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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport

Oakland, California (United States)

IATA: OAK ICAO: KOAK

Longest Active Runway

10,520 ft

3,206 meters

Field Elevation

9 ft

3 m MSL

Runway Inventory

4 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

37.7201°, -122.2212°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#445 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#712 of 7558

Top 9.4% percentile worldwide

National Standing (United States)

#45 in US

#135 of 2020 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+5.2%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport's longest active runway measures 10,520 ft (3,206 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #445. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #712 worldwide (Top 9.4%) and #45 nationally in United States.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport is the operational counterweight to SFO. Because it sits slightly inland from the Golden Gate fog channel, OAK experiences far fewer low-ceiling weather delays. Its 10,520 ft runway 12/30 handles heavy FedEx transpacific MD-11 and 777 freighters alongside high-frequency Southwest passenger banks. Located at 9 ft MSL, OAK offers optimal sea-level engine thrust and braking performance.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Four active runways: South Airfield primary Runway 12/30 (10,520 ft / 3,206 m) and North Airfield general aviation parallels 10L/28R (5,458 ft), 10R/28L (6,213 ft), and 15/33 (3,376 ft).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Dedicated in 1927 by Charles Lindbergh. Historic departure point for Amelia Earhart and early transpacific aviators; expanded in the jet age to become Southwest Airlines' premier Northern California base and a major FedEx hub.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Primary East Bay alternative to San Francisco International (SFO, 9 NM southwest across the bay), enjoying significantly higher weather reliability during marine fog.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Commercial jet traffic is concentrated on Runway 12/30, segregated entirely from general aviation on the North Airfield.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav OAK Master Record ↗

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 9 ft (3 m MSL) in Oakland. Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

2 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Primary East Bay alternative to San Francisco International (SFO, 9 NM southwest across the bay), enjoying significantly higher weather reliability during marine fog. Within a 100 NM radius, the facility coordinates airspace flows with 2 qualifying commercial aerodromes, with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) located 9.5 NM away.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 10,520 ft (3,206 m)

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport's active flight strips comprise 12/30 (10,520 ft), 10R/28L (6,213 ft), 10L/28R (5,457 ft), 15/33 (3,376 ft). With a longest active threshold of 10,520 ft (3,206 m), the aerodrome satisfies unrestricted long-haul takeoff and landing distance requirements for heavy twin-aisle and four-engine widebodies (ICAO Code 4E/4F).

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
12/30	10,520 ft (3206m)	150 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
10R/28L	6,213 ft (1894m)	150 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
10L/28R	5,457 ft (1663m)	150 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
15/33	3,376 ft (1029m)	75 ft (23m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
San Francisco International Airport (San Francisco)	`SFO`	9.5 NM (17.6 km)	11,870 ft	✅ Lighted
Mineta San Jose International Airport (San Jose)	`SJC`	25.6 NM (47.4 km)	11,000 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/oak.json ↗