My mom and I are flying into SFO next week, separately on 2 different airlines.

Mom will arrive ~10:55am on Continental (Terminal 1).

I will arrive 20 minutes later on American (Terminal 3).

We will be taking the BART into the city.

I have looked at SFO's website and the AirTrain/BART info already. Should I:

1) Have mom take the AirTrain to BART station and have her meet me there?

or

2) Have mom wait at the AirTrain station in Terminal 1; and me meeting here there before we head to the BART station together?

My mom is pretty savvy, but I don't think she has arrived at SFO by herself before. Are they obvious signs for her to follow to get to the AirTrain station in Terminal 1? Are there any waiting area (seating area) at the BART station?

If we meet at the AirTrain stop at Terminal 1, is it compact enough that we will easily see each other? Also, are there seats nearby? Just in case my flight gets delayed and I want to make sure my mom has a place to sit.

People who really know SFO will respond, I'm sure. But in case they don't. You could each take the air train to the car rental building and meet say at the Hertz counter. They do have seating there. Then you could figure out what to do from there.

I would in no way recommend going to the Hertz rental car counter - it's way out of the way and an unnecessary ride on the AirTrain in both directions.

My rec. would be to meet at the AirTrain BART station. You can't enter the BART without a ticket, so it's pretty hard to wander too far once you get off the AirTrain.

The BART stop is obvious.

Does anyone know if there are benches to sit on at the Airport BART station (before entering the turnstile)? I don't want my mom to stand there forever in case my flight is delayed.

Maybe I should just have her wait in Terminal 1 and I can go fetch her when I arrive.

I would somehow meet up at the airport, not start going on your separate ways, hoping to meet at BART.

Whatever Plan A is, I would also have an contingency Plan B in place.

Do you both have cell phone? That makes it a whole lots easier.

Warning: it may be confusing which color AirTrain...

The easiest if you can pick her up by her luggage carousel (if she has luggage checked in). There must be chairs, maybe tucked in the back somewhere.

If not, have mom wait at the AirTrain. Don't remember if there is any seating. Never had to wait long.

Hi, yk:

If this were my Mom, I'd have her meet me at the Harbor Village Kitchen (Chinese restaurant) dining area in the International Terminal.

The International Terminal is between Terminals 1 and 3. It will also get you closer to the BART station.

If this is too much of an effort for her, then have her wait at the luggage pickup area in Terminal 1. There are seats there.

For you, then, you get off the plane and head for the Short-Term Parking Lot which is right in the middle of the airport. You'll find yourself in parking area F (green), just walk directly across to parking area B (red zone) and then once inside Terminal 1, head for the luggage pickup area for Terminal 1. This is the shortest way to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1, since they are exactly opposite each other with the short term parking lot in the middle between them.

Each having a cell phone would help a lot!

How long will you be in San Francisco? Would love to have dim sum with you and discuss opera, two things we seem to have discussed a lot on Fodors!

Even if we can't meet, have a great time in San Francisco! Enjoy!

BART is at the airport. Getting from T1 to T3 is exactly the same as going from T3 to BART. It also really doesn't matter which AirTrain either of you board. The terminal only loop will get you BART, and the one that goes to rental cars will get you to BART. 6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of another.

I don't recall seeing any benches by the AirTrain BART stop, but i don't think I was looking for them either.

Yes, there are clearly marked meeting areas with comfortable seating at all the terminals. You can find detailed information at flysfo.com.

Thank you all! I think I'll tell her to wait for me at the luggage carousel area in Terminal 1, as I assume there should be seating area there. If not, she can just find someplace in Terminal 1 where she can sit; and I will call her when my flight gets in (yes, we both have cell phones, but my mom sometimes can't hear it ring!)

Thanks for the tip, easytraveler, for the shortcut thru the parking garage. I think I'll have to take a raincheck on the GTG this time! Our schedule is quite packed as we have lots of relatives who live in the Bay Area, plus I'm meeting up several friends too. Next time, perhaps!

No problem, yk! Hope we'll get to meet either here or on the East Coast as I am planning on seeing a few operas at the NY Met sometime in the next year!

Take care and have a great visit in San Francisco!

I always like the idea of meeting at a bar, cafe or restaurant (within the airport). So in case one or the other is delayed significantly, the other party can wait comfortably, have a drink or a snack, get off their feet and relax.