San Jose International Airport Terminal A Map (Most Up-To-Date)
Terminal A at the Silicon Valley’s main airport complex runs as a long, linear gate pier (Gates 1–16) off a central security checkpoint, with a split-level landside setup that tricks first-timers: Departures/Ticketing is in the headhouse, but Arrivals/Baggage Claim sits across the roadway inside the Lot 2 garage footprint, linked by a tunnel/bridge system. Airside, a straight connector corridor extends south past Gate 16 into Terminal B.
Map Table
| Zone | Connection | Walk Time |
|---|---|---|
| Departures / Ticketing (Level 2, headhouse) | Skybridge from Lot 2 | 1–2 min |
| Arrivals / Baggage Claim (Level 1, Lot 2 garage hall) | tunnel/bridge under/over roadway | 3–6 min |
| Security exit (airside, near Gate 8) | rightward concourse to Gate 16 connector | 7–9 min |
| Ground Transportation Island (Stop #6) | crosswalk from Arrivals curb (garage side) | 2–4 min |
San Jose Mineta International Airport Terminal A Map Strategy
- Treat Terminal A as two buildings: headhouse (departures/TSA) and garage hall (arrivals/bags). Pickups fail when you assume they’re stacked in one place.
- Lock in “no-regret” ground moves: Lot 2 → Skybridge for departures, baggage claim → Doors 2–5 for curb, then crosswalk to the Ground Transportation Island for Stop #6.
- Make A↔B deterministic: after clearing TSA at A, turn right and commit to the long straight walk past Gate 16; budget worst-case gate walks, not “it’s a small airport.”
- Reduce surge risk: if your airline allows carry-on only and you’re accidentally at the wrong terminal, clear security at Terminal A and use the airside connector instead of gambling on landside shuttle wait time.
2026 San Jose International Airport Terminal A Map + Printable PDF
Terminal A remains fully operational in 2026 with its defining “split-dependency” layout intact: check-in and TSA upstairs in the headhouse, baggage claim across the road in the garage hall, and the Terminal A↔B connection handled airside near Gate 16. A printable PDF is most useful when it clearly marks the Skybridge, the baggage tunnel, and Stop #6 (rental car/inter-terminal shuttle).
2026 San Jose International Airport Terminal A Map Guide
What is the exact walking distance from Terminal A Security exit to the airside connector path that leads into Terminal B?
Walking distance is approximately 1,800 feet (0.34 miles) from the Terminal A TSA exit to the point where the airside corridor becomes the Terminal A↔B connector near Gate 16. The walk typically takes 7–9 minutes at a brisk pace.
After you exit security, you emerge airside near Gate 8; turn right (toward Gates 9–16) and stay on the main concourse. Pass the Gate 15/16 area, then continue just beyond Gate 16 where the corridor narrows and transitions into the connector. The connector deposits you into Terminal B near Gate 17 with no re-screening.
Where is the exact curbside pickup point in Terminal A for the Rental Car Center shuttle (door/zone location relative to baggage claim exits)?
Stop #6 on the Ground Transportation Island is the curbside pickup point for the Rental Car Center shuttle from Terminal A. It sits on the median “island” just outside the Terminal A Arrivals/Baggage Claim building (the garage hall), not at the headhouse departures curb.
Exit baggage claim through the glass doors labeled Doors 2–5 onto the Arrivals curb and stay on the garage side of the roadway. Turn right (south) along the curb, then use the marked crosswalk to reach the Ground Transportation Island; Stop #6 is signed for “Rental Car Shuttle” and typically shares signage with inter-terminal shuttle service.
Which specific Terminal A doors/entrances put you closest to the United/Delta/American ticket counters (minimizing the “wrong end of the terminal” walk)?
Door 1 is closest to American Airlines ticketing, while Doors 2–3 are closest to the central Delta and United ticketing blocks. Door 4 trends toward the south end carriers (Frontier/Volaris) and the International Arrivals Building landmark.
| Airline | Best Terminal A departures entrance | Adjacent landmark cue |
|---|---|---|
| American | Door 1 (north end) | first curb section on approach |
| Delta | Door 2 (central canopy) | mid-hall ticketing banks |
| United | Door 3 (central canopy) | mid-hall ticketing banks |
What is the shortest walking route from Parking Lot/Garage 2 (Terminal A side) to the Terminal A departures/ticketing level (which pedestrian path/elevator bank)?
The Skybridge from Lot/Garage 2 is the shortest route to Terminal A departures/ticketing. Using the skybridge avoids street-level crossings and drops you directly into the Terminal A headhouse on the ticketing level.
From your parking spot, head to the central garage elevator bank and go to Level 2 (or Level 3 if your skybridge access is signed there, but Level 2 is the standard reference point). Follow signs for “Terminal A Departures” and enter the enclosed skybridge spanning over the arrivals roadway. At the terminal end, the bridge feeds straight into the departures/ticketing lobby; the walk from the elevator bank to the counters is roughly 150–200 feet (about 1–2 minutes).
In Terminal A, where is the oversized baggage pickup area located relative to the main baggage carousels?
Oversized baggage pickup is located behind Carousel 2 in the Terminal A baggage claim hall. It’s a separate rear-wall door/chute area rather than part of the carousel belt.
Facing the two carousels from the public side of baggage claim, Carousel 1 sits to the left (north side) and Carousel 2 sits to the right (south side). For golf clubs, skis, large strollers, or car seats, move to the back wall directly behind Carousel 2 and wait at the oversized pickup door instead of standing at the belt.
Which Terminal A baggage carousel zone is closest to the fastest curb exit for passenger pickup (minimizing time standing around baggage claim)?
Carousel 1 is closest to Exit Door 2, and Carousel 2 is closest to Exit Doors 3–4, which are typically the quickest curb exits for private passenger pickup. Door 2 and Door 3 are the most reliable “move fast” exits because they drop you straight into the active arrivals curb lane.
If you’re collecting bags at Carousel 1, stage yourself near Door 2 while you wait so you can exit immediately when the last bag arrives. If you’re at Carousel 2, drift toward Door 3 for the same reason. Staying near these doors also reduces backtracking through the narrow baggage hall when multiple flights unload at once.
Where is the Terminal A inter-terminal shuttle stop located, and what is the exact on-airport path it follows to Terminal B?
Stop #6 on the Ground Transportation Island is the Terminal A inter-terminal shuttle stop. It’s on the median island outside Terminal A Arrivals (garage-side), reached via the marked crosswalks from the arrivals curb.
The shuttle route runs in a one-way counter-clockwise airport loop: it departs Stop #6 at Terminal A, travels south along the airport service road/Airport Boulevard frontage, then drops at Terminal B’s ground transportation stops (commonly labeled as the next stop cluster), before continuing onward toward the Rental Car Center and parking lots and looping back to Terminal A. Typical ride time A→B is about 3–5 minutes, with the main variability coming from the 7–10 minute headway.
If you have carry-on only, what is the most direct route to enter through Terminal A security even when departing from Terminal B (and where do you rejoin the B gates airside)?
Clearing TSA at Terminal A and walking the airside connector is the most direct route when you’re carry-on only but departing from Terminal B. You rejoin Terminal B airside near Gate 17.
Enter the Terminal A headhouse on the departures level and go through the Terminal A security checkpoint. After screening, turn right toward Gates 9–16 and continue straight down the concourse to the Gate 16 end, where the corridor transitions into the A↔B connector. Stay in the continuous hallway until it opens into Terminal B at the Gate 17 area, then walk to your Southwest/Terminal B gate. This only works if you don’t need to check a bag at Terminal B.
What is the exact walking distance from Terminal A Gate 16 area to the farthest practical Terminal B gate area (worst-case A→B walk)?
Walking distance is approximately 2,200 feet (0.41 miles) from Terminal A Gate 16 to Terminal B Gate 36 in the practical worst-case A→B gate walk. The walk typically takes 10–12 minutes at a brisk pace.
The route is fully airside and flat: start at the Gate 16 end of Terminal A, continue south through the connector corridor into Terminal B near Gate 17, then keep following Terminal B’s main concourse all the way to the far end gate cluster around Gate 36. Moving walkways appear on portions of Terminal B, but don’t count on them for the full distance.
Where is The Club SJC (Terminal A) located relative to the A↔B airside connector, and what is the shortest path to it after clearing security?
The Club SJC (Terminal A) is located across from Gate 15 on Level 3, about 100 feet from the A↔B airside connector entrance near Gate 16. It’s essentially at the “hinge point” between the terminals.
After clearing Terminal A security (airside near Gate 8), turn right toward Gates 9–16 and walk down the concourse. As you approach the Gate 15/16 area, look for Gate 15; The Club SJC is opposite Gate 15 with stairs/elevator access up to Level 3. If you reach the connector transition just past Gate 16, you’ve gone slightly too far—turn back north a short distance to Gate 15.
