Is this new space the best Alaska Airlines lounge in the country?

Alaska Airlines has a new home in the remade Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and it has opened a fancy new lounge to accompany it. I'd argue it's possibly the best out of Alaska's nine lounges in the country. As we first reported in June, the Seattle-based carrier moved its SFO operations from Terminal 2 to the gorgeous new Terminal 1, named after gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk. That move neatly coincided with the opening of a brand-new 11,000-square-foot lounge.

I had the opportunity to check it out on a few recent stops at SFO, and it gives the flagship Alaska Lounge in Seattle's North Satellite a run for its money.

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Alaska Lounge location at SFO

The Alaska Lounge opened in June at SFO's Harvey Milk Terminal 1. It's across from Gate B6 and not far from the brand-new The Club at SFO lounge, which I reviewed last month.

The new American Airlines Admirals Club is about a 10-minute walk down the terminal.

The Alaska Lounge's design is sleek and modern. Once you enter the sliding glass doors, you'll find a large lobby area with a bank of elevators that will take you upstairs to the actual lounge.

When you step off the elevators, friendly employees at a check-in desk will greet you. I had great interactions on both my visits. One agent even offered to take the names of my guests to let them in automatically when they arrived later. This way, I didn't have to wait around and could just start enjoying the lounge.

I visited once in October and once in November. There were no lines to get in, and the lounge was nearly empty. The lounge is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Alaska Lounge SFO entry requirements

Entry requirements for this new Alaska Lounge are a little more restrictive than in years past when they regularly allowed entry to Priority Pass cardholders. That may help explain why it's not too crowded.

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Those with an Alaska Lounge or an Alaska Lounge+ membership can get in for free. (An Alaska+ membership also offers access to a network of partner lounges, including all American Airlines Admirals Clubs, Qantas Club locations and some United Clubs.)

Those with an American Airlines Admirals Club membership can also use Alaska Lounges when flying a same-day American- or Alaska-operated flight. That includes holders of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees). Note you'll need to show the physical card in some instances.

Related: Complete guide to Alaska Lounge access

Single-entry lounge passes will also be available for sale for $60 per person, but only as space is available. Given how few people I saw on my visits to the lounge, I bet that passes will be available for sale fairly often. To purchase a pass, you'll need to be flying on either Alaska, a Oneworld airline or one of Alaska's other global partners like Icelandair or Starlux.

Finally, you can also use the lounge if you are a first-class passenger with paid or award tickets on flights of 2,000 miles or more.

There are a few additional ways to enter this lounge. See Alaska Airlines' list of lounge policies and rules for more information.

Related: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card review

Alaska Lounge SFO amenities

One of the highlights is a giant wraparound bar where bartenders make cocktails like Alaska's famous bloody mary and also serve West Coast wines and beers. Among the top-shelf options are Jim Beam, Crown Royal and Maker's Mark whiskeys and Aviation and Bombay Sapphire gins.

The new lounge comes in at a whopping 11,000 square feet and has 55% more seating than the old lounge in Terminal 2.

You won't find showers here, but there are large, clean restrooms with Salt & Stone products from La Bottega.

There are plenty of seating and lounging areas, including four-top tables, individual desklike setups and comfy high-back chairs with views of the tarmac.

There are also high-back sofa chairs and some private booths for sound-resistant work areas.

My favorite seating area was a long row of lounger-style chairs where you could catch views of the airport ... or a few ZZZs.

There was no fireplace feature like you'll see at some other Alaska Lounges, but there were a few communal couches that looked cozy.

The lounge is also fully wheelchair accessible.

I really enjoyed the wide variety of seating and working areas.

Alaska Lounge SFO dining

The Alaska Lounge at SFO has a rotating menu of snacks and small bites. Fresh fruit and oatmeal were available along with other breakfast items. Deli meats and cheeses were also available. During one of my visits, there was also vegetable fried rice.

Of course, there's also the famous Alaska Lounge feature: a pancake machine by Popcake. It's a fully automatic pancake machine that has now become standard at Alaska Lounges. Yum.

As has also become standard at Alaska Lounges, there was a barista station where you could order espresso or grab a pastry to enjoy in the lounge.

There was also a beverage station offering two high-end Eversys coffee machines, a Coca-Cola soda machine, teas and a few other treats. This lounge serves coffee and espresso from San Francisco-based Ritual Coffee Roasters. The company is independent and woman-owned, and it's a nice touch in a San Francisco lounge.

I loved the self-serve candy station, which featured Ghirardelli chocolates, Alaska Air-colored jelly beans, M&M's and fortune cookies made by the Oakland Fortune Factory.

Another particularly endearing nod to San Francisco was the giant sculptural mural on the wall of the main dining area.

I really loved all the tributes to the Bay Area spread throughout the lounge, from the art to the food and beverage selections.

Bottom line

SFO has really stepped up its game in the lounge space. Three lounges in the new T1 alone make lounge-hopping a fun activity if you have the access and the time before a flight.

While I loved the new Priority Pass lounge, The Club, it can be crowded. That hasn't been a problem so far at the new Alaska Lounge (nor has it at the nearby Admirals Club, for that matter).

I definitely recommend checking it out next time you are passing through SFO.

It doesn't have massage chairs, nap rooms or showers, but then again, most Alaska Lounges don't. The San Francisco Alaska Lounge is my new favorite.

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