A bitter geographic dispute between the East Bay and West Bay is coming to a conclusion.
On Tuesday, San Francisco and the Port of Oakland announced a settlement agreement that wraps up a two-year legal battle over the name of Oakland’s airport.
Under the settlement, OAK will remain known as “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.”
But Oakland is forbidden from using several other names, including “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport,” “Oakland San Francisco International Bay Airport,” and “Oakland San Francisco Bay International Airport.”
In a press release, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said officials were pleased they could come to a mutual resolution that accomplishes Oakland’s goals while protecting the San Francisco International Airport’s trademarks.
“When more visitors come to the Bay Area, our entire region benefits,” Chiu said in a statement. “San Francisco cares deeply about the success of all of our Bay Area airports and tourist destinations.”
The legal saga began two years ago when the Oakland Port Commission voted to rename Oakland International Airport as “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.” Port officials and East Bay leaders argued this rebrand was necessary because marketing campaigns had failed to educate travelers about Oakland’s proximity to San Francisco and its central location in the Bay Area.
San Francisco officials were outraged. They opposed the new name, which they argued would confuse travelers, and sued the Port.
In November 2024, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering Oakland to stop using the name, ruling that it would likely damage the brand of the bigger, financially more successful airport. The Port of Oakland appealed.
But in July 2025, the Port changed the name again to “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.” Port officials said at the time that they believed their first name did not infringe on San Francisco’s trademark, but a new name was necessary while waiting for a final legal resolution.
Per the settlement, Oakland officials agreed to dismiss their appeal and countersuit against San Francisco.
“We’re proud Oakland fought for, and preserved the right to retain our airport’s full name that puts Oakland first and recognizes OAK’s location on the San Francisco Bay,” said Mary Richardson, the port’s attorney, in a press statement. “We believe more awareness of the airports in the region benefits all consumers.”
It’s unclear if Oakland’s name change achieved the goal of bringing more travelers to Oakland. Like other airports, Oakland saw a significant drop in passenger traffic at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a brief period of recovery, total passenger counts have declined for the last few years. According to the most recent airport data, Oakland’s passenger traffic for the 12-month period ending in February 2026 was 13.7% lower compared to the year-long period ending in February 2025.
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