San Francisco and Port of Oakland reach settlement in airport renaming lawsuit

San Francisco, CA (April 28, 2026) — San Francisco and the Port of Oakland have reached a settlement in a trademark infringement lawsuit over the renaming of Oakland’s airport. As a part of the settlement agreement, the Port of Oakland will continue to use “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport” to refer to its airport and will retain its current International Air Transport Association (IATA) code, OAK.

San Francisco filed the lawsuit in April 2024 alleging that the Port’s action renaming Oakland International Airport to “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport” infringed on the San Francisco International Airport® trademark. A federal District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Port from using that name, and Oakland appealed that order to the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The Port later renamed the airport a second time to “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.” This settlement resolves San Francisco’s lawsuit, Oakland’s counterclaim, and Oakland’s appeal of the preliminary injunction.

“When more visitors come to the Bay Area, our entire region benefits. San Francisco cares deeply about the success of all of our Bay Area airports and tourist destinations,” said San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu. “We are pleased that we could come to a mutual resolution that accomplishes Oakland’s goals while still protecting the San Francisco International Airport® trademark.”

“We are grateful to have reached a resolution in this matter,” said San Francisco International Airport® Director Mike Nakornkhet. “This agreement provides clarity for travelers to make informed decisions about travel through our respective airports. SFO will continue delivering an exceptional travel experience for San Franciscans and visitors alike, and we look forward to welcoming travelers to San Francisco.”

Background
Under the settlement agreement, the Port of Oakland may continue using the name “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport,” subject to specific limitations ensuring that “San Francisco” does not appear more prominently than “Oakland” in any displays or marketing materials. The Port has agreed not to add “SF” to its existing IATA code, OAK.

As part of the agreement, the Port will refrain from using several prohibited names:

• “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport”
• “Oakland San Francisco International Bay Airport”
• “Oakland San Francisco Bay International Airport”

In online advertising, the Port may not purchase — and must expressly exclude — keywords such as “San Francisco Airport,” “SF Airport,” and “San Francisco International Airport.”

The Port will notify transit operators, regulatory agencies, and all airlines operating at its airport that “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport” is the proper name to use to refer to the airport. If either party becomes aware of a third party using an incorrect name, the Port must notify the third party of the mistake and request they use the correct name.

San Francisco will not oppose the Port’s registration of “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport” with the US Patent and Trademark Office, and the Port will not challenge San Francisco’s use of its mark San Francisco International Airport®.

As a part of the agreement, San Francisco will dismiss its lawsuit, and the Port will dismiss its counterclaim and appeal to the Ninth Circuit.

The case is City and County of San Francisco v. City of Oakland and Port of Oakland, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 3:24-cv-02311-TSH.