San Francisco and Oakland have reached a resolution in their two-year legal dispute, allowing Oakland to incorporate “San Francisco” in its airport’s name as “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport” without emphasizing the words through fonts, colors, or other means. The agreement also mandates the use of “Bay” following “San Francisco” and prohibits the term “International,” despite the airport offering international flights.
The disagreement originated in 2024 when Oakland, a diverse city often perceived as the underdog compared to its wealthier neighbor, altered its airport’s name to “San Francisco-Oakland Bay Airport.” This led San Francisco officials to file a lawsuit citing trademark infringement.
Oakland officials defended the name change as necessary for aiding travelers unfamiliar with the region in identifying the city within the Bay Area. They highlighted the common occurrence of visitors mistakenly flying into San Francisco International Airport instead of the closer Oakland airport, keeping the airport’s OAK three-letter code unchanged.
Mary Richardson, representing the Port of Oakland managing the airport, expressed pride in retaining the full airport name, prioritizing Oakland and acknowledging its location on the San Francisco Bay.
San Francisco contended that including “San Francisco” in Oakland’s airport name could confuse travelers, especially international visitors and those unfamiliar with the Bay Area. However, San Francisco officials adopted a conciliatory tone upon the agreement, emphasizing the clarity it provides for travelers making airport decisions.
The resolution did not assign fault or involve any financial settlement. Oakland’s airport is situated approximately 20 kilometers east of San Francisco and 48 kilometers from San Francisco International Airport (SFO).