San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is set to experience a reduction in flight delays following the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval of new regulations allowing for more frequent plane landings. The FAA announced that arrival rates at SFO will increase from 36 planes per hour to 40 planes per hour by August 12, with a further increase to 42 landings per hour by the end of the month.
These changes come after new safety restrictions were imposed in March, which prohibited airplanes from conducting simultaneous side-by-side landings on the east-to-west runways, even when aircraft were in sight of each other. Pilots were instead directed to use a staggered approach. The updated rule, effective next Wednesday, will permit staggered parallel landings, maintaining safety by ensuring one aircraft remains ahead of the other. However, parallel landings will still be prohibited in conditions of reduced visibility.
Airport spokesperson Doug Yakel stated that while the new regulations will not fully restore the arrival rate experienced with the previous side-by-side landing procedures, they represent a positive step forward. The implementation of these new FAA rules coincides with a construction project that has taken two runways out of commission for six months, with closures beginning in March and reopening scheduled for October.
Following the imposition of the March restrictions, the airport observed a significant increase in delays. According to Yakel, more than one-third of flights were delayed by 15 minutes or more, a notable rise from approximately one-fifth of flights experiencing similar delays in 2025. Flight-tracking data indicates that as of Saturday, around 30% to 40% of flights at SFO were delayed, with arrivals or departures running nearly 20 minutes late.
Previous side-by-side landings were permitted at SFO in favorable weather conditions. However, recent aviation safety incidents across the country have led to increased scrutiny of landing procedures. The FAA's adjustments aim to balance safety with operational efficiency at one of the nation's busiest airports.