Oakland International Airport

Description

Of the three international airports in the San Francisco Bay Area, OAK is the one farthest from Moffett Field/ARC.  SFO is closer, and SJC is much closer.  That said, OAK is still a reasonable drive away if you're flying into ARC.

As always, it pays to check out your airline's web site before you fly.  If you haven't flown in a while, a lot of airlines have been tightening their baggage restrictions, and/or adding fees for checked bags.

Of course, it's probably a good idea to check up on the latest regulations from the the Transportation Safety Administration.  Heaven forbid you should endanger an aircraft by trying to bring more than 3 ounces of toothpaste with you.

Main Web Site

http://www.oaklandairport.com/index2.cfm

Location

1 Airport Drive, Oakland, CA

It's shown on the Google Map.

Drive Time

from Ames to the entrance of the airport complex (per Google maps): 44 minutes to 55 minutes, depending on traffic

Public Transit

Hours

Open 24/7/365.  Oakland isn't known for blizzards or hurricanes, so weather closings aren't normally an issue.

Cost

Varies based on your flight.  It's free to get in, but after 9-11 you can't get into the airport bars anymore, and what else is there to do at an airport if you're not flying?