San Jose Airport Preps for Super Bowl LX Influx

Behind the scenes, a well-oiled machine works to handle the logistical blitz of flights, gear, and VIPs for the big game.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 12:31pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

San Jose Mineta International Airport is gearing up for a massive influx of flights, passengers, and equipment for Super Bowl LX. Airport officials, United Airlines staff, and the NFL's aviation coordinator are working together to coordinate the arrival and departure of player planes, private jets, charter buses, and tons of team gear. The operation is described as "chaos" but also a "small family" working to make the event as seamless as possible for all involved.

Why it matters

Hosting the Super Bowl is a major logistical challenge for any city, requiring extensive coordination between the airport, airlines, the NFL, and other stakeholders. San Jose's preparations highlight the behind-the-scenes work needed to accommodate the thousands of players, staff, VIPs, and fans that descend on the host city for the big game.

The details

United Airlines is handling many of the player and team flights, using its largest Boeing 777-300 aircraft to ferry the San Francisco 49ers and other teams the short distance from their home stadiums to San Jose. Each team's plane can carry 28,000-35,000 pounds of gear, requiring a week of planning per flight. In addition to the player planes, the airport is expecting 150 private jets to park on the west side of the airfield, requiring specialized software to virtually assign parking spots. Coordinating the arrival and departure of all these flights, as well as the fleet of 80 charter buses needed to transport passengers, falls to the NFL's aviation coordinator Jose Hernandez, who has 25 years of experience in the role.

  • In December and January, NBC Bay Area visited the airport's cargo complex where the 49ers' charter plane was parked.
  • The teams' player planes are expected to land almost back-to-back, with just an hour separation between the first and second plane.
  • After the game, the teams' planes will depart on Monday, while private jets will take off in waves immediately after the game and during halftime.

The players

John Mangold

A United Airlines employee who says the Super Bowl operation is a "small family" working together.

Molly Jones

A United Airlines flight attendant who discusses how the airline "ferries" player planes to the San Jose airport instead of having the teams drive from their home stadiums.

Jose Hernandez

The NFL's aviation coordinator who has 25 years of experience coordinating the logistics of Super Bowl flights and has built a strong rapport with the airlines involved.

Noah Daneman

A San Jose Mineta International Airport official who expects 150 private jets to flood the airport's west side during Super Bowl weekend.

San Francisco 49ers

One of the teams whose charter plane was spotted at the San Jose airport cargo complex during NBC Bay Area's visits.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There's a lot behind the scenes that the public doesn't know.”

— John Mangold, United Airlines employee (NBC Bay Area)

“We do our best to make this as seamless as possible.”

— Molly Jones, United Airlines flight attendant (NBC Bay Area)

“It's a good gig.”

— Lujan (NBC Bay Area)

“We've built a rapport with those guys.”

— Jose Hernandez, NFL's aviation coordinator (NBC Bay Area)

“Magic.”

— Noah Daneman, San Jose Mineta International Airport official (NBC Bay Area)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Hosting the Super Bowl requires an enormous behind-the-scenes effort to coordinate the arrival and departure of thousands of players, staff, VIPs, and fans. The San Jose airport's preparations highlight the logistical complexity involved, from managing charter flights and private jets to loading tons of team equipment and transporting passengers via a fleet of charter buses.