Traveling via plane is fun — jet-setting over beautiful blue waters or rolling hills, taking in cloud formations, and landing in a completely different location in a matter of hours is unlike anything else.
The whole navigating the airport part? Less exciting, and sometimes pretty stressful. To help make your time at Sacramento International Airport — or SMF — as smooth as possible, we’ve created a guide that covers everything from gates and parking to details on the airport’s 41 nonstop flights.
What to know
- Map it out | If you’re like us and need to completely visualize a place before you step foot inside, these maps of the entire airport will be your saving grace.
- Parking | Not everyone has a bestie who will drop them off at the terminal. Thankfully, SMF has plenty of options — see rates for short-term, daily, and long-term parking. Pro tip: Check this SMF Live Occupancy tool to see which spots are available in real-time.
- Food and drink | Fuel up for your flight at one of SMF’s dining options, from coffee kiosks to burgers and ice cream. New restaurants are coming to SMF in 2025, too.
- Reminder | As of May 7, 2025, flyers now need a REAL ID or a passport to board commercial flights in the US.
- Flight status | While we recommend staying updated via your respective airline, you can also check the airport’s dashboard for your flight status in a pinch.
Vacation, anyone?
Photo via Carol M. Highsmith + Wikimedia Commons
Nonstop flights
SMF offers more than 50 nonstop flights — 45 domestic across 26 states, plus international flights to two countries. Here are five nearby nonstop flights for a quick vacay and the airlines that service those routes.
- Los Angeles | American, Delta, Southwest, United
- San Diego | Alaska, Southwest, Spirit
- Palm Springs | Southwest
- Portland, OR | Alaska, Southwest
- Seattle, WA | Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Bonus: Get lower fares by signing up for Going. You’ll get emailed when flights are 40-90% cheaper than usual. Get a two-week free trial of the Premium plan, which lets you set custom destination flight alerts (score).
Pro tip: Remember that flight times and schedules will often change — you should rely on your respective airline for exact timing and to stay updated on any changes.
Current airport updates
Construction began in summer 2024 on SMForward, the airport’s $1.3 billion renovation project set to be completed in late 2026. The project will add new walkways, a new 5,500-space parking garage west of Terminal B, a consolidated rental car center, an upgraded baggage handling system in Terminal A, and an expanded Concourse B. New roads will be added around SMF to improve traffic flow, including an exit road from Terminal A expected to break ground in 2025.
SMF broke ground on a $140 million pedestrian walkway in August 2024. The walkway should connect Terminal B to Concourse B — think: a skybridge with moving sidewalks and escalators.
On May 20, 2025, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved the project’s $415 million phase, which will expand SMF by adding six new gates, two new baggage carousels, and two new security checkpoint lanes to Terminal B.
Food and drink
Sacramento International Airport is a hub of eateries with 20+ restaurants, bars, and coffee shops for fliers to dine before or between flights, like:
- Squeeze Burger | Terminal A - Upper Level | Burgers with cheese skirts? Say less.
- Esquire Grill | Terminal B - Airside | Got an early flight? The breakfast options here are plentiful.
- Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters | Terminal B | One of Zagat’s top 11 restaurants in Sacramento, the coffee shop brings its award-winning roasts to SMF.
In February 2024, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved 13 new food operators for SMF that will replace or upgrade all concessions in phases. SMF is expected to have a “completely rejuvenated food experience by January 2026,” according to a report from The Sacramento Bee.
In an April 2025 Facebook post, SMF said its new restaurants were coming soon. Iron Horse Tavern (and its delicous breakfast cocktails) closed on June 13, 2025, but SMF said three new restaurants will arrive in its place — Magpie Cafe, Centro Cocina Mexicana, and New Helvetia Brewing.
SMF said more new concessions are landing soon, too, including these spots in Terminal A:
- Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen & Bar
- Sidewalk Juice
- Wendy’s
- Starbucks + Sycamore Mrkt (pre-security)
- Starbucks + Golden Grove Market (post-security)
And these in Terminal B:
- Midtown Spirits
- OneSpeed Pizza
- West Coast Sourdough Deli
- Bawk! by Urban Roots
- Cafe Bernardo + Cafe Bernardo Express
- Temple Coffee Kiosk
- Wendy’s
- Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen & Bar
- Sidewalk Juice kiosk
Fly comfortably
While we may not be able to offer solutions for crying babies or mysterious in-flight meals, we do have some tricks up our sleeves for upping your comfort while flying. Browse some of our favorite travel essentials:
- The AirFly Pro | Make sure you can always access in-flight entertainment (while avoiding the wired headphones airlines pass out) by using an AirFly. It plugs into your seat’s headphone jack and connects to your earbuds or headphones via Bluetooth.
- Trtl travel pillow | The Trtl pillow is scientifically designed to provide a better head position when sleeping upright, thanks to an internal support system comfortably cushioned in cozy fleece.
- Bose Noise Canceling Headphones | These headphones are tried-and-true traveling companions, beloved for their crisp sound and ability to block exterior noise.
- Cozy Earth joggers | These Oprah-approved joggers are polished enough to navigate the airport in, but comfy and stretchy enough for long flights.
- Anti-nausea wristbands | Some simple anti-nausea wristbands might relieve a nervous stomach or sensitivity to turbulence while flying.
