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John Wayne Airport
File:Sna logo.png
IATA: SNA ICAO: KSNA FAA LID: SNA
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner/Operator	Orange County
Serves	Orange County, California
Location	Santa Ana, California
Elevation AMSL	56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates	33°40′32″N 117°52′06″W / 33.67556°N 117.86833°W / 33.67556; -117.86833
Website	www.ocair.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 1L/19R 5,701 1,738 Asphalt 1R/19L 2,887 880 Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Total aircraft operations 347,194 GA operations 243,061 Passenger volume 9,613,480 Cargo tonnage 24,103 (2005)
Sources: FAA[1], Airport website[2].

John Wayne Airport (IATA: SNA, ICAO: KSNA, FAA LID: SNA) is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in Santa Ana, hence the IATA code. Other nearby cities include Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Irvine. Originally named Orange County Airport, the county Board of Supervisors renamed it in 1979 to honor the actor John Wayne, who resided in nearby Newport Beach and died that year.

The main runway, at 5,701 feet (1,738 m), is one of the shortest of any major airport in the United States, resulting in most passenger aircraft operating from the airport to be no larger than the Boeing 757. However, some larger cargo aircraft, such as the FedEx A310/300, fly from SNA. Some gates are built to handle planes up to the size of a Boeing 767, which can operate with payload/fuel load restrictions. No widebody passenger aircraft are currently in scheduled service to the airport. Carriers operating from the airport must compensate for the very short runway by either limiting range, lowering fuel weight, or imposing aircraft weight restrictions as needed.^{[citation needed]}

John Wayne Airport is the sole commercial airport within Orange County. Even with the presence of commercial airline operations, general aviation use is significant.^{[citation needed]} General aviation operations outnumber commercial operations and several facilities at the airport serve the general aviation and corporate aviation community. The other general aviation airport within the county is Fullerton Municipal Airport. Other commercial airports within close proximity are Long Beach Airport, followed by Los Angeles International Airport and LA/Ontario International Airport.

The most prominent airlines at John Wayne Airport are Southwest Airlines (23.3%), American Airlines (14.4%), and United Airlines (12.8%).^{[citation needed]}

John Wayne Airport is 14 miles (23 km) from Orange County's signature attraction - the Disneyland Resort. By contrast, Los Angeles International Airport is 35 miles (56 km) from Disneyland.

A statue of the airport's namesake welcomes passengers passing through the arrivals area on the lower level.^[3]

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The first airstrip on the grounds was constructed in 1923, when Eddie Martin founded a flying school on land owned by the Irvine Company. It was purchased through a land swap by the County of Orange in 1939 and remains under the County's ownership and management.

On June 19, 1950, the first commercial drag strip, the Santa Ana Drag, was started on a runway at the airport and ran every Sunday. Due to increased air traffic, the strip closed in 1959.

In 1967, the first terminal building for commercial passengers was constructed and named after Eddie Martin.

After the Orange County Airport was renamed the John Wayne Airport in 1979, Arrival and Departure Monitors in airports throughout the country continued to identify the airport as Orange County, which is the nickname for the OMB Metropolitan Designation, Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, California. A couple of years after the airport was renamed after John Wayne, a sculptor by the name of Robert Summers created a large Nine foot bronze statue of John Wayne. The statue was dedicated on November 4, 1982. Today, the bronze statue is located in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal on the Arrival Level.

In 1990, the Thomas F. Riley Terminal opened to the public. The aging 29,000-square-foot (2,700 m²) Eddie Martin Terminal was replaced with a modern 337,900-square-foot (31,390 m²) facility. The new facility included 14 loading bridges, four baggage carousels, wide open spaces and distinct roadside arrival and departure levels.

In 1994, the then unused Eddie Martin Terminal was demolished.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a new airport was proposed on the nearby site of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. After a prolonged battle, however, the proposal was defeated and no new airport was built.

In 2004 Chris Norby, a member of the county Board of Supervisors, proposed changing the airport's name to The O.C. Airport, John Wayne Field, in light of the popularity of the TV series The O.C. He withdrew the idea after receiving negative publicity and angry responses from local residents.

On March 31, 2008 Aloha Airlines, who began air service to the Hawaiian Islands in 2001, ended all of its passenger operations. This has left a void in air service to Hawaii, a popular tourist destination for Southern California residents, nonstop from SNA. In addition to the Hawaiian Islands, Aloha Airlines served Reno and Sacramento from SNA.

As a result of Aloha Airline's collapse and fleet reduction of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Continental Airlines, the airport is considering opening up two slots as of June 7th, 2008. According to Orange County's local newspaper, The Orange County Register, the top two candidates for the slots is Air Canada and Hawaiian Airlines. AirTran, Westjet, and Virgin America has also shown interest in flying into John Wayne Airport. An Air Canada spokesperson says that it is not in a position right now to be making a big decision. A Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson says that although it has an interest in operating from John Wayne Airport, it is most likely that it won't take the slot since it is trying to concentrate on its routes from the nearby Los Angeles International Airport. Furthermore, Hawaiian Airlines primarily flies Boeing 767 aircraft, which the current terminal facilities can not accomodate.

John Wayne Airport covers 500.82 Acres of land. The Airport has multiple general aviation facilities, a main commercial airline building split into two terminal areas and 2 paved runways.

• Runway 1L/19R: 5,700 x 150 ft (46 m). (1,737 x 46 m), Commercial Aircraft, General Aviation serving most incoming and leaving traffic to the west of the airport. ILS equipped.
• Runway 1R/19L: 2,887 x 75 ft (23 m). (880 x 23 m), General Aviation, Light Aircraft

A 1985 settlement agreement defined the scope of operation for John Wayne Airport in how it affects the local community. The area that lies directly South of John Wayne Airport is considered a noise sensitive area. The agreement in conjunction with a Phase 2 Commercial Airline Access Plan and Regulation controls the number of noisier operations (mainly commercial aircraft) allowed from the airport. Noise abatement enforcement is carried out with the aid of 10 permanent noise monitoring stations. These stations are placed in areas that exceed a Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) of 65 dB.

The short primary runway (19R/1L), coupled with the local noise restrictions, can require a takeoff at or near full power. Some aircraft operating from the airport may cycle to full power while holding at the runway then release the brakes when engines are fully spooled up. On operations from runway 19R a steep climb may also be required to allow for a power reduction at about 500-700 feet AGL for quieter overflight over the city of Newport Beach. For 19R departures a left turn after departure to 175 degrees allows for a passage over Newport Beach within the confines of the noise abatement profile. Departures from 1L (normally during Santa Ana wind conditions) are not affected by these noise abatement procedures. Landings almost always include the use of reverse thrust.

The County prohibits commercial departures between 22:00 and 07:00 (08:00 on Sundays) and commercial arrivals between 23:00 and 07:00 (08:00 on Sundays). Exceptions can be made for an emergency, mechanical, air traffic control or weather delay, which is beyond the control of the airline.

In 2003 the settlement agreement was amended to increase operations but focus on increases only for aircraft meeting the lowest noise signatures.

Access and noise reports are published by the airport and are available to the public. These reports are generated on a regular basis and outline curfew exceptions per carrier and overall noise impact. ^[4]

The main passenger terminal, the Thomas F. Riley Terminal, is named for the late County Supervisor who lobbied for the airport's expansion in the 1980s. The Thomas F. Riley Terminal is divided into two terminal areas, A and B, with temporary satellite buildings serving commuter flights. The Southern side of terminal B will be expanded to allow for six more bridged aircraft gates. Once complete the temporary satellite buildings will be removed and more permanent facilities for commuter flights will be in place. The improvements are allowed under amendments added in 2003 to the 1985 settlement agreement with the local community.

Terminal A and B are both within the same Thomas F. Riley building and security screened passengers can move between both terminal areas. Security screening lanes exist in both terminal areas right next to check in. Both security screening areas also have a "Fast Track" lane for first class and elite frequent fliers.

Both Terminal A and B host eateries, bars and shops, with a theme restaurant between the airside connecting area of both terminals. In the upper rotunda above the theme restaurant is an American Airlines Admirals Club (Terminal A) and a United Airlines Red Carpet Club (Terminal B).

Four baggage claim belts are in the arrivals area, 2 on the terminal A side and 2 on the terminal B side. Immediately outside the baggage claim is the curbside arrivals pickup area. Rental car offices are in between both baggage claim areas with most rental agencies onsite in the lower levels of the parking facility across the arrivals pickup area. Across the roadway from the arrivals pickup area is an island for public transportation including taxis, buses and the Disneyland Resort Express.

• Alaska Airlines (Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma)
• American Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Jose (CA))
  • American Eagle (San Francisco, San Jose (CA))
• Continental Airlines (Houston-Intercontinental, Newark)
• Delta Air Lines (Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Salt Lake City)
  • Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines (Salt Lake City)

• Frontier Airlines (Denver)
• Northwest Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
• Southwest Airlines (Denver, Las Vegas, Oakland, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Jose (CA))
• United Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, San Francisco)
  • United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines (San Francisco)
• US Airways (Las Vegas, Phoenix)
  • US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Phoenix)

• FedEx Express (Memphis)
• UPS Airlines (Louisville)

The County of Orange approved the JWA Improvement Program [1] increase the terminal size and accommodate six additional gates. An extension to the South of the current Terminal B will house the new gate areas, this new area will be called Terminal C. The existing parking garage B1 will be demolished and relocated to allow for room to build the extension. A replacement B1 garage and C garage will be constructed along with general improvements to the existing Terminal A and B facilities. The improvements are part of a multi-year program that is to be completed in stages allowing for continual operation and minimal disruption to the airport.

Temporary regional jet facilities were added to both the Terminal A and B ground level areas. Both facilities accommodate 2 gate areas and can be used for regional jet and regular commercial aircraft via air stair boarding. Both facilities are accessed from the outside doorway one level below at each end of the terminal. The pre-fab buildings are temporary and will be removed prior to completion of the full Improvement Program.

The improvement program has started construction. The existing RON (Remain Over Night) location for commercial aircraft has been removed and will be used for temporary parking lot C. The demolition of the B1 parking garage is under way to allow for building of Terminal C, which will begin in 2009.

On February 17, 1981, Air California (AirCal) flight 336 (a Boeing 737-200), flying from San Jose, California to John Wayne Airport, crashed upon initiating a go around. The crew was cleared for a visual approach to Runway 19R while the controller had cleared another flight to take-off from 19R. The controller upon realizing the mistake ordered Air California 336 to go-around and the other aircraft to abort its take-off which it did. The Captain of the landing Air California aircraft delayed the go-around then selected the gear up before a positive rate of climb was achieved. The 737 with the gear up skidded down the runway before coming to rest. A fire started, 4 passengers sustained minor injuries, 91 other passengers and 5 crew exited without incident. The aircraft N468AC was damaged beyond repair and was written off. ^[5]

On December 15, 1993, a chartered IAI Westwind business jet carrying 5 passengers (including Rich Snyder, president of In-N-Out Burger) crashed while on approach to John Wayne Airport. The aircraft, which departed Brackett Field, thirty miles to the north, followed a Boeing 757 for landing, became caught in its wake turbulence, rolled into a deep descent and crashed near the intersection of State Route 55 and Edinger Avenue. The crash investigation led to the FAA requirement for an adequate period between heavy aircraft and following light aircraft to allow wake turbulence to diminish.^[6]

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (May 2008)

• The Colombian airport scenes in the film Clear and Present Danger were filmed at John Wayne Airport. The signs shown were simply translated into Spanish, but the styling of the signs is the same as used in the airport today.
• Some scenes from Jerry Maguire were filmed in the airport terminal building.
• Some introductory scenes of skateboarding movie Gleaming the Cube were filmed before major renovation work on the terminal.
• Some scenes from 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag starring Joe Pesci were filmed in the baggage claim area. The airport was portrayed as San Diego International Airport.
• The scene in The Insider where Jeffrey Wigand gets out of a car at the airport and is subsequently served with a subpoena inside an airport was filmed at John Wayne Airport. The airport was portrayed as somewhere in the midwest.
• In an episode of Arrested Development, Good Grief, Tobias Fünke does an imitation of John Wayne, saying "I'm gonna build an airport. Put my name on it." The series is set in Orange County.
• In the Season 2 opener of The O.C., Sandy Cohen references the airport as "The O.C. Airport", possibly an allusion to Chris Norby's name change proposal.
• Seth Cohen also mentions John Wayne Airport several times in Season 3 while flying back and forth to Providence, RI; mentioning how it's impossible to get a direct flight from Providence to John Wayne at the last minute, where he subsequently flies into LA/Palmdale Regional Airport after several layovers.

• California World War II Army Airfields

• John Wayne Airport-Orange County (official site)
• John Wayne Airport Settlement Information
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective October 3, 2024
• Orange County Sherrif's Department John Wayne Airport Police Services
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KSNA
  • ASN accident history for SNA
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KSNA
  • FAA current SNA delay information