John Wayne Airport

John Wayne Airport serves Orange County, putting it within easy reach of Newport Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, and the OC coast. For travelers in the southern half of the LA basin, it is usually far more convenient than driving up to the LA-proper fields.

Who flies here

SNA carries both commercial and private-aviation traffic. Its Orange County location makes it the natural departure field for the region's charter trips, especially toward Vegas, the Bay Area, and the desert.

On the field

As of mid-2026 the two full-service FBOs at John Wayne are ACI Jet and Clay Lacy Aviation, selected by the county in 2021 under its general-aviation improvement program. Private departures use their facilities on the general-aviation side, well away from the commercial terminal.

A bit of history

The field traces to 1923, when pioneer aviator Eddie Martin leased land from the Irvine Company for a flying school on what had been ranchland. It became the publicly owned Orange County Airport in 1939, and in 1979 the county renamed it for John Wayne — the movie star and Newport Beach resident who had died that year. His statue still stands in the commercial terminal.

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.