California Airports

Aviation in California

California is served by a network of 755 public-use airports recorded in the FAA's NASR Airport Master Record. The mix breaks down into 13 large hubs, 64 medium hubs, and 678 small or regional fields. Together they form the on-the-ground network that connects California residents to the rest of the country and, in many cases, to international destinations through the connecting hubs profiled elsewhere in this directory.

Reading the table below as a planner: the large-hub entries are where you will find the broadest selection of carriers, the longest list of nonstop destinations, and the most amenities, and also the longest TSA queues. Medium hubs typically host scheduled service from three to ten carriers and are often the most efficient choice for travelers based outside the largest metropolitan areas. The small and regional entries cover everything from Essential Air Service routes to general-aviation strips that primarily serve charter, training and corporate traffic.

FAA region: California falls inside the FAA's Western-Pacific Region, headquartered in Lawndale, CA. The region oversees airport certification, safety inspections, and air-traffic-control coordination for every airport in this state.

All 755 airports in California

Travel context

Travelers comparing flight options inside California should look beyond the obvious large-hub entry. Many travelers reflexively book through the biggest airport in their state, but for short-haul itineraries a closer medium or regional airport can shave an hour off the total door-to-door time even when its ticket price is slightly higher. The opposite is also true for long-haul or international travel, where the broader carrier selection at the large hub typically wins on both price and routing.

For multi-airport metropolitan areas, and several states have them, pay attention to which carrier alliance dominates each airport. A traveler with frequent-flyer status on one alliance will usually find the better experience at the alliance's home airport, even at the cost of a slightly longer drive.

Related references