Oakland airport considers adding ‘San Francisco Bay’ to name

(KRON) — The Oakland airport could soon have a new name. The Port of Oakland announced Friday that it is considering changing the airport’s name to the “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.”

Currently, the airport’s proper name is the “Metropolitan Oakland International Airport.” Officials hope that the name change would bring increased awareness to the airport’s location in the Bay Area.

“Adding ‘San Francisco Bay’ to the name will improve travelers’ geographic awareness of the airport and help us reach and succeed in new markets,” said Barbara Leslie, president of the Oakland Board of Commissioners.

The ultimate goal is to add more direct flights, particularly international routes, to the airport.

Leslie said that more than half of “frequent international travelers” and nearly one-third of domestic travelers do not know that the airport is located in the Bay Area. With better awareness, officials say airlines will be more open to adding direct routes to Oakland.

“Market research and interviews with airline partners have shown that routes have not performed as well as they should have due to the lack of geographic awareness, making air carriers reluctant to sustain and add new routes in Oakland,” said Port of Oakland Interim Director of Aviation Craig Simon. “From July 2008 to March 2024, the Airport added 54 new routes; 39 of these and six pre-existing destinations were lost.”

Airlines including Southwest are in support of the change.

“Oakland helped put us on the map in California and we’re wholeheartedly supportive of this rebranding that acknowledges OAK’s economic position and influence in the San Francisco Bay area while staying true to its Oakland roots,” said Jennifer Bridie, Vice President of Marketing Communications & Strategy at Southwest Airlines.

The three-letter airport code, OAK, would remain the same with a name change, as well as the airport’s visual brand.

The Port Commissioners will consider the name change at a meeting on April 11. If the Port Commission approves the change, airport staff will work to formally rename the airport.