Oakland International Airport experienced a notable rise in international traffic over the past year, emerging as a viable alternative for travelers heading to the San Francisco Bay Area. Historically, international arrivals and departures were concentrated at San Francisco International Airport, while Oakland and San Jose (SJC) primarily handled domestic flights and overflow. This past year, however, OAK expanded its long-haul offerings and now connects the region with more destinations worldwide.
In February, Oakland welcomed its first nonstop service to Rome (FCO) since 2001, operated by Norwegian Air. That route operates twice weekly and has a scheduled flight time of approximately 12 hours and 35 minutes. Norwegian also introduced new services from OAK to Barcelona (BCN), Copenhagen (CPH), London Gatwick (LGW), Oslo (OSL) and Stockholm (ARN), and added flights to Paris (CDG) beginning this month.
Norwegian has maintained a presence at Oakland since 2014, helping to provide West Coast travelers with more affordable, direct connections to multiple European cities. The airline’s expanded schedule has increased options for international travelers and contributed to OAK’s growing reputation as a convenient gateway to the Bay Area.