This paper reports on an investigation of air traveler behavior in choosing a mode of access to the airport. Data from a 1980 survey of departing air passengers in the San Francisco Bay Area were used to study the characteristics of access mode choice for local residents. Separate models were developed for business and non‐business travel. The analysis demonstrates that air travelers are highly sensitive to access travel time, and become more so with increasing flight time. Price sensitivities are about the same as for conventional work trip mode choice. Values of time for airport access appear considerably higher than commonly is assumed in transport project evaluation, suggesting that substantial investments in airport access improvements might be justified.