SAN JOSE (CA) AIRPORT  Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports

SAN JOSE AIRPORT customer review :  1 February 2010 by E Mabley   (USA)

Customer Rating :  2/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

San Jose Int'l is still a hell-hole and still my least favourite of the 3 San Francisco Bay Area airports, but it's slowly improving as the city of San Jose and the airport authority have finally gotten serious about renovating it and making it more user-friendly. Terminal A (the larger and newer of the 2 terminals) has been remodeled to add more windows and light, and the dark, filthy carpeting has been replaced. They still haven't bothered to install moving walkways despite the very long distances between the terminal entrance/exit and the farthest gates, however, and the narrow corridors and lack of floor space cause major crowding problems during peak times. Food and beverage options are very basic, with overpriced and bad food. Terminal B is set for a major renovation. They will finally add jetways and build a new facility that brings it into the 21st Century. The renovation of the parking areas and airport access roads is nearly complete and the airport is now much easier to get in and out of by car.

SAN JOSE AIRPORT customer review :  14 January 2010 by E Mabley   (USA)

Customer Rating :  2/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Terminal A (Southwest Airlines): The dingy, dark and narrow corridors cause a serious overcrowding problem during peak flight times. The food options are overpriced and of poor quality. The airport is difficult to get to and requires navigation through downtown San Jose's horrible freeway system. The rental car kiosk is offsite and requires a long shuttle ride to get to/from the terminals. The only positive about this airport is that it's only 2 miles from downtown San Jose. The terminals are too small, outdated and in dire need of re- design.

SAN JOSE AIRPORT customer review : 13 December 2009 : by Kent Peterson

Customer Rating : 1/5

The airports decision to move United to Terminal A was very poorly planned. Making customers aware that this happened was non-existent as far as I could see. I just flew out and back on United at Terminal C just last week and I didn’t even know that this was going to happen. I dropped off passengers at Terminal C, they were passed through security and only found out that United Moved to terminal A by the time they couldn’t see any United Gates. They even commented to the TSA representative that it seemed pretty quite there and the response was “oh yea, Continental moved to Terminal A”. This was after they scanned their United Boarding Passes. Why did TSA allow passengers into a terminal that doesn’t support that airline? They checked the boarding pass but I now wonder why? I am VERY alarmed that any boarding pass, valid or otherwise will allow anyone to enter a terminal. This seems to me to be a VERY large security issue. I would think that very simply the TSA agent would have a boarding pass scanner to verify that the boarding pass is valid and then verify ID. There are very few to none inter-terminal busses. I would have thought that they would try some very simple measures to assist your customers such as posting someone at the entrance to security warning of this change, assuring inter-terminal busses to help customers who have no idea that they have changed the airport around. I took the Terminal C cut-off and I do not recall seeing any signs warning of the change. My passengers all missed their flights due to the fact that the switch to terminal A was poorly communicated, there were no busses to get them to Terminal A and security lines were excessive. They now have to make other flight plans, possibly at another airport.

San Jose Intl Airport by Mark Cousins

1 November 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

My number one complaint is the layout - the terminals are organized lengthwise northeast of the runway complex, and the long-term parking is opposite, on the southwest side of the field. If you arrive in Terminal A (the newer one, hosting primarily Southwest and American), you must cross the road via the skybridge, descend through baggage claim, and then walk several hundred meters through the parking garage to the shuttle bus stop. Then you wait for the bus, which once it arrives proceeds southeast to pick up Terminal C arrivals and finally loops back around to head back toward long-term parking. Oh, unless there is a driver's shift change in which case the route diverts to a remote area even farther southeast so that personnel can be exchanged. From the moment one walks off the plane until arriving at one's car can take upwards of 30 minutes (without checkin baggage). Hint : If you've only hand-carry baggage, don't cross the Skybridge when arriving in Terminal A. Instead, go down the stairs on the Departures side and turn left once outside. There is a shuttle bus stop right there - much less walking.

San Jose Intl Airport by J Wang

7 April 2006   Customer Rating : n/a

While convenient in terms of location for Silicon Valley, Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) leaves much to be desired as a gateway. Terminal A is the more "modern" terminal but the problem is that all passengers have to go through two very narrow passages for security screening - at peak times, the queue will extend out to the carpark. If you're flying Southwest or American, you will have to endure this. Fortunately, once you're through the security, it's usually pretty easy - the gates are very close by if you're flying Southwest, a bit of a walk if you're on AA. Food choices are limited to a Starbucks, McDonalds and other fast food outlets. Terminal C is the older terminal that lacks airbridges and requires the passenger to walk out on the tarmac and go up some mobile stairs like in the old days. However, at times, processing can be faster. If you're on Alaska Airlines, the security line is relatively short at the gate. However, there are no toilets once you get into the gate area.

San Jose Intl Airport by Marie McKinley

25 March 2006

Flying out, plan to arrive early on Fridays, especially if there's a conference in town. There is often a 30-45 minutes wait for security.

San Jose Intl Airport by C Rodriguez

29 January 2006

SJC has replaced Houston-Hobby (HOU) as my least favorite airport ever. First, you should know that the two terminals are very different experiences. Terminal A is the newer, cleaner one, but is still very small with little to no room for people to wait on arriving flights. Obviously it was designed before 9/11 when you could go to the gate to wait on arriving passengers. Services inside security are limited. Other than that, Terminal A is ok. The parking garage is always very close and rates are reasonable. Terminal C is a nightmare in every respect. First, they simply refuse to hire enough security screeners. Many times I have been in a security line for 45 minutes because there was only one lane open during peak hours. Given the low amount of traffic at this airport compared to others in the Bay Area, this is inexplicable. There is little or no food or drink inside the security area, either, so plan ahead. The entire terminal is very dirty and sometimes smells strange. They don't even have jetways, so you will have to walk out on the tarmac under a tattered canvas cover, and up a rollaway stairway to get into your plane. Not a big deal to me, but it's kind of ghetto and the old people don't seem to appreciate the climb. The long-term parking area is a long ride on the very slow shuttle bus. Shuttle service is spotty late at night. It's faster and cheaper to park at one of the off-airport parking lots. Signage throughout the airport is unreliable and intermittent. However, when driving, it's flat-out wrong. Good luck finding your way to 101 the first time you drive out of the airport. If you follow the markings on the pavement, you'll be going around the whole airport again. A lot of people in the Bay Area have an irrational fear of large airports and thus seem to favor SJC, but nobody can tell me with a straight face that this place is well-run.

San Jose Intl Airport by Enrique Meseguer

8 June 2005

Free WiFi. SJO now offers free WiFi in all areas inside the terminal. Just click and go. I guess it is a way to please PAX while the works have not been re-started. I recommend get a meal before you get there. BK charges US$9 for a sad looking burger and that's about it. There is also free coffee at Britt Coffee Shop

San Jose Intl Airport by David Crow

11 May 2005

This is perhaps the most user-hostile airport I've ever been through. Changing airlines from the main terminal to the south terminal was a trip through hell. No signs, no appropriate shuttle designations, no phones in the the south terminal waiting room, no jetway, little food.

San Jose Intl Airport by Francisco Alves

15 September 2004

Terminal A is very crowded and small. People waiting for passengers have no place to wait comfortably. Terminal (old one) is spacious and large. Amenities are limited. SJC needs more long haul routes.