After having completed two runway repair projects in recent years, 
San Francisco International Airport is set to begin a third runway renovation program. As reported by SFGate, the airport will close Runway 1R/19L for a full repavement, as well as to upgrade nearby lighting systems and the taxiways. The work will begin in March 2026 and is expected to last for roughly six months.
The project will have a small but noticeable effect on SFO’s operations. The airfield only has four runways, so having one runway out of service for half of the year does reduce overall capacity. However, the airport has recent experience with the operational impact from such projects, given that it performed runway renovations in 2023 and 2024, so passengers shouldn’t notice much of a difference.
Runway Renovations At San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport will begin a new refurbishment project for Runway 1R/19L. This will involve repaving the runway’s surface layer, improving the taxiway system connected to the runway, upgrading the runway’s lighting, and repainting the runway’s markings. The work is set to begin on March 30, 2026, and completion is targeted for October 2, 2026.
This six-month period will span over the entire summer season, which is typically the busiest travel season of the year. As such, it’s a relatively inopportune time for an airport to shut down one of its runways, but SFO has recent experience with operating using only three runways. Overall, San Francisco International Airport expects that less than 10% of overall flights will be delayed due to the runway closure, typically during peak times.
The improvement project will mean that traffic will now have to be shifted to the airport’s other three runways. Some nearby communities may also experience higher noise levels. Runway 1R is typically used for narrowbody departures in parallel with takeoffs from Runway 1L. For the six months that Runway 1R will be closed, there will be no parallel departures from these two runways, and this will affect aircraft departing north in particular.
More Details on Runway Improvements At SFO
It’s estimated that the new runway refurbishment program at SFO will cost $180 million, with half of the funding coming directly from the FAA. The airport has been continuously improving its infrastructure, as this is the third runway renovation within the past four years. In 2023, SFO refurbished the parallel Runway 1L/19R, and in 2024, it repaved Runway 10R/28L.
Runway 1L/19R and Runway 1R/19L are the two shortest runways at SFO, running parallel to one another. Runway 10L/28R and Runway 10R/28L are the longer parallel runways at SFO, intersecting with the other two runways. On most days, narrowbody aircraft perform departures from Runways 1L and 1R, while widebodies use Runways 28L and 28R. In addition, all arrivals land on Runways 28L and 28R.
The closure of Runway 1R/19L will result in more narrowbody departures from Runway 1L or from 28L/28R. This will create longer departure lines for these runways, which is where the possibility of delays comes in. In addition, arrivals could be heavily impacted during weather conditions that necessitate the use of Runway 1R/19R for landings, although such a configuration is rarely needed.
Hilo Airport To Begin Runway Night Closures To Upgrade Lighting
Installing the new lights will require closing one of Hilo’s runways every night.
Looking At Airport Improvement Projects
Once this project is completed, SFO will have repaved three out of its four runways. The advantage is that the runway will now be smoother, while also being more resilient to high stress from departing and arriving aircraft. This then improves safety by minimizing the risk of pavement damage, which can cause damage to an airliner moving at high speeds.
Throughout the US, airports have invested heavily in customer-facing and operational infrastructure in recent years. In 2024, Norfolk International Airport repaved its primary runway, and earlier in 2025, Newark Liberty International Airport completed major renovations to Runway 4L/22R. In addition, several US airports have either renovated or opened new terminal buildings as part of a broader focus on improving infrastructure.
