How I spent my day at SFO without flying

"On a listless Saturday in August, I did something at San Francisco International Airport that's an option at plenty of its contemporaries across the country but not yet available for the Bay Area's central airport: I spent the better part of an afternoon strolling the terminals and enjoying the concessions without boarding a flight. About a dozen airports in the U.S. have a visitor pass program - including Nashville, Seattle and Detroit - but SFO is still working on rolling out its version."

"Although there is no start date for the visitor program, it doesn't mean you can't already spend a day at SFO without flying. To pass through TSA, I bought a cheap airline ticket with the intention of canceling it. A one-way flight to Los Angeles was under $100, and depending on airline guidelines, if you notify the carrier at least 30 minutes before boarding that you can't take the flight, you'll receive a credit valid for up to a year."

San Francisco International Airport plans a visitor pass program but has not set a start date while staff work out logistics and TSA compliance. About a dozen U.S. airports offer visitor passes, including Nashville, Seattle and Detroit. Airport leadership wants non-travelers to enjoy SFO's unique features but must manage passenger flow during peak times. Non-travelers can already access terminals by buying a cheap ticket and canceling it before boarding; one-way fares to Los Angeles can be under $100, and many carriers issue credits if notified at least 30 minutes before departure. SFO's award-winning terminals, museums and long-running concessions make spending time at the airport appealing.

Read at SFGATE