San Francisco and Oakland have settled a two-year legal fight that centered on whether Oakland could include “San Francisco” in its airport name, according to an agreement announced April 28. Under the terms described by both sides, Oakland’s airport will be called “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport,” but it will face limits on how the “San Francisco” wording can be presented to the public.
The settlement bars the city of Oakland from “spotlighting” “San Francisco” or “San Francisco Bay” in fonts, highlights, different colors, or any other way, the Associated Press reported. It also requires Oakland to use the word “bay” right after “San Francisco,” and the agreement prevents Oakland from using the word “International” in the airport’s name, even though the airport offers international flights.
The dispute began in 2024 after Oakland changed its airport’s name to “San Francisco-Oakland Bay Airport,” prompting San Francisco officials to sue. San Francisco’s complaint argued that the change amounted to trademark infringement, according to the AP report.
Oakland officials said the modification was necessary because many travelers who are unfamiliar with the Bay Area fly into San Francisco even when their destination is closer to Oakland. Oakland officials also said the airport’s three-letter code, OAK, did not change as a result of the name dispute and its resolution.
Mary Richardson, an attorney for the Port of Oakland, which manages the airport, said the sides preserved Oakland’s ability to keep its full name first and recognize the airport’s location on the San Francisco Bay. “We’re proud Oakland fought for, and preserved the right to retain our airport’s full name that puts Oakland first and recognizes OAK’s location on the San Francisco Bay,” Richardson said in a statement carried by the AP.
San Francisco officials, who previously argued that the presence of “San Francisco” in Oakland’s airport name would confuse travelers—particularly those flying in from abroad—took a more conciliatory tone in the settlement announcement. Mike Nakornkhet, director of San Francisco International Airport, said, “We are grateful to have reached a resolution in this matter,” adding that “This agreement provides clarity for travelers to make informed decisions about travel through our respective airports.”
The settlement did not involve an admission of liability by either side, and it included no monetary settlement, the AP report said. The two airports are located across the San Francisco Bay from each other, with about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) of driving distance between them, and San Francisco International Airport is owned by the city of San Francisco, despite being technically located south of it.