SNA Airport

John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA)

About SNA Airport
John Wayne Airport, also referred to as Orange County Airport, serves over 8 million passengers a year and is the second busiest airport in the area of Southern California. It is the first airport to be named after an entertainer, that being actor John Wayne. Passengers are welcomed by a statue of the namesake as they pass through the arrivals area. The airport has been a point of interest in popular culture aside from being named after a celebrity; scenes from the movies Clear and Present Danger and Jerry Maguire were filmed on location at the airport.

Location
John Wayne Airport is situated 35 miles south of Los Angeles, and is located east of Newport Beach. Santa Ana and Costa Mesa are also located north of the airport. The airport is popular for passengers arriving to visit Disneyland, as it is the closest airport to Orange County’s top attraction. Those flying into LAX will travel double the distance to reach the park.

A variety of options await passengers for ground transportation including taxis, buses and the Disneyland Resort express. The nearest train stations are located in Santa Ana, Irvine as well as Tustin.


History
John Wayne Airport was originally named Orange County Airport. The first airstrip was constructed in 1923, and was used as military base during World War II. A new terminal was constructed in 1967 to accommodate up to 400,000 passengers.

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The airport was renamed John Wayne Airport in 1979 to honor the legendary actor after his death that same year; he was also an Orange County resident. A nine-foot statue of the actor was constructed and dedicated in 1982 and is currently residing in the Thomas. F. Riley Terminal.

An Improvement Program was approved to expand and increase the terminal size of the airport. Three new baggage claim carousels in addition to additional passenger boarding gates are a few of the plans that are included. A new baggage system will be introduced and current terminals will be renovated and modernized.

Services
John Wayne Airport is served by both major commercial airlines as well as commuter airlines. Hundreds of daily arrivals and departures are available, including many nonstop options to U.S. destinations and connections throughout the world. Popular nonstop destinations include Honolulu, Maui, Toronto and New York City.

The Thomas F. Riley Terminal consists of both Terminal A and B; vaulted ceilings and large windows give the resemblance of an airplane fuselage. The departure area of the terminal offers a variety of food and beverage outlets, in addition to shopping choices.


 

*Information accuracy not guaranteed.