Waymo Approved to Start Testing Autonomous Vehicles at San Francisco International Airport

Waymo has received official approval to begin testing its autonomous vehicles at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), marking a key step toward launching a commercial ride-hailing service.

The San Francisco mayor’s office announced Tuesday that SFO and Waymo signed a “Testing and Operations Pilot Permit” after years of negotiations. The approval comes just two weeks after Waymo was cleared to start trials at San Jose Mineta International Airport, as Tesla is also working to expand its ride-hail services to Bay Area airports.

This isn’t Waymo’s first airport partnership; the company has been operating at Phoenix Sky Harbour Airport since 2023. Still, SFO has long been a strategic goal given its position as the largest airport serving Silicon Valley, where Waymo is headquartered.

Back in 2023, SFO initially rejected Waymo’s efforts to operate, but earlier this year, the airport granted the company mapping access — a signal that relations were improving.

The new permit sets out a three-phase plan:

1. Waymo tests AVs in autonomous mode with a trained specialist behind the wheel.
2. Passenger testing with employees and airport staff.
3. Paid ride service for the public.

When it reaches the third phase, Waymo plans to offer pickups and drop-offs at the airport’s “Kiss & Fly” area, which is connected to terminals via the AirTrain. The company noted it will explore expanding service to other airport locations in the future.

Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli confirmed to TechCrunch that testing will begin “very soon,” though no timeline was shared for the subsequent phases. He added that the paid ride service will initially operate on a month-to-month basis while Waymo works with SFO toward a permanent commercial permit.

Service to and from SFO represents another milestone in what has been a significant year for Waymo. The company has expanded into new cities, strengthened partnerships with firms like Uber, and is preparing for additional growth in 2026. With its Silicon Valley presence growing, expansion to SFO had long been viewed as inevitable.

This story has been updated with new details from Waymo regarding timing.