Elliott Cowand Jr | Shutterstock, Simple Flying
Jack comes to Simple Flying with a lifelong interest in all things aviation. He holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech, and is a certified private and remote pilot. Beyond these experiences, Jack previously worked for a corporate flight department where he gained first-hand experience in the world of business aviation. Currently, Jack works in the professional services industry and continues to build his flight hours outside of work.
Landline will launch a new “Straight to Gate” service connecting Sonoma County Airport (STS) with 
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on November 17, allowing eligible passengers to check in, drop their luggage, and clear Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening before boarding a motorcoach. The service will operate eight daily round trips, with adult fares starting at $55 one way. Rather than dropping passengers outside the terminal, the coach will deliver departing travelers into SFO’s secure area.
The service is intended to give North Bay residents easier access to SFO’s extensive domestic and international flight network without requiring them to drive to San Francisco. Initially, departures from Sonoma County will be available to eligible passengers flying on select airlines. Return trips are open to passengers arriving at SFO on any airline, although they must collect their checked luggage before boarding the coach.
Check-In And Security Move To Sonoma County
The new service is more than a conventional airport shuttle. At Sonoma County Airport, travelers can check in for their airline flight, drop checked luggage, and clear TSA security before boarding a Landline motorcoach. The coach then travels to SFO and enters the secure airport environment, allowing passengers to step off inside the terminal and walk to their connecting gate without another security checkpoint. Checked bags are transferred to the airline for the remainder of the journey.
Landline’s published timetable offers eight departures daily from Sonoma County, beginning at 5:00 AM and continuing through 7:45 PM. The journey generally takes just over two hours, although road traffic can affect arrival times. The company’s booking process recommends a coach based on the passenger’s SFO departure, with minimum connection times of 45 minutes for domestic flights and 60 minutes for international departures. Travelers should still allow a margin for traffic delays, particularly when connecting to a long-haul flight.
The coaches feature reclining leather seats, extra legroom, free Starlink Wi-Fi, power outlets, and an onboard restroom. Vehicles are wheelchair accessible. These amenities are intended to make the road portion of the journey more comfortable, but the key operational difference is that passengers complete screening before boarding in Sonoma County rather than arriving at SFO as ordinary shuttle passengers.
Five Airlines Can Use The Outbound Connection
For departures from SFO, Straight to Gate is initially available to eligible passengers traveling on 
United Airlines, 
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, 
American Airlines, and JetBlue. Travelers need an eligible same-day flight on a participating airline, and Landline’s booking process checks eligibility. The coach transfer is arranged through Landline, so passengers should review the booking conditions rather than assume the bus is treated as an airline-operated flight for every purpose.
The return journey follows a different process. Passengers arriving at SFO on any airline must collect their checked bags at baggage claim before boarding the coach outside the terminal. Landline lists pickup points at Terminals 1, 2, 3, and the International Terminal. This makes the trip back to Sonoma County available to a wider range of travelers than the outbound service, which is restricted to passengers on participating airlines.
The airline ticket is separate from the Landline fare, and airline baggage policies and fees continue to apply. Children aged 15 and younger ride free when accompanied by a paying adult. Passengers should confirm their baggage allowance and connection details when booking.
Landline Expands Its Remote-Terminal Model
The launch expands a business model Landline has been developing across North America: moving parts of the airport process closer to where travelers live. Instead of treating a bus as a simple ride to the airport, the company integrates check-in, baggage handling, and security into a journey that continues directly into the terminal. The approach builds on Landline’s remote-terminal operation in Framingham, Massachusetts, which connects passengers with 
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
For Sonoma County, the benefit is access to destinations that are not served directly from its local airport. Travelers can start closer to home while connecting through SFO’s much larger network, potentially avoiding a long drive south and the cost of airport parking. The model could also shift some airport access trips from private cars to shared coaches, although its broader impact will depend on passenger demand and schedule reliability.
Landline has identified other California airports, including Monterey Regional and Stockton Metropolitan, as potential candidates for similar SFO connections. Those routes remain possibilities rather than confirmed launches. The Sonoma service will test whether travelers value an integrated ground connection enough to make it a practical extension of the airline network, particularly when road traffic can affect a journey tied to a scheduled flight.