Long Beach Airport

Long Beach Airport serves Long Beach and the South Bay, offering a quieter, less congested option than the larger LA-basin fields. For travelers in that part of the region, it can be the most relaxed way to start a trip.

Who flies here

Long Beach handles a mix of commercial and general aviation. Its draw for charter is a low-hassle experience and a location that suits the South Bay and the harbor area.

On the field

As of mid-2026 the FBOs at Long Beach include Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation (which absorbed the longtime Ross Aviation facility in their 2022 merger). Charter departures use these private terminals rather than the historic commercial one.

A bit of history

Ground broke in November 1923 on Daugherty Field — named for barnstormer Earl Daugherty, who ran one of the world's first flight schools here — making it Southern California's first municipal airport. Its Streamline Moderne terminal was set to open December 8, 1941; Pearl Harbor postponed the ceremony and the building spent the war camouflaged and billeting soldiers before finally opening in 1942. Its WPA-era mosaics by Grace Clements — 1.6 million hand-cut tiles — are still in the building.

FBO and history details were last verified mid-2026 against the airport's and operators' own published information; tenants and amenities change, so confirm the departure terminal with your operator.