Source: The Points Guy
Summary
Landline, a transportation provider, will launch a bus service between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (STS) on Nov. 17. The service allows travelers to check in, clear security, and board a bus to SFO, where they can proceed to their flights without reclearing security. Fares are $55 for adults, with free travel for children under 15. The route is part of Landline’s expansion, which includes partnerships with major airlines like Alaska, American, and United.
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The escape is carefully planned.
Landline buses connect STS to SFO with a two-hour trip. Passengers check in at STS, clear security, and board a bus to SFO’s Gate A3. Luggage is transferred automatically. High-speed Wi-Fi is available on board. The service is part of Landline’s growing network, which includes routes like Boston to Logan. Travelers can book through Landline’s website. The service aims to reduce driving and congestion at SFO. Future routes may include Monterey and Stockton airports.
Travelers avoid driving but still need to plan. Buses replace short flights, offering a cheaper alternative. Airline partnerships help with luggage and connections. The trip is smooth but structured. Passengers rely on schedules and logistics for a seamless journey.
The trip is designed for efficiency, not spontaneity.
Author: Evan Null
The evolution of Landline
Landline’s new SFO-STS service is the latest for the company, which launched seven years ago with the idea that lower-cost buses could replace short regional flights. Its first partnership was with Sun Country Airlines and followed in later years by Air Canada, American, and United. Initial offerings were white-labeled services — similar to an American Eagle or United Express flight, but with buses — painted in the airline partner’s colors. Its service has since evolved into a mix of independent and airline-affiliated operations.
Landline in California
Landline’s new SFO-STS route may just be the beginning for the company in the Golden State. If all goes well, Sunde said Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) on the coast and Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) in the Central Valley may be next for SFO connections. Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF) could come in the future. All of these potential future Landline routes from SFO are either current or former air routes. United operates up to four flights a day from SFO to both MRY and SMF, according to schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. SFO to STS operated until 2022, MOD until 2014 and SCK until 1993.
Expansion and future plans
Replacing flights with buses on the remaining routes could help alleviate SFO’s notorious flight congestion, especially in bad weather. It could also offer travelers an alternative to driving. First, however, Landline is working with SFO to secure a more central gate in the terminal complex, Sunde said. Gate A3 is convenient for any airline in Terminal 1 — Alaska, American, Hawaiian and JetBlue — but not United in Terminal 3. “We’re successful in markets when we convince people not to drive themselves,” he said. “We think that the combination of an airside arrival, bag transfer to multiple major carriers and a comfortable seat with high-speed Wi-Fi is hard to beat.”
Customer demand and success
Landline staff said in late June that buses frequently departed for BOS full, and the parking lot was at capacity. “Most of our customers are coming from their car,” Sunde said of the company’s recent expansion. Landline has “doubled” in size in 2026, he added, citing expanded offerings with Air Canada, the new Logan Express service with Massport and now the new SFO coaches that will debut in November. The growth comes as travelers embrace Landline’s services. The company now offers 19 daily round trips between Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) in Fort Collins, Colorado and Denver International Airport (DEN), a route that operates outside security and debuted with just four round trips in 2021.
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