Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) reached a new passenger record in 2018 by serving 14,319,292 million departing and arriving passengers, a 14.7 percent increase and a new record of 1.8 million more customers choosing SJC for their travel plans over 2017. SJC also marked six consecutive years of solid passenger growth.
On Dec. 19, 2018, the Airport team celebrated surpassing the previous peak of 14.2 million passengers reached in the 12 months ended August 2001, and SJC’s new ranking as the No. 2 Bay Area airport in terms of travelers served, with a press conference to welcome the 14.3 millionth traveler.
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“The SJC team and partners celebrated two incredible milestones in 2018, by marking a new record of serving 14.3 million travelers, 1.8 million more than the prior year, and regaining the No. 2 position among Bay Area airports for passenger activity,” said John Aitken, Director of Aviation for Mineta San Jose International Airport. “Our growth in 2018 was driven not only by new domestic and international routes, but by substantial increases in passengers traveling on newly-competitive routes, including Cabo San Lucas, and day-time New York-JFK flights on two airlines.
Aitken continued, “SJC travelers will be surprised and delighted with new service upgrades in 2019, to include nonstop flights to the places where they want to go; exciting food, beverage and retail concessions; six new boarding gates so airlines can co-locate their flights, reducing passengers’ footsteps in the terminals; and expedited boarding for international passengers with the roll-out of facial recognition technology.”
2018 Flight Review
The additional 1.8 million passengers who chose SJC year-over-year had more choices than ever in 2018:
| 2018 NEW ROUTE TYPE | NONSTOP MARKET | AIRLINE |
| Domestic | Albuquerque
Boise Detroit Houston-Hobby New Orleans Orlando St. Louis Spokane |
Southwest
Southwest Delta Southwest Southwest Southwest Southwest Southwest |
| International | León, Mexico | Volaris |
| Newly-competitive | Atlanta
Austin Cabo San Lucas Dallas-Love Field New York-JFK Orange County San Diego Tucson |
Frontier
Frontier Southwest Alaska Alaska and Delta Alaska Alaska Southwest |
| Seasonal | Cincinnati
Mexico City San Antonio Tulsa |
Frontier
Aeromexico Frontier Frontier |
2019 New Routes* and Services Preview
With additional new routes scheduled to launch in 2019, SJC expects to serve more than 15 million passengers who will enjoy upgraded concessions and hi-tech services:
| 2019 NEW ROUTE TYPE | NONSTOP MARKET | AIRLINE – START DATE |
| Domestic | El Paso
Everett/Seattle area Long Beach Nashville |
Southwest – 1/13/19
Alaska – TBA** Southwest – 4/8/19 Southwest – 6/9/19 |
| Newly-competitive | Hawaiian Islands | Southwest – TBA** |
| Seasonal | Raleigh-Durham | Southwest – 6/9/19 |
*All new routes announced as of Feb. 11, 2019.
**Airlines’ pending announcement of launch dates; Southwest to announce which islands to be served nonstop from SJC.
| 2019-20 NEW CONCESSIONS | BRAND | OPENING DATE |
| Terminal A | Club SJC
– Second location – new! – Original location – remodeled Gordon Biersch (expanded) Hudson Store International Beer Union Shake Shack Starbucks (Gates 1-5 expanded) |
Summer Fall Fall Spring Fall Winter 2020 Fall |
| Terminal B | Chick-fil-A
Great American Bagel Rip Curl Trader Vic’s (full-service) Trader Vic’s Outpost (to-go) Tumi |
Spring
Summer Spring Fall Fall Spring |
Other Notable Service Upgrades in 2019
- An interim six-gate facility, currently under construction and to be connected at the south end of Terminal B, will allow airlines to co-locate their operations and reduce passengers’ footsteps between gates, security screening and baggage claim. Expected opening is this summer.
- Facial recognition software and hardware to streamline boarding for departing international travelers. The technology is currently being piloted on ANA’s nonstop flight to Tokyo-Narita, with follow-up testing being planned with additional international carriers. Pending the outcome, this hi-tech service could be available on all departing international flights by summer.
