Breeze, Sun Country, Air Canada and WestJet use the new Terminal 1. Alaska and American use Terminal 2 East, and Delta, United, Hawaiian and the long-haul international airlines use Terminal 2 West. The airport is right on the edge of downtown, and the Route 992 bus reaches Santa Fe Depot in about 15 minutes.

Which airline uses which terminal

The airport moved several airlines when the new Terminal 1 opened in September 2025, and more changes came in early 2026. This is the current split from the airport’s airline terminal guide and its January 2026 update:

Terminal	Airlines
Terminal 1	Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier, Breeze, Sun Country, Air Canada, WestJet
Terminal 2 East	Alaska Airlines, American Airlines
Terminal 2 West	Delta, United, Hawaiian, British Airways, Japan Airlines, KLM, Copa

Always check the terminal on your boarding pass or the airline app on the day you fly. Assignments are still changing while construction continues.

Southwest terminal at San Diego

Southwest is the largest airline in the new Terminal 1. If you last flew Southwest out of SAN before fall 2025, you used the cramped old Terminal 1, which has since been demolished. The new building has 69 self-service kiosks that any airline can use, more security lanes and seven baggage carousels in place of the old three.

Delta, United and American

Delta and United are in Terminal 2 West. American, which is also the airline to look for if you’re searching for the old US Airways, is in Terminal 2 East. US Airways merged into American, and the brand no longer flies. Delta is scheduled to move to Terminal 1 in 2028, so expect that answer to change.

Alaska, Hawaiian and JetBlue

Alaska is in Terminal 2 East. Hawaiian is listed in Terminal 2 West, so don’t assume it shares Alaska’s gates. JetBlue moved to the new Terminal 1.

SkyWest flights

SkyWest is a regional carrier that flies under partner brands such as United Express, Delta Connection, Alaska and American Eagle. Your ticket will name the partner airline, and that’s the terminal you need. A SkyWest-operated United Express flight leaves from Terminal 2 West with United, for example.

International flights

Air Canada (gates 116 and 117) and WestJet (gate 118) moved to Terminal 1 on January 14, 2026. Their ticket counters are in the east lobby of the Terminal 1 ticket hall. Flights from major Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal are pre-cleared for U.S. entry, so you don’t go through customs at SAN. British Airways, Japan Airlines, KLM and Copa remain in Terminal 2 West. Japan Airlines’ Tokyo service goes daily from August 1, 2026.

The new Terminal 1: what’s open and what isn’t

The new Terminal 1 opened with 19 gates. The airport plans 11 more for a total of 30, with the last eight expected in early 2028. The whole program costs about $3.8 billion. A five-story Terminal 1 parking plaza is already open, and a new airport roadway opened in summer 2025 to ease traffic.

Two things are still in progress:

• Getting between terminals. The short road between Terminals 1 and 2 closed in September 2025 for Phase 2 construction. Use the free inter-terminal shuttle. Once the project is finished, you’ll be able to walk between terminals without going back through security.
• Construction around Terminal 1. Expect detours and changing walkways near the old Terminal 1 site while Phase 2 is being built.

Terminal maps

The airport updates its terminal maps as gates and shops change. Use the official SAN website and search “maps” rather than a saved image, because older Terminal 1 maps show the demolished building. Terminal 2 maps are more stable. East gates serve Alaska and American, and West gates serve Delta, United and the international airlines.

Getting to and from downtown

MTS Route 992 bus

The MTS airport service is the cheapest way downtown. Route 992 stops at raised platforms outside both terminals and runs every 15 minutes from about 4:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. The trip to Santa Fe Depot takes about 15 minutes. The bus has luggage racks and wide doors.

The adult fare is $3 one way, or $7 for a day pass. Eligible reduced-fare riders pay $1.50 with ID. You can tap a credit or debit card, phone or watch on the reader, and each rider needs their own payment. Heading back to the airport, board at Kettner Boulevard and West Broadway, across from Santa Fe Depot. From the depot you can connect to the Trolley’s Blue and Green lines, the COASTER and Amtrak.

San Diego Flyer (free) to Old Town

The San Diego Flyer is a free electric shuttle between both terminals and the Old Town Transit Center, just north of downtown. It runs every 20 to 30 minutes from about 4:45 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and is timed to meet the first and last Trolley, COASTER and Amtrak trains. At the airport, catch it at the transportation islands across from baggage claim. It’s meant for transit riders, and there’s no overnight parking at the Old Town Transit Center. Old Town is a good base if you’re staying near Presidio Park or heading to North County by train.

Rideshare and taxis

Uber and Lyft drop off at the curb at both terminals. For pickups:

• Terminal 1: Leave baggage claim, use the pedestrian crosswalk and follow the rideshare signs.
• Terminal 2: Leave baggage claim, take the main crosswalk to the Transportation Plaza. Rideshare pickup is in the second lane.

The airport’s ride share page has the latest pickup directions. Downtown, Little Italy and the waterfront near Seaport Village are all short rides.

Rental cars

Rental counters are at the airport’s consolidated Rental Car Center. Free shuttles run 24 hours a day from both terminals. Leave extra time on your return day, because you’ll take the shuttle back to your terminal after dropping off the car.

Parking at SAN

Option	Location	Rate
Terminal 1 Parking Plaza	Across from Terminal 1	$3 per 15 min, $40 daily max
Terminal 2 Parking Plaza	Across from Terminal 2	$3 per 15 min, $40 daily max
Valet	Curbside, both terminals	$60 per day
Cell phone lot	2311 McCain Rd.	Free, 1-hour limit

These are the rates on the airport’s parking page. For a trip longer than a couple of days, compare the cost with two Route 992 fares or a rideshare each way. If you’re picking someone up, wait in the cell phone lot until they’re at the curb with their bags.

Tips for flying out of SAN

• Check your terminal twice. Assignments changed in 2025 and 2026 and will change again in 2028. The airline app is the most reliable source on the day.
• Allow extra time on departure day. Construction detours around Terminal 1 can slow drivers and walkers, especially on holiday weekends.
• Use the bus for downtown hotels. At $3 and every 15 minutes, Route 992 is a good alternative when rideshare prices spike during big downtown events.
• Pre-cleared Canada flights. If you’re arriving from a major Canadian city, you’ve already cleared U.S. customs, so you’ll walk straight to baggage claim.

If you have time to kill before an evening flight, downtown shopping, the Embarcadero and the old Horton Plaza area are 10 to 15 minutes away.