San Francisco is one of the best U.S. airports for lounges if you fly internationally — the Polaris Lounge, Cathay Pacific, ANA, and Centurion all deliver. Here's the 2026 ranking.
Terminal 3 is United's home. The United Polaris Lounge SFO is widely considered one of the best business-class lounges in the U.S. — full table-service dining room, shower suites, daybeds, and a long window wall facing the parallel runway approaches. Reserved for international Polaris ticketed passengers. The United Club SFO has multiple locations in T3, with the renovated United Club at gate F12 being the best of them.
The American Express Centurion Lounge SFO is in Terminal 3 (post-security, accessible from F gates) and is one of the better Centurion locations — full restaurant, cocktail bar, shower suites, and ramp views. Crowding is a real issue during the evening transcontinental departure bank.
International Terminal hosts a number of foreign-flag lounges. The Cathay Pacific Lounge SFO is the marquee oneworld international product, recently renovated with a noodle bar, full kitchen, and Cathay's signature design language. The ANA Lounge SFO is open to ANA first/business and Star Alliance Gold elites. The Korean Air Lounge SFO is open to SkyTeam Elite Plus on a same-day SkyTeam flight. The KLM Crown Lounge SFO is open to SkyTeam business-class passengers.
Terminal 2. The Delta Sky Club SFO T2 is solid mid-tier; the Alaska Lounge SFO T2 is a strong Alaska/oneworld option.
Terminal 1. No major lounges.
Best lounges at SFO overall: Polaris Lounge if you have an international Polaris ticket; Cathay Pacific Lounge if you have oneworld Emerald; Centurion Lounge if you have Amex Platinum and the timing works.