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San Diego International Airport

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Template:Airport frame Template:Airport title Template:Airport infobox Template:Runway title Template:Runway Template:Airport end frame San Diego International Airport, (IATA Airport Code: SAN) also known as Lindbergh International Airport or Lindbergh Field, is located in San Diego, California. San Diego is also one of the physically smallest airports in the world supporting commercial service, with a total of 614 acres (2.5 km²) of useable land.

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 transatlantic flight. Additionally, the airport holds the distinction of being the first federally certified airfield to serve all aircraft types, including seaplanes. The airport gained 'international airport' status in 1934.

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 [1].

The current Terminal 1 was opened 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.

Relocation Proposals

California Assembly Bill AB 93 created the San Diego Regional Airport Authority in 2001. The SDRAA 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 bound 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. The adjacent military land is still in active use and not currently available. Using residential land, though possible via eminent domain, is publicly and politically unpopular.

As a result of the constraints of the current surrounding land, the Airport Authority is exploring several proposals to completely relocate the airport. Of the nine under consideration, two of the locations are considered remote to San Diego.

One such remote location has created local controversy. A proposal promoted by Congressman Bob Filner involves locating the new airport to Imperial County, approximately 75 miles from San Diego. The proposal has garnered both ridicule and criticism for what would result in long driving time and for a costly companion proposal involving a high speed train connection.

An intriguing but so far unsuccessful idea is the construction of a "floatport" which would be a fully floating airport located three miles off of the tip of Point Loma.

Airlines and destinations

Terminal 1

  • Air Canada (Vancouver - starts Dec. 17)
  • Alaska Airlines Gates 16, 17, and 20 (Int'l Arrivals) (Los Cabos, Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma, and Vancouver)
  • Southwest Airlines Gates 1-10 (Albuquerque, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago/Midway, El Paso, Las Vegas, Oakland, Nashville, New Orleans, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Jose, and Tucson)
  • United Airlines Gates 11-14, and 18 (Chicago/O'Hare, Denver, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, San Francisco, San Juan, and Washington/Dulles)
  • US Airways Gate 15 (Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh)

Terminal 2

Commuter Terminal

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 Los Angeles International Airport is located only two hours' drive away. The following list comprises airlines which provided scheduled or regular charter service to Lindbergh Field.

1 There is a possibility that Aero California's routes to San Diego were abandoned because of the fact that they also serve Tijuana International Airport, which is only 15 miles (24 km) away.

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