Waymo has received a permit to begin testing its autonomous vehicles at San Francisco International Airport. This is a key step leading up to the launch of a future commercial service. The San Francisco mayor’s office announced the news on Tuesday, confirming that the airport, known as SFO, and Waymo have signed a Testing and Operations Pilot Permit. This agreement follows years of negotiations between the two parties.
The deal with SFO comes just two weeks after Waymo was cleared to start testing at the nearby San Jose Mineta International Airport. SFO is not the first airport for Waymo; the company has been operating at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport since 2023. However, SFO has long been a target for the company as it is the largest airport serving Waymo’s home base of Silicon Valley.
Airport authorities initially rejected Waymo’s efforts back in 2023. However, the relationship improved this year when Waymo was granted a permit to begin mapping the airport. The newly granted permit allows Waymo to move forward in three distinct phases. The first phase involves testing its autonomous vehicles with a trained specialist behind the wheel. The second phase will test passenger service with employees and airport staff. The third and final phase will permit Waymo to start offering paid rides to the public.
Once Waymo enters that third phase, the company will offer pickups and drop-offs at the airport’s Kiss & Fly area. Reaching the terminals from this location requires an AirTrain ride. Waymo has stated it intends to explore other potential locations at the airport in the future.
Offering rides to and from SFO would represent the latest in a series of accomplishments for Waymo this year. The company has expanded its service to multiple new cities and has formed partnerships with companies like Uber, with more expansions planned for 2026. Waymo has also been steadily growing its service area within Silicon Valley, making service to SFO seem like an inevitable progression.