Alaska Airlines has a new home in the remodeled Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and has opened a sleek new lounge to go with it. I would say it is possibly the best of the nine Alaska lounges in the country. like us first reported In June, the Seattle-based airline moved its SFO operations from Terminal 2 to the beautiful new Terminal 1, named after gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk. This movement clearly coincided with the opening of a brand new 11,000 square foot room.
I had a chance to check it out on some recent stops in SFO, and it offers the iconic Alaska Lounge in Seattle North Satellite a run for your money.
Related: The best credit cards to access airline lounges
Alaska Lounge Location in SFO
The Alaska Lounge opened in June in SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1. It’s across from Gate B6 and not far from the new The Club at SFO lounge, which revised last month.
The new American Airlines Admirals Club is about a 10-minute walk through the terminal.
The design of the Alaska Lounge is elegant and modern. Once you enter through the sliding glass doors, you will find a large lobby with a set of elevators that will take you to the actual hall.
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When you step off the elevators, you will be greeted by friendly employees at the check-in desk. I had great interactions on both of my visits. One agent even offered to take my guests’ names to automatically let them in when they arrived later. This way, I didn’t have to wait and I could start enjoying the room.
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I visited once in October and once in November. There were no lines to get in and the room was almost empty. The salon is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Alaska Lounge SFO Entry Requirements
Entry requirements for this new Alaska lounge are a little more restrictive than in previous years, when they regularly allowed entry to Priority Pass cardholders. That may help explain why there aren’t too many people.
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Those with an Alaska Lounge or Alaska Lounge+ membership can enter for free. (An Alaska+ membership also offers access to a network of partner salons, including all American Airlines Admirals Clubs, Qantas Club locations and some United Clubs.)
Those with American Airlines Admirals Club membership can also use Alaska lounges when flying on an American or Alaska-operated flight on the same day. This includes holders of Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees). Please note that in some cases you will need to show the physical card.
Related: Complete guide to access Alaska Lounge
Single-entry lounge passes will also be available for sale for $60 per person, but only when space is available. Given how few people I saw on my visits to the lounge, I’m betting passes will be available for sale quite often. To purchase a pass, you’ll need to fly on Alaska, a Oneworld airline, or one of Alaska’s other global partners, such as Icelandair or Starlux.
Finally, you can also use the VIP lounge if you are a first class passenger with paid or award tickets on flights of 2,000 miles or more.
There are a few additional ways to enter this room. See Alaska Airlines Lounge Rules and Policies List for more information.
Related: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card Review
Alaska Lounge SFO Amenities
One of the highlights is a giant wraparound bar where bartenders mix cocktails like Alaska’s famous Bloody Mary and also serve West Coast wines and beers. Premium options include Jim Beam, Crown Royal and Maker’s Mark whiskeys and Aviation and Bombay Sapphire gins.
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The new lounge has an area of 11,000 square feet and has 55% more seats than the old Terminal 2 lounge.
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You won’t find showers here, but there are large, clean bathrooms with Salt & Stone products from La Bottega.
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There are plenty of areas to sit and lounge, including four-top tables, individual desk-style setups, and comfortable high-back chairs overlooking the court.
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There are also high-back chairs and some private booths for sound-resistant work areas.
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My favorite seating area was a long row of chaise lounge chairs where you could enjoy views of the airport…or a few ZZZs.
There wasn’t a fireplace like you’ll see at other Alaska Lounges, but there were some communal couches that looked cozy.
The lounge is also fully wheelchair accessible.
I really enjoyed the wide variety of areas to sit and work.
Restaurants at Alaska Lounge SFO
The Alaska Lounge in SFO has a rotating menu of snacks and small bites. Fresh fruit and oatmeal were available along with other breakfast items. Cold meats and cheeses were also available. During one of my visits, there was also fried rice with vegetables.
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Of course, there’s also the famous Alaska Lounge: a Pancake Machine from Popcake. It is a fully automatic pancake machine that has now become standard at Alaska Lounges. Mmmm.
As has also become standard at Alaska Lounges, there was a barista station where you could order an espresso or grab a pastry to enjoy in the lounge.
There was also a beverage station offering two high-end Eversys coffee machines, a Coca-Cola soda machine, teas, and a few other treats. This lounge serves coffee and espresso from San Francisco-based Ritual Coffee Roasters. The company is independent and women-owned, and it’s a nice touch in a San Francisco salon.
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I loved the self-serve candy station, which included Ghirardelli chocolates, Alaska Air colored jelly beans, M&M’s, and fortune cookies made by the Oakland Fortune Factory.
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Another particularly endearing nod to San Francisco was the giant sculptural mural on the wall of the main dining room.
I really loved all the homages to the Bay Area spread throughout the room, from the art to the food and drink selections.
In a nutshell
SFO has really upped its game in the lounge space. Just three lounges in the new T1 make hopping from lounge to lounge a fun activity if you have access and time before your flight.
While I loved the new Priority Pass lounge, The Club, it can get crowded. That hasn’t been a problem so far at the new Alaska Lounge (nor at the nearby Admirals Club, for that matter).
I definitely recommend checking it out next time you pass through SFO.
It doesn’t have massage chairs, nap rooms, or showers, but then again, most Alaska Lounges don’t. The San Francisco Alaska Lounge is my new favorite.
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