Tesla has announced its ride-hailing service in the Bay Area has seen its first expansion, and it’s a significant one. According to a post by the company’s Tesla AI account on X, customers in the Bay Area can now request ride to and from San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC).
Our Bay Area ride-hailing service now goes to SJC airport ✈️
— Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) October 27, 2025
The move comes just weeks after reports confirmed that Tesla was in talks with all three of the Bay Area’s major airports — San Francisco (SFO), San Jose (SJC), and Oakland (OAK) — to secure operating permits for its ride-hailing and future Robotaxi services.
In early September, officials from each of the region’s airports confirmed that Tesla had approached them about permits for its ride-hailing operations. Doug Yakel, spokesperson for SFO, said that discussions were underway to schedule meetings with Tesla representatives.
San Jose airport officials similarly confirmed that Tesla had inquired about the process for its “transportation charter service,” while Oakland representatives said early contact had been made but no formal applications had yet been submitted.
With approval to operate out of SJC, the company is expected to also receive approval at SFO and OAK in the coming weeks.
Tesla’s Bay Area service currently operates from just north of San Francisco, all the way down to San Jose.
Why Airports Are Important
Airports are among the most valuable locations for ride-hailing operators due to their consistent passenger demand and exposure to new users. For Tesla, expanding into airports also serves a deeper purpose: testing and showcasing its evolving autonomous driving platform.
Tesla’s current service in the Bay Area uses vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) (Supervised), the latest version of its advanced driver-assistance software. While human oversight remains required, the company is using these routes to refine its system and gather data ahead of fully driverless operations.
CEO Elon Musk recently said Tesla expects to remove Safety Operators in “large parts of Austin” by the end of 2025 and to begin Robotaxi service in 8–10 metro areas, including parts of California, shortly after.
Waymo’s Move Into Airports
Tesla’s expansion also follows Waymo’s recent breakthrough in becoming the first autonomous vehicle company approved to operate at San Francisco International Airport. Waymo’s program has begun with a safety driver behind the wheel and without passengers. The second phase moves to fully driverless operations, restricted to Waymo employees and airport staff. The third phase will see paid public passenger pickups and drop-offs.
