New FAA Landing Limits Cause Major Delays at SFO

Runway construction and safety restrictions cut airport's arrival rate by a third, increasing flight delays for travelers.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 5:49pm by Ben Kaplan

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A highly stylized, geometric illustration depicting the towering, streamlined forms of an airport terminal, with sweeping gradients of blues and grays conveying a sense of scale and grandeur, conceptually representing the challenges travelers will face due to the new FAA landing restrictions at SFO.The new FAA landing restrictions at SFO will force travelers to navigate a maze of delays and disruptions in the coming months.San Francisco Today

The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed new safety restrictions on landings at San Francisco International Airport, reducing the number of flights that can arrive per hour from 54 to 36. This change, combined with a runway repaving project, is expected to increase flight delays by up to 25% for arriving passengers.

Why it matters

The reduced arrival rate at SFO will have a significant impact on travelers, as the airport is a major hub for United Airlines and serves millions of passengers annually. The FAA's actions highlight the ongoing challenges of balancing aviation safety and efficiency, especially at busy airports undergoing infrastructure upgrades.

The details

The FAA is prohibiting side-by-side approaches to SFO's parallel east-west runways, even in clear weather, requiring staggered approaches instead. This safety measure, combined with a six-month runway repaving project, will cut the airport's maximum arrival rate from 54 flights per hour to 36. Airport officials expect this will increase the potential for delays, with up to 25% of arriving flights experiencing a delay of at least 30 minutes.

  • The FAA imposed the new landing restrictions on March 31, 2026.
  • The runway repaving project at SFO began this week and is expected to last for about six months.

The players

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

A major international airport serving the San Francisco Bay Area, handling millions of passengers annually.

Doug Yakel

A spokesperson for San Francisco International Airport.

United Airlines

The largest airline operating at SFO, accounting for roughly half of passenger traffic at the airport.

Alaska Airlines

The second-largest airline operating at SFO, with about 10% of passenger traffic.

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What they’re saying

“The FAA safety measure prohibits flights from making side-by-side approaches to SFO's parallel east-west runways in clear weather when the pilots acknowledge having the other aircraft in sight. It requires staggered approaches, with one aircraft offset from the aircraft on the parallel runway.”

— Federal Aviation Administration

“While we were forecasting about 15% of flights being delayed by our runway project, we expect this change will increase the delay potential to approximately 25% of arriving flights experiencing a delay of at least 30 minutes. We are working with the FAA on ways to improve the arrival rate at SFO.”

— Doug Yakel, Spokesperson, San Francisco International Airport

What’s next

The FAA is exploring ways to safely increase the airport arrival rate at SFO, and airport officials are working with the agency to improve the situation.

The takeaway

The FAA's new safety restrictions and runway construction at SFO will significantly impact travelers, highlighting the ongoing challenges of balancing aviation safety and efficiency, especially at major hubs undergoing infrastructure upgrades. The changes underscore the need for continued collaboration between regulators, airports, and airlines to minimize disruptions and ensure the smooth operation of the nation's air travel system.