San Francisco was especially badly hit by the pandemic. This month, it has 10,547 domestic departures, down by over a quarter (27%) versus March 2020, the month things began to change. According to data experts Cirium, there are some 3,922 fewer departures, equivalent to a loss of 127 each day.

The California airport's domestic route map comprises 74 destinations this month, down from 81 in March 2020. Some 11 airports are not currently served, offset by four being introduced since 2020.

74 domestic destinations this March

The following four were added since March 2020, although Kalispell and Hartford were served in previous years:

  1. United launched the intra-California link to Eastern Sierra (BIH) in December 2021. It runs 1x daily by CRJ-700s, and it ends on March 26th
  2. United also commenced Fort Myers (RSW) in December. It has a 1x daily service by B737-800s and ends on May 5th
  3. United added Kalispell (FCA), with flights on Saturdays and Sundays using Embraer 175s; see below
  4. JetBlue took off to Hartford (BDL) in May 2021, and currently has a 4x weekly service using A320s

The 844-mile (1,358km) link to Kalispell, serving Montana's Glacier National Park, is bookable until March 26th, the last day of the aviation winter season. However, it returns for the peak summer on June 3rd, with a once-daily service that runs until September 6th.

San Francisco domestic network - returning and not returning
Orange = destinations added since March 2020; green = places returning and bookable; red = neither scheduled nor bookable. Image: GCMap.

Stay aware: Sign up for my weekly new routes newsletter.

But where's still missing?

The 11 destinations listed below were all served in March 2020 but are no longer running. However, eight of the 11 are bookable later in the year, while others are neither bookable nor scheduled. These include Northwest Arkansas, presumably waiting for business demand to be sufficient to warrant a return.

  1. Cincinnati (CVG): last served in March 2020; a 6x weekly Delta B737-900ER service is bookable from September 12th
  2. Columbus (CMH): last served in March 2020; 1x daily United B737-800/A319 is bookable from June 3rd
  3. Everett (PAE): last served in September 2021; 12-weekly Alaska Embraer 175 flights bookable from May 25th
  4. Kansas City (MCI): last served in March 2020; 1x daily United A319 link is bookable from June 24th
  5. Long Beach (LGB): last served in April 2020; no flights bookable or scheduled; see below
  6. Mammoth Lakes (MMH): last served in March 2020; no flights bookable or scheduled
  7. Madison (MSN): last served in March 2020; 1x daily United Embraer 175 bookable from September 7th
  8. Northwest Arkansas (XNA): last served in March 2020; no flights bookable or scheduled
  9. Oklahoma City (OKC): last served in April 2020; 1x daily United Embraer 175 bookable from September 7th
  10. Omaha (OMA): last served in March 2020; 1x daily United Embraer 175 bookable from June 24th
  11. St Louis (STL): last served in April 2020; 1x daily United Embraer 175 bookable from September 7th
JetBlue Airways (Boston Bruins Livery) Airbus A320-232 N632JB (2)
JetBlue has partnered with flying schools, universities, and regional airlines to create a full program for future pilots. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

JetBlue served Long Beach

It was JetBlue that served Long Beach from San Francisco. It took off in October 2008 and ran until April 2020, as the carrier ceased serving the LA Basin airport to concentrate on Los Angeles itself. The route almost always used A320s, It is uncertain if, or when, another operator will take up the airport-pair, with Long Beach subject to strict slot restrictions.

Do you have any trips to San Francisco coming up? Let us know in the comments.