Oakland International Airport

Oakland International Airport
IATA: OAK - ICAO: KOAK
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator The Port of Oakland
Serves Oakland, California
Elevation AMSL 9 ft (2.7 m)
Coordinates 37° 43' 16.6" N
122° 13' 14.6" W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 10,000 3,048 Asphalt
09R/27L 6,212 1,893 Asphalt
09L/27R 5,454 1,662 Asphalt
15/33 3,372 1,028 Asphalt

Oakland International Airport (IATA: OAK, ICAO: KOAK), also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is an airport located 4 miles (6 km) south of downtown Oakland in Alameda County, California. One of three international airports in the San Francisco Bay Area, airlines serving Oakland International provide service to numerous destinations in the United States, as well as Mexico. It has proven a popular alternative to San Francisco International.

Oakland International is popular with low cost airlines and in recent years has been one of the nation's fastest growing airports. A $1.4 billion dollar expansion project currently underway is expected to be completed by 2009. The project includes the addition of five gates to Terminal 2, expected to be open in the fall of 2006. Following the completion of those gates, Terminal 1 will be renovated and expanded by seven gates.

In addition to airline operations, Oakland International is a large general aviation airport. Airline operations use the South Field (runway 11/29), while general aviation uses the North Field (runways 9R/27L, 9L/27R, and 15/33). In 2004, OAK had 339,163 aircraft movements, and was the 30th busiest airport in the United States.

Oakland International is not directly connected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, but AirBART shuttle buses take passengers back and forth between the terminal and the Coliseum/Oakland Airport station. A peoplemover or monorail connection between BART and the terminal is in an advanced planning stage; while the mode of the connection has yet to be determined, it will be fully integrated into the BART fare system. The connection is due to be completed around 2011.

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History

Construction of the airport began in 1927, and the airport was dedicated by Charles Lindbergh that September. In its early days, Oakland was the departing point of several historic flights, including Charles Kingsford Smith's historic US-Australia flight in 1928, and Amelia Earhart's final flight in 1937.

Boeing Air Transport (a predecessor of United Airlines) began scheduled flights to Oakland in December 1927. It was joined by Trans World Airlines in 1932.

In 1943, the U.S. Armed Forces took over Oakland Airport and transformed it into an airlift base for military flights to the Pacific islands, ordering all scheduled service to move to San Francisco International Airport. After the war, airlines slowly returned to Oakland: Western Airlines began flights in 1946, and was followed by American Airlines, TWA, and PSA.

During the Vietnam War, World Airways shuttled thousands of military passengers through Oakland to their bases in Southeast Asia. After the war, Oakland's traffic slumped, but airline deregulation prompted several low-fare carriers to begin regional flights into the airport.

FedEx opened a cargo base in Oakland in 1988, which is now one of the busiest air freight terminals in the United States. In the 1990s, Southwest Airlines opened a crew base in Oakland, and expanded its flights to become the airport's dominant passenger carrier. The airport does have international arrival facilities, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. However, international service beyond Mexico has been sporadic. In the past, Corsair served Orly Airport in Paris, France. Oasis Hong Kong Airlines has stated an intention to serve Hong Kong from Oakland.

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Facilities

Metropolitan Oakland International Airport covers 2,900 acres and has four runways:

  • Runway 11/29: 10,000 x 150 ft. (3,048 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 09R/27L: 6,212 x 150 ft. (1,893 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 09L/27R: 5,454 x 150 ft. (1,662 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 15/33: 3,372 x 75 ft. (1,028 x 23 m), Surface: Asphalt
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Airlines

Oakland International Airport has two terminals:

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Terminal 1

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Terminal 2

  • Southwest Airlines (Albuquerque, Boise, Burbank, Chicago-Midway, Denver, Houston-Hobby, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Ontario (CA), Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Reno/Tahoe, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane)
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See also

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External links