Modesto, California: Airport Or Not?

Modesto, California, does have an airport—Modesto City–County Airport. However, it does not offer any commercial air service. The airport was previously served by United Airlines, which began flights in 1946, and SkyWest Airlines, which added flights to and from LAX and SFO in 2006. The closest major airport to Modesto is Stockton Metropolitan Airport, which is 21.9 miles away and offers domestic flights.

Modesto City–County Airport

Modesto, California, does have an airport—the Modesto City–County Airport. The airport, however, does not currently offer any commercial air service.

The airport was renamed the Modesto City–County Airport on May 25, 1955, when Stanislaus County and the City of Modesto became partners. In October 1974, Harry Sham Field was added to the name to honour the airport manager who served from 1949 to 1968.

The history of the airport goes back to 1946 when United Airlines opened its new terminal and began the Valley Queen service. United Airlines served Modesto with Douglas DC-3s, Convair 340s, and Douglas DC-6s and began Boeing 737-200 flights in 1968. The airline dropped Modesto in the winter of 1979–80 after the deregulation of the airline industry.

In the 1980s, Pacific Express flew BAC One-Elevens to Modesto. On October 12, 1991, the Modesto City Council and Stanislaus Board of Supervisors rededicated the remodeled passenger terminal, enlarging it to 8,900 square feet (830 m2).

In mid-2006, United Express/SkyWest Airlines added four flights a day to/from LAX and a flight to SFO, totalling five flights a day to San Francisco. The passenger count continued to grow, with an average of 3,035 passengers per month in 2002, and an average of 7,739 passengers per month over the first six months of 2007. In 2007, Modesto set a record with 51,587 passengers. In June 2008, SkyWest Airlines (United Express) flights to Los Angeles ended, and on June 4, 2014, the airline ended its flights to San Francisco, leaving the airport with no airline flights.

No commercial air service

Modesto, California, does have an airport—the Modesto City–County Airport, which is also known as the Harry Sham Field. However, the airport currently offers no commercial air service.

The airport has a rich history, with the City of Modesto and Stanislaus County becoming partners in the airport in 1955, leading to its renaming as the Modesto City–County Airport. In 1974, the name Harry Sham Field was added to honour the airport manager who served from 1949 to 1968.

Scheduled passenger flights at the airport began in 1946 when United Airlines opened a new terminal and introduced the Valley Queen service. United Airlines served Modesto with various aircraft, including Douglas DC-3s, Convair 340s, Douglas DC-6s, and Boeing 737-200s, which were introduced in 1968.

In the winter of 1979–80, following the deregulation of the airline industry, United Airlines dropped its services to Modesto. During the 1980s, Pacific Express flew BAC One-Elevens to the city. In 2006, United Express/SkyWest Airlines added four flights a day to/from LAX and a flight to SFO, resulting in a total of five flights per day to San Francisco.

However, in June 2008, SkyWest Airlines (United Express) flights to Los Angeles ended, and on June 4, 2014, the airline discontinued its flights to San Francisco. This left the Modesto City–County Airport without any commercial airline flights.

Stockton Metropolitan Airport

Modesto, California, does have an airport—Modesto City-County Airport. However, it is defunct and does not offer any commercial air service. The nearest major airport to Modesto is the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, which is 25 miles from the centre of Modesto.

History

In the months preceding World War II, the U.S. Army entered into a lease agreement with the City of Stockton to build and operate an Army training facility at what was then known as Stockton Municipal Airport. Stockton Army Airfield was garrisoned by the 68th Air Base Group (Special) under the Air Corps Advanced Flying School. Between 1940 and 1945, Stockton Field served as a training installation under the West Coast Training Center (later the Western Flying Training Command).

On January 29, 1947, the portion of Stockton Field retained by the U.S. Army was named the Stockton General Depot Field Annex and was later renamed the Sharpe General Depot Field Annex in 1948. The U.S. Army left Stockton Field by January 31, 1948, and administration of the airport was jointly assumed by the City of Stockton and the County of San Joaquin.

In July 1964, Stockton Municipal Airport was officially renamed Stockton Metropolitan Airport to reflect its new role as a civil airport. The Sharpe General Depot Field Annex, adjacent to the airport, played a key role in providing supplies for United States military personnel during the Vietnam War.

Recent Developments

In August 2015, Stockton Metropolitan Airport officials signed an agreement with Chengdu Shuangliu Airport in China, promising "strategic cooperation" between the two airports. In February 2016, Amazon began daily chartered air cargo flights to the airport as part of their Project Aerosmith. In August 2019, United Express began service to LAX, offering connections to other United and Star Alliance destinations. However, this service was discontinued in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Merced Regional Airport

Modesto, California, does have an airport—Modesto City/County Airport—but it does not offer any commercial air service. The nearest major airport to Modesto is Stockton Metropolitan Airport, which is 25 miles away. Another major airport close to Modesto is Merced Regional Airport, 40 miles away.

History

The airport site was originally accepted as a gift by the Merced City Council in 1932. It was leased to George Voight for five years, and a subsidiary airline of the Stinson Aircraft Company initiated the city's first scheduled airline service. In 1940, the U.S. Army intended to establish a basic pilot training facility in the area, but the Merced Municipal Airport was deemed unsuitable due to a lack of space. The Army then selected a site near Atwater for its Air Corps Basic Flying School. However, construction delays at this site led to the Army temporarily leasing the original Merced Municipal Airport, which was used for aircraft storage.

Recent Developments

In 2009, the city council voted to rename the airport from Merced Municipal Airport to Merced Regional Airport. In 2021, the council approved a second Essential Air Service (EAS) contract with Advanced Air to provide commercial airline services to Harry Reid International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. The airport authority also voted to switch services from Los Angeles International Airport to Hawthorne Municipal Airport. In December 2023, a $17 million terminal replacement project was initiated, aiming to expand the terminal from 5,000 to 11,000 square feet.

Defunct airport

Modesto, California, does have an airport: the Modesto City–County Airport. However, it currently does not offer any commercial airline service. The airport is subject to the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 77, which includes the requirement for an obstruction evaluation and airport airspace analysis to be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before any construction or alteration in the airport's vicinity.

History

The airport was previously served by United Airlines, which began operating in Modesto in 1946 with Douglas DC-3s, Convair 340s, and Douglas DC-6s. United later introduced Boeing 737-200 flights in 1968 but dropped service to Modesto in the winter of 1979–80 after the deregulation of the airline industry. In the 1980s, Pacific Express flew BAC One-Elevens to Modesto. In mid-2006, SkyWest Airlines (United Express) added flights to and from LAX and SFO, resulting in a total of five daily flights to San Francisco. However, these flights ended in 2008 and 2014, respectively, leaving the airport without any airline flights. Despite this, the airport has hosted events such as the Commemorative Air Force Central California Valley Squadron, which showcased planes from World War II.

The Crows Landing Naval Auxiliary Air Station, located 23 miles from Modesto, is listed as a defunct airport.

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