History
Dedicated on August 16, 1928, the new airport was given the
prominent name San Diego Municipal Airport - Lindbergh Field.
This naming occurred because San Diego holds the honor of being
the city from which Charles Lindbergh began the journey that
would ultimately become the first solo transatlantic flight.
Additionally, the airport holds the distinction of being the
first federally certified airfield to serve all aircraft types,
including seaplanes.
The original terminal was located on the
northeastern side of the field, along Pacific Coast Highway.
On June 1, 1930, a regular San Diego-Los Angeles airmail route
was initiated. The airport gained 'international airport' status
in 1934, and a United States Coast Guard Air Base located adjacent
to the field was commissioned in April 1937.
The Coast Guard's
fixed-wing aircraft make use of the runway at Lindbergh Field.
World War II brought significant change to the airfield when
the U.S. Army Air Corps took it over in 1942 to support the
war effort.
The infrastructure of the airport was improved
to handle the heavy bombers being manufactured in the region
during the war. This transformation, including an 8,750 foot
runway, made the airport "jet-ready' long before jet
passenger planes came into widespread service .
After the
war, commercial air service at Lindbergh Field expanded rapidly.
Pacific Southwest Airlines established its headquarters in
San Diego and inaugurated service at Lindbergh Field in 1949
to points throughout California. In 1960, Lindbergh Field
gained its first jet service, with American Airlines and United
Airlines operating the Boeing 720 to Phoenix and San Francisco,
respectively.
Tragedy struck on September 25, 1978, when a Pacific Southwest
Airlines Boeing 727, operating as PSA Flight 182, suffered
a mid-air collision with a privately owned Cessna 172 while
on final approach to Lindbergh Field.
One hundred and twenty-eight
passengers and seven crew members on board the Boeing, two
on board the Cessna and seven people on the ground were killed.
This disaster remains the single worst aircraft accident in
California history.
The original terminal was used until the 1960's, but by that
time, air traffic in San Diego had increased considerably
and new facilities were needed badly. The current Terminal
1 was opened on the southern side of the airport property
on March 5, 1967. It was not until July 11, 1979 that Terminal
2 was opened. A third terminal, dubbed the Commuter Terminal,
opened on July 23, 1996. Terminal 2 was later expanded by
300,000 square feet in 1998.
Originally operated by the San Diego Unified Port District,
the airport is now operated by the San Diego County Regional
Airport Authority.
Flight Operations
The vast majority of operations at SAN are to the west.
Landing at the airport from the east (the most common approach)
offers dramatic closeup views of skyscrapers, Petco Park (home
of the San Diego Padres), and the soaring, curving Coronado
Bridge from the left side of the aircraft. On the right, Balboa
Park, site of the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition,
can be seen, along with the world famous San Diego Zoo and
several freeways.
The approach from the east is steep, necessitated by terrain
which drops from 250 feet to sea level in less than a mile.
SAN's only runway is located at the base of the hill, and
the steep approach is further complicated by a parking garage
under the glidepath.
Aircraft arriving from the east do not
land at the end of the runway as at most airports, but land
at what is called a displaced threshold, located 1810 feet
from the runway end, effectively shortening the landing distance
to 7591 feet.
Aircraft departing to the west use the east
end of the runway as their departure point. A photo from the
cockpit of an arriving aircraft clearly shows the approach
and the displaced threshold.
Under fog or Santa Ana wind conditions, operations are reversed
with landings and takeoffs to the east. Because of the terrain,
weight limits are imposed on departing aircraft under these
conditions.
SAN is located in a highly populated area. To appease the
airport's neighbors' concerns over noise, departures are allowed
between 6:30 AM and 11:30 PM. While arrivals can occur outside
those hours, the aircraft operator is subject to a fine. This
usually occurs when an arriving flight is delayed at the departure
airport. Several flights are scheduled with departure times
before 6:15 AM. These times, however, are pushback times.
First takeoff roll is at 6:30 AM.
Relocation Proposals
California Assembly Bill AB 93 created the San Diego County
Regional Airport Authority in 2001. The SDCRAA believes that
Lindbergh Field will reach capacity between 2015 and 2022.
The county of San Diego will vote in 2006 on recommendations
made by the SDRAA.
The current site of the airport is bounded by San Diego Bay,
military facilities, and residential areas. Extension into
the bay is an undesirable option because the required landfill
would interfere with nearby U.S. naval operations. Furthermore,
such an addition would not properly address projected capacity
demands. The adjacent military land remains in active use
and is not currently available. Using residential land, although
possible through eminent domain, is publicly and politically
unpopular.
Because of Lindbergh Field's geographic constraints, the
Airport Authority is exploring several proposals to completely
relocate the airport. Of the nine locations under consideration,
two are considered remote to San Diego.
One such remote location has created local controversy. A
proposal promoted by Congressman Bob Filner would locate the
new airport in Imperial County, approximately 96 miles from
downtown San Diego. The proposal has garnered severe criticism
because of the anticipated long driving times and a costly
companion proposal involving a high speed train connection.
The cost of the transportation and roadway alone is nearly
$10.2 Billion, excluding construction of the actual airport
facilities. This is approximately 3-4 times the cost of constructing
Denver International Airport, to which it would then be necessary
to add an additional $5-7 Billion for the proposed airport
itself.
An unsuccessful proposal was the construction of a "floatport,"
a fully floating airport located three miles off of the tip
of Point Loma. The floatport concept remains technically unproven,
could cost nearly $30 billion (Denver International Airport,
by comparison, cost $4.9 Billion when it opened in 1995, about
$14 billion in todays dollars with 6 six runways and 120 gates
- three times as many runways as San Diego proposes and double
the gates), and raises substantial environmental concerns
(Considerably more than a land based site because of fears
of fuel spills and disruption of a major whale migration route).
The proposal has been rejected by SDCRAA as simply being too
costly.
Had Marine Corps Air Station Miramar become available through
the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), a new airport on
that site would have cost between $8 and 12 Billion (including
access) in 2015-2020 dollars, that being the timeframe in
which the new airport would have opened if approved by the
voters. The airport is now proposing joint use.
San Diego is also looking at single runway solutions to compliment
SAN due to the reduced footprint requirements making sites
previously evaluated with two runways an option.
Airlines and destinations
Complete information on flights to and from SAN is available
at the Flight Planner section of the airport's web site.
Terminal 1
Air Canada (Toronto [eff. July 1])
Air Canada Jazz (Vancouver)
Alaska Airlines Gates 16, 17, and 20 (Int'l Arrivals) (Los
Cabos, Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma, Vancouver)
Frontier Airlines Gate 15 (Denver)
Midwest Airlines Gate 15 (Kansas City)
Southwest Airlines Gates 1-10 (Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore/Washington,
Chicago-Midway, Denver, El Paso, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville,
Oakland, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Jose, Tucson)
United Airlines Gates 11-14, and 18 (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver,
Honolulu [eff. June 10], San Francisco, Washington-Dulles)
Terminal 2
Aeroméxico Gates 20 & 21 (Loreto, Los Cabos, Mexico
City, Puerto Vallarta)
Aloha Airlines Gate 22 (Kahului)
American Airlines Gates 23, 25, & 27-32 (Boston, Chicago-O'Hare,
Dallas/Fort Worth, New York-JFK, St. Louis)
Continental Airlines Gates 35 & 36 (Houston-Intercontinental,
Newark)
Delta Air Lines Gates 37-41 (Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern
Kentucky, New York-JFK [eff. June 8], Salt Lake City)
Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Salt
Lake City)
Delta Connection operated by SkyWest (Salt Lake City)
Hawaiian Airlines Gates 40 & 41 (Honolulu, Kahului [eff.
Jun. 9])
JetBlue Airways Gate 37 (New York-JFK, Washington-Dulles)
Northwest Airlines Gates 22, 24, & 26 (Detroit, Minneapolis/St.
Paul)
Sun Country Airlines Gate 38 (Minneapolis/St.Paul)
US Airways Gates 20, 23, 26, 33 & 34 (Charlotte, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh)
US Airways operated by America West Airlines (Las Vegas, Phoenix)
US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Las Vegas, Los
Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Phoenix)
WestJet Gate 37 (Calgary [seasonal])
Commuter Terminal
American Airlines
American Eagle (Los Angeles, San Jose)
United Airlines
United Express operated by SkyWest (Imperial, Los Angeles)
Cargo Airlines Serving San Diego
Capital Cargo International Airlines
Custom Air Transport
DHL (Flights operated by ABX Air to Wilmington, OH.)
FedEx Express (Flights to FedEX hubs in Memphis, Indianapolis,
and Oakland)
Kitty Hawk Aircargo (Flights to Kitty Hawk hub in Fort Wayne,
IN.)
United Parcel Service (Flights to UPS hubs in Ontario, CA
& Louisville, KY.)
Airlines that have served San Diego
Since the deregulation of air travel in the United States
in 1978, many airlines have carried their passengers through
San Diego on a scheduled or chartered basis. Sadly, some of
these airlines may have lasted one or two years at the most.
But other more established carriers have also ceased operations
due to the cold reality of economics. In addition, several
international airlines have come and later found San Diego
unprofitable, as LAX is approximately 2 hours away by car.
The following list comprises airlines which provided scheduled
or regular charter service to Lindbergh Field.
Aero California Route deemed unprofitable 1
Aeroservicios de California Unknown demise
Air Bahia Unknown demise
Air California Name changed to Air Cal; acquired by American
Airlines in 1987
Air Cortez Unknown demise
Air Irvine Unknown demise
Air LA Ceased Operations in 1991
Air Resorts Unknown demise
Air West Renamed [Hughes Airwest] in 1971
American Trans Air Routes deemed unprofitable
Aspen Air Served SAN on a charter basis, acquired by Air Wisconsin
in 1991
Bonanza Air Lines Merged with Pacific Airlines & West
Coast in 1968 to form Air West
Braniff (Second Version) Declared bankruptcy in 1989
British Airways Route to London deemed unprofitable in 2003
British Caledonian Introduced service to London Gatwick via
LAX; acquired by British Airways in 1988
Canadian Airlines Vancouver route deemed unprofitable; company
later bought by Air Canada
Cochise Airlines Unknown demise
Dash Air Unknown demise
Denver Ports of Call Operated frequent charters to SAN; changed
name to Skyworld Airlines; unknown demise
Eastern Air Lines Declared bankruptcy in 1991
Frontier Airlines (First Version) Acquired by People Express
in 1985; soon after folded into Continental Airlines
Golden West Airlines Ceased operations in 1983
Horizon Air Route to Boise, ID deemed unprofitable in 2003
Hughes Airwest Acquired by Republic Airlines in 1980
Imperial Airlines Operated commuter flights to LAX; Unknown
demise
Independence Air Operated flight to Washington Dulles; ceased
operations in 2006.
MarkAir Operated flights to DEN; Declared bankruptcy in 1995
Morris Air Operated flights to SLC; acquired by Southwest
Airlines in 1995
Muse Air Acquired by Southwest Airlines in 1985 and operated
as TransStar until liquidated in 1987
National Airlines (First Version) Acquired by Pan Am in 1980
Northeastern International Airlines Declared bankruptcy in
1985
Ozark Airlines Operated flights to STL; Acquired by Trans
World Airlines in 1986
Pacific Southwest Airlines Acquired by USAir in 1987
Pan American World Airways Routes deemed unprofitable and
airline declared bankruptcy in 1991
Piedmont Airlines Acquired by USAir in 1989
Pride Air Declared bankruptcy in 1985
Reno Air Acquired by American Airlines in 1998
Republic Airlines Merged with Northwest Orient in 1986(Northwest
Airlines)
Scenic Air Route deemed unprofitable
States West Airlines Became part of Trans States
Sun Aire Lines Acquired by SkyWest in 1984
Sunworld Airlines Declared bankruptcy in 1988
Trans Star Airlines Owned by Southwest Airlines and ceased
operations in 1987
Trans World Airlines Bankruptcy, acquired by American Airlines
in 2001
Transamerica Airlines Served SAN on a charter basis, declared
bankruptcy in 1986
WestAir Commuter Airlines Acquired by Mesa Airlines in 1993
Western Airlines Acquired by Delta Air Lines in 1987
Western Pacific Airlines Ceased operations in 1988
Wings West Acquired by American Eagle
Visit the Official Website for San Diego Airport
The City of San Diego operates two general aviation airports, Brown Field (SDM) one mile north of the U.S. - Mexico border, and Montgomery Field (MYF) located near the population center of San Diego and convenient to area attractions and businesses.
Brown Field
Located north of the U.S. - Mexico border, Brown Field (SDM) is a port-of-entry into the United States for private air craft coming from Mexico into California. Brown Field is also heavily used by military and law enforcement agencies.
Montgomery Field
Montgomery Field (MYF) is centrally located in the Kearny Mesa area of the City. The airport is home base to approximately 600 aircraft and offers a 4600' lighted runway served by an Instrument Landing System (ILS), a 3,400' parallel runway, a 3,400' crosswind runway, a control tower operating 6:00am - 9:00 pm, and a full range of aviation support facilities.
On May 20, 1950 the City of San Diego named Montgomery Field in honor of John J. Montgomery who is credited with making the first controlled flight in a fixed wing aircraft. Montgomery's first glider flight took place in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego in 1883.
