About McClellan-Palomar Airport

  • Located at El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad, CA
  • Single runway, mixed-use public airport, North and South sided traffic patterns
  • Serves commuters, businesses, private/general aviation, flight training
  • Commuter Operations coming soon
  • Open 24hrs per day for all-weather all all-operations
  • FAA Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) (see published hours)
  • ATC Tower for safe operations, efficient flow when busiest
  • Accepts aircraft sizes up to Bombardier Global & Boeing’s BBJ 737 family
  • Meets federal noise standards, no curfews or no restrictions
  • Funded in part by federal/state, under federal land use obligations
  • Owned and operated by San Diego County
  • Maintains North County’s only Instrument Landing System
  • Serves one of the busiest General Aviation areas in the world–Coastal So. Cal.
  • Historical peak of 225,000 operations/year–nation’s busiest single-runway
  • Waiting list for aircraft parking and hangars
  • Hosts several charter services
  • Hosts half-dozen flight schools for single/multi-engine/jet/helicopter
  • Hosts three 501(c)(3) non-profit aviation associations, one 501(c)(6) club
  • Bounded on 3 sides industrial, one side residential
  • Began operation in 1952, relocation of Del Mar and San Marcos airports
  • Supported by governmental agencies FAA and CDA
  • Supported by Chamber of Commerce, NBAA, AOPA, CPA, PAA, EAA, 99s, NATA 
  • Complies with Federal noise standards (Part 150)
  • Protected by Federal Obligations for public access
  • Protected by the Federal ANAC (1990), 49 section USC 47521 against restrictions