Waymo robotaxis are now giving rides to and from the San Francisco International Airport

After years of negotiations, delays, and false starts, Waymo has received approval to operate its robotaxi service to and from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The Alphabet-owned company said in a blog post on Thursday that it will begin offering airport access to a limited group of riders, with plans to expand availability to all customers in the coming months.

For now, Waymo’s pickups and drop-offs at SFO will take place at the airport’s Rental Car Centre, which riders can reach using the AirTrain system. Waymo said it intends to expand service to additional airport locations over time.

The approval to operate at SFO comes as Waymo faces renewed scrutiny over safety concerns in several cities where it operates robotaxi services. On Thursday, Waymo disclosed that one of its autonomous vehicles struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the January 23 incident, in which the child sustained minor injuries. Waymo is also under investigation by both the NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board over reports that its robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses.

Despite those challenges, access to major airports — and SFO in particular — is considered critical to Waymo’s long-term business strategy, which relies on operating at scale and serving a high volume of riders.

“Serving rides to and from San Francisco International Airport delivers one of the most requested features for our riders and further deepens our relationship with the city,” said Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana in a statement.

Waymo has significantly accelerated its expansion efforts over the past year. The company has launched services in new cities, grown its robotaxi fleet, and added freeway driving to its operational capabilities. Waymo vehicles now serve much of the San Francisco Bay Area and extend south into Silicon Valley, where the company already operates at San Jose International Airport. Beyond California, Waymo runs services in parts of Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, and Miami, as well as across most of Phoenix, including curbside pickup and drop-off at Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport.

Waymo’s efforts to operate at SFO have stretched on for years. In 2023, the company unsuccessfully attempted to secure a permit to map the airport — a required early step toward launching service there. Waymo later restarted negotiations with the city of San Francisco and the airport authority and, in March 2025, was granted a permit to map SFO. 

By September, Waymo and SFO finalised a testing-and-operations pilot permit, moving the company closer to full commercial robotaxi operations at the airport.