Oakland Airport — recently rebranded as the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport — is one of those perfect-sized airports that are a delight to use. It also happens to be eight minutes from my house, so I fly in and out of OAK whenever I can. Recently, I’ve encountered a certain question over and over:
Is Oakland Airport safe?
I see where the question is coming from. There have been a rash of crimes in the area around Oakland Airport, mostly in an adjacent strip known as “the Hegenberger Corridor.” Car breakins got so bad that In-n-Out closed its restaurant two miles from the airport in January 2024.
So is Oakland Airport safe?
Despite the headline-grabbing problems not far from the airport, I’m here to reassure you that it’s perfectly safe to fly in or out of OAK. I do it all the time! Not only that, but I drive by the Oakland Airport even more regularly. Every time I shop at Costco or visit our local pharmacy. I’ve driven past Oakland Aiport hundreds of times in the past 12 years and I’ve yet to see a crime — or even a fender bender.
Some reasons why you don’t need to stress about crime when flying into Oakland Airport:
- Most of the crimes reported near the airport have been vehicle break-ins. If you leave the airport and drive right through to your Bay Area destination without stopping, car break-ins won’t affect you.
- Most of the crimes happened in a specific area that you can avoid: Hegenberger Road and Oakport Street. In fact, the In-n-Out that closed was the site of more crimes than any other address in the entire city of Oakland. You don’t have to pass through that troubled area to access the airport.
- Crime has been trending downward in Oakland since the In-n-Out closure made headlines. In fact, car break-ins are down 60%.
- There is plenty of security at the airport itself, of course. Like any airport, you’ll see local sheriff’s cars patrolling the pick-up and drop-off lanes. It’s not a crime zone.
Why Oakland Airport is worth it
Some may still feel reticent to choose a flight into Oakland when visiting the San Francisco Bay Area. After all, even if crime right at the aiport isn’t as bad as you’ve heard, why risk it?
There’s actually a good reason to risk it: Oakland Airport is one of the best airports you’ll ever use. It’s small enough that it’s quick to get from the curb to your gate. Parking is a short walk across the road. But it’s big enough to boast a range of decent restaurants and a few coffee places. The employees are friendly. And unlike my experience at huge airports like Chicago O’Hare or even big ones like San Francisco, I rarely sit on the runway waiting for an available gate. I’m generally in and out in minutes.
Oakland’s airport is also more convenient to San Francisco than you might realize. It’s about a 35-minute drive across the Bay Bridge from this airport to Fisherman’s Wharf, for example. That’s almost exactly the same as the drive from San Francisco Airport to Fisherman’s Wharf. And if you’re flying in to visit wine country, Oakland Airport is actually closer.
Oakland is also a major center for both Southwest Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. If you’re loyal to one of those, it might be your best choice for getting to the San Francisco area. Oakland has a ton of direct Hawaii flights too.
Safety tips for Oakland Airport
Of course, I would never recommend ignoring safety concerns. But there are a few moves you can make to stay safer:
- Avoid the Hegenberger Corridor. Most of the crimes happen on this two-mile strip from the airport to the Oakland Coliseum. If you’re heading to Highway 80 from the airport, your GPS will tell you to go down Hegenberger. Don’t. Instead — if you’re driving to San Francisco — cut through Alameda, and join Highway 80 at High Street, Fruitvale Avenue or Park Street.
- Just keep driving. When leaving or arriving at the airport, don’t stop at any of the restaurants or gas stations in the immediate vicinity. If you need to gas up a rental car before returning it, a great, safe option is the Costco on Davis Street in San Leandro. Just 3 miles from the airport, this Costco has security. I have never seen any broken glass in their parking lot.
- If you do stop, don’t leave bags in the car. This is true, unfortunately, for most parts of the Bay Area, not just Oakland. You just can’t leave luggage or even a school backpack in your car and expect to come back to intact windows. Haul everything with you. Or better yet, go to your lodging to deposit your luggage before going anywhere else.
- Don’t put bags on the front passenger seat while driving. This one is a little scary, but people all over Oakland have been smashing windows and grabbing bags off the passenger seat while people are driving or pulled over. It happened to a friend of mine near Lake Merritt in Oakland.
In conclusion, take it from a local: Don’t let reports of “out of control” crime scare you away from using this great little airport. Life in the San Francisco Bay Area — and in Oakland in particular — isn’t the nightmare some (mostly political) media might have you think. Come see for yourself!