The epicenter of the tech boom will soon have a new luxe travel option for wealthy travelers keen to not mix with the masses.
San Francisco International Airport plans to build a new terminal designated for the area’s many high-net-worth fliers, sorting out passengers who are willing to pay extra for a private area of their own. SFO is currently in the process of inviting bidders to submit proposals to develop, build, and operate the private airport terminal, which would serve as a parallel entry point for commercial flights.
The goal is to provide a “private, luxurious, bespoke, and expedited experience away from SFO’s public terminals for dwelling before commercial flights,” including a dedicated TSA screening area and special transportation on the runway in private vehicles. The land designated for the exclusive terminal is a 75,023-square-foot area known as “plot 42.” SFO will be accepting proposals through October and plans to lock in a contract by the end of the year for a 2028 opening.
SFO isn’t the first airport to propose dividing the haves and have-nots. In Europe, London’s Heathrow and Paris’s Charles de Gaulle have long funneled elite earners into private terminals. In Brazil, the BTG Pactual Terminal at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport became the first of its kind in Latin America when it opened last year.
In the U.S., Los Angeles International Airport and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport already have their own private terminals, operated by a company called PS, which claims to have the “only private partnership” in the country with the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection.
In June 2026, PS expanded its private terminal experience to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Miami International Airport, with offerings such as private security screening, dedicated drivers, “hotel-like” lounges, and luggage porters.
“Waiting in lines, maneuvering through crowds, and handling unwieldy luggage are things of the past at PS,” the company’s website states. “So is the airport experience you’ve come to know.”
Credit card companies and airlines alike have raced to tempt travelers with small tastes of luxury in recent years, with high-end lounges and an ever-evolving array of premium cabin options just an upgrade away. The proliferation of private airport terminals is part of the same trend, luring fliers who already bask in the comfort of the cabin behind the curtain with a smoother, more luxurious transition for the portion of air travel that tends to be the most chaotic.
For rich travelers whose bank accounts lack the requisite zeros for private jets and other perks enjoyed by the ultra-wealthy, private terminals offer social stratification with a smaller price tag—and probably some killer buffet options too.
