New nonstop links Tampa, San Francisco

Long-sought service opens up new tourism, meeting opportunities

TAMPA (July 26, 2016) – Visit Tampa Bay and Tampa International Airport are proud to announce new daily nonstop flights from San Francisco beginning Feb. 16, 2017.

The Bay-to-Bay connection, which has been in the works for many months, was unveiled at a press conference on July 25. Representatives from the airline, airport, Visit Tampa Bay, the City of Tampa mayor’s office and Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Council all attended.

United Airlines will link the nation’s two most famous bays with a 737-800 each day, leaving San Francisco at 8:30 a.m. and arriving in Tampa Bay at 4:51 p.m. Flights will leave Tampa Bay at 5:50 p.m. and arrive in San Francisco at 8:45 p.m.

The new service expands on existing nonstop flights between Tampa Bay and the West Coast – two daily to Los Angeles and one to Seattle. The San Francisco flight creates a bridge between Tampa Bay and Northern California for both business and leisure travel. The service increases Tampa Bay’s link to the important Asian travel markets of China, South Korean and Japan. It also connects Tampa Bay’s growing tech sector with Silicon Valley.

“This flight is a huge victory for Tampa Bay in many ways,” said Santiago Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, the destination marketing organization for Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida.

“We congratulate our partners at TIA for securing this long-sought route,” Corrada said. “We think Tampa Bay will resonate with residents of the San Francisco Bay area as a premier travel destination. That, in turn, will build upon our already-booming tourism and meeting business.”

Nearly 600 people a day travel already travel between San Francisco and Tampa Bay, making that route one of the most underserved air connections in the U.S.

About Visit Tampa Bay

Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventurous travelers to unlock our destination’s trove of unique treasures. We are a not-for-profit corporation that works with more than 750 partners to tell the world the story of our home – the hip, urban heart of the Gulf Coast of Florida.