Located in Santa Clara County, the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport services the city of San Jose, just a few kilometres to the south-east. It was named after the former mayor of San Jose and Transportation Secretary under George W Bush and is rare among the San Francisco airports in being so close to the downtown area.
The airport has two active runways and two terminals, A and B, which are connected airside. The airport’s first terminal building, what was called Terminal C, was closed in 2010 and demolished to build a car park. International flight passengers arrive into Gates 15 and 16 in Terminal A and Gates 17 and 18 in Terminal B after clearing customs and immigration, while the rest are dedicated to domestic travellers, mainly from Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Terminal A boasts a paid entry lounge named "The Club at SJC" which replaces the former American Airlines "Admirals Club", while Terminal B has been designed with USB ports on chair armrests to power electronic devices and displays contemporary art throughout the building. The design incorporates sustainable practices, and the terminal was awarded a LEED Silver certification from the US Green Building Council. There are restaurants and cafes throughout both terminals where passengers can relax while waiting for flights, as well as shops and free wifi available.
The airport is connected to the Santa Clara Station and Metro/Airport Light Rail Station by a free Airport Flyer bus, from where passengers can access downtown San Jose and other cities across the region. Alternatively, taxis wait in the ranks outside both terminal buildings and rental car companies in the arrival halls.
It was in 1939 that plans for an airport to serve San Jose were first put in place, with land being purchased from the Stockton Ranch. Test pilot James M. Nissen also leased some of his land to build a runway, hangar and office of what was to be a flight school, eventually selling this aviation business to become the first airport manager of San Jose International Airport.