<P> The City and County of San Francisco first leased 150 acres ( 61 ha ) at the present airport site on March 15 , 1927 for what was then to be a temporary and experimental airport project . San Francisco held a dedication ceremony at the airfield , officially named for Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco , on May 7 , 1927 on the 150 - acre cow pasture . The land was leased from the Mills Estate in an agreement made with Ogden L. Mills who oversaw the large tracts of property originally acquired by his grandfather , the banker Darius O. Mills . San Francisco purchased the property and the surrounding area expanding the site to 1,112 acres ( 450 ha ) beginning in August 1930 . The airport 's name was officially changed to San Francisco International Airport in 1931 , upon the purchase of the land , and `` International '' was added at the end of World War II as overseas service rapidly expanded . </P>
<P> The City and County of San Francisco first leased 150 acres ( 61 ha ) at the present airport site on March 15 , 1927 for what was then to be a temporary and experimental airport project . San Francisco held a dedication ceremony at the airfield , officially named for Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco , on May 7 , 1927 on the 150 - acre cow pasture . The land was leased from the Mills Estate in an agreement made with Ogden L. Mills who oversaw the large tracts of property originally acquired by his grandfather , the banker Darius O. Mills . San Francisco purchased the property and the surrounding area expanding the site to 1,112 acres ( 450 ha ) beginning in August 1930 . The airport 's name was officially changed to San Francisco International Airport in 1931 , upon the purchase of the land , and `` International '' was added at the end of World War II as overseas service rapidly expanded . </P>
when was the san francisco international airport built
when was the san francisco international airport built
1931
1931