San Diego Airport- arrivals

crazymomof4

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Our adult son is meeting us for a few days of our SoCal trip in Nov. He is flying in to San Diego airport and we are picking him up at the end of our day trip there. I saw on their website that the cell phone waiting lot was relocated in late June of this year. The new cell phone lot is very close to the terminals. He will be flying Southwest which is Terminal 1.
While I am familiar with picking up arrivals from airports, this is our first experience with San Diego Airport specifically.
He is most likely not checking a bag. So does he just walk out to the Harbor Drive side of the terminal and we pick him up in the usual quick-stop-then-go airport pick-up way? That's what I'm picturing but I don't want to find out that day that I was wrong.
Any other tips on navigating the airport-- for him arriving or for us picking up will be appreciated.
TIA
 
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How cell phone waiting lots usually work is you park in that lot while you wait for the person's you're picking up to call you. That person calls you to say, "I'm here!" They stand outside at the curb, usually at the Arrivals area for whichever airline they flew in on. You then leave the cell phone waiting lot and then drive to that terminal, look for the signs for his/her airline, and find your party standing outside waiting for you. You park alongside the curb, person loads the luggage into your car, he/she gets in, and away you go.

According to the San Diego airport website, the new temporary lot is at 3015 N Harbor Dr. If you check on Google Maps, here's the route from there to Terminal 1. You'll be just fine.


438462
 
How cell phone waiting lots usually work is you park in that lot while you wait for the person's you're picking up to call you. That person calls you to say, "I'm here!" They stand outside at the curb, usually at the Arrivals area for whichever airline they flew in on. You then leave the cell phone waiting lot and then drive to that terminal, look for the signs for his/her airline, and find your party standing outside waiting for you. You park alongside the curb, person loads the luggage into your car, he/she gets in, and away you go.

According to the San Diego airport website, the new temporary lot is at 3015 N Harbor Dr. If you check on Google Maps, here's the route from there to Terminal 1. You'll be just fine.


View attachment 438462


I should clarify.......
We live 20 mins from Phila Inter'l Airport and about 40 mins from Trenton. Picked up countless people from airportsover the decades so I'm very familiar the whole process in general, including how to use the cell phone waiting lot. But---
With San Diego, I assumed it would be the typical pick up process but then I saw the sky bridge conected to Terminal 1 and I wanted to make sure that arriving passengers are not directed across that and picked up on the other side, or something out of the usual like that.
I did google the new lot location and that's how I could tell it was very close to the terminals.
 


Not at all offensive, I just felt bad that you put so much effort and time (copying the labeled map and all) and I wanted to quick post a clarification so that no one else puts forth any similar effort to respond to my question which I obviously didn't word properly.
Thanks for caring enough to go to such lengths to help!
 
My concern was about San Diego being in any way outside of the typical airport pick up. I guess I didn't make that clear enough in my original post
 
For San Diego and regular passenger pick-up, you still pick up everyone at the same spot at the curb in front of either terminal. Hotel shuttles, Super Shuttle, etc., you take the Sky Bridge because they've been diverted.
 


For San Diego and regular passenger pick-up, you still pick up everyone at the same spot at the curb in front of either terminal. Hotel shuttles, Super Shuttle, etc., you take the Sky Bridge because they've been diverted.
Great thanks so much!
 
Depending on traffic, it’s possible that your son taking the car rental shuttle to the car rental center and getting picked up in that driveway will shave 30 mins off leaving the airport and trying to get onto I-5. Specifically Friday nights are pretty bad.
 
Depending on traffic, it’s possible that your son taking the car rental shuttle to the car rental center and getting picked up in that driveway will shave 30 mins off leaving the airport and trying to get onto I-5. Specifically Friday nights are pretty bad.
Thank you!
We will be taking I-5 right after picking him up. We are staying with my uncle in Westminster.
He arrives on a Sat. Lands 7:45pm
Would your tip still apply for this day and time?
As a better option than just doing the side-walk pick up right outside of Terminal 1?
 
Thank you!
We will be taking I-5 right after picking him up. We are staying with my uncle in Westminster.
He arrives on a Sat. Lands 7:45pm
Would your tip still apply for this day and time?
As a better option than just doing the side-walk pick up right outside of Terminal 1?

Hard to say, it might be lighter as it is Saturday night not Friday. As you get into the cell phone lot, get a visual of how bad the outbound traffic is and decide whether you want to redirect him to rental cars or pick him up curbside. Good Luck!
 

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