Carlsbad Airport: Serving The Southwest With Pride

Carlsbad is served by two airports: McClellan-Palomar Airport and Cavern City Air Terminal. McClellan-Palomar Airport is located in Carlsbad, California, and is a gateway to and from San Diego's North County. It is used for both general and commercial aviation. Cavern City Air Terminal is located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and is also a public-use airport. It is served by one commercial airline and is used by both general and military aviation.

Carlsbad, California's McClellan-Palomar Airport is owned by San Diego County

Carlsbad is served by two airports: McClellan-Palomar Airport and Cavern City Air Terminal.

McClellan-Palomar Airport

McClellan-Palomar Airport is a public airport located three miles southeast of Carlsbad in San Diego County, California. The airport is owned by the County of San Diego and is used for both general and commercial aviation. As of March 2013, the airport was the fourth-busiest single-runway airport in the United States.

The airport is named after Gerald McClellan, an aviator and civic leader in San Diego's North County area. It covers 466 acres and has one asphalt runway. The airport was previously served by airlines such as Scenic Airlines, American Eagle, United Express, and Mesa Airlines, which operated a variety of turboprop and prop aircraft. In recent years, the airport has seen new seasonal services to destinations like Taos Regional Airport in New Mexico and Mammoth Lakes.

The County of San Diego is responsible for facilitating the city's requests regarding the airport and developing the airport master plan, which outlines projects to improve operations and safety over the next 20 years. The master plan is subject to state and federal regulations, and the city plays a role in controlling land use on and around the airport.

Cavern City Air Terminal

Cavern City Air Terminal is a public-use airport located in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States. It is owned by the City of Carlsbad and is located approximately six miles southwest of the city's central business district. This airport has four runways and is served by Boutique Airlines, offering scheduled passenger services.

Cavern City Air Terminal has a long history, dating back to World War II when it was activated by the United States Army Air Corps in 1942. After the war, it was discharged to the War Assets Administration and became a civil airport. Continental Airlines was the first commercial carrier to serve this airport, beginning in 1940, with flights to El Paso and Denver. Over the years, various airlines have served this airport, including Bison Airlines, Trans-Texas Airways, and Pacific Wings, operating smaller aircraft to nearby destinations.

The airport is used for general and commercial aviation

There are two airports that serve cities called Carlsbad. One is the McClellan–Palomar Airport, which is a public airport located three miles from Carlsbad in San Diego County, California. The other is the Cavern City Air Terminal, a public-use airport owned by the city of Carlsbad and located five nautical miles southwest of its central business district in Eddy County, New Mexico.

The McClellan–Palomar Airport is used for both general and commercial aviation. It is named for Gerald McClellan, an aviator and civic leader in San Diego's North County area. As of March 2013, the airport was the fourth-busiest single-runway airport in the United States. The airport covers 466 acres and has one asphalt runway. The airport is a gateway to and from San Diego's North County and is popular due to its proximity to business and recreation. Major corporations and world-class resorts are just minutes from the airport, and some of the finest beaches in San Diego County are nearby.

The airport has a long history of commercial aviation, dating back to 1940 when Continental Airlines began service with flights to El Paso and Denver. In 1963, Continental transferred its route authority for Carlsbad to Trans-Texas Airways, which modified the eastbound flights to go directly to Dallas. In the 1970s and 1980s, various airlines operated services during this time, including Golden West Airlines, Air Resorts, and Imperial Airlines. In the 1990s, American Eagle and United Express operated a combined total of twelve nonstop services a day to LAX, and in 1999, Mesa Airlines operated a nonstop service to Phoenix. In 2018, California Pacific Airlines announced service from the airport to various destinations, but ceased operations in 2019. In 2020, Taos Air inaugurated seasonal skiing-oriented flights between McClellan–Palomar and Taos Regional Airport in New Mexico, and Advanced Air announced new seasonal service to Mammoth Lakes. Surf Air, a private air charter company, has been operating flights between McClellan–Palomar, selected California cities, and Las Vegas since 2013. Clay Lacy Aviation also operates at the airport, providing aircraft management services, charters, and full-service aircraft maintenance.

The Cavern City Air Terminal is also used for general and commercial aviation. It covers an area of 1,980 acres and has four runways with asphalt surfaces. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2019, the airport had 8,649 aircraft operations, with an average of 24 per day, including 37% general aviation, 60% scheduled commercial, and 3% military. The airport is served by one commercial airline, with scheduled passenger service subsidised by the Essential Air Service program. Boutique Airlines currently offers flights to Albuquerque and Dallas/Fort Worth, with a second daily flight to Albuquerque added in 2017. The airport has a history of commercial aviation, with Continental Airlines beginning service in 1940 and Mesa Airlines serving the airport until 2007. Pacific Wings, dba New Mexico Airlines, then stepped in with flights to Albuquerque and Midland/Odessa, and Boutique Air took over in 2015.

Boutique Airlines serves Cavern City Air Terminal in Carlsbad, New Mexico

Boutique Airlines serves Cavern City Air Terminal, a public airport located in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The airport is situated five miles southwest of the city's central business district in Eddy County. It is equipped with four runways, five taxiways, and a large parking ramp, playing a vital role in the region's air transportation network. Boutique Airlines is the sole commercial airline operating at Cavern City Air Terminal, with its services subsidised by the Essential Air Service program.

The history of Cavern City Air Terminal dates back to World War II, when it served as a training site for Bombardiers under the United States Army Air Force Training Command. Over the years, various airlines have served the airport, including Continental Airlines, which began operating in 1940, offering flights to El Paso, Denver, San Antonio, and Kansas City. In the 1960s, Bison Airlines, a small commuter carrier, served Carlsbad for a brief period.

Trans-Texas Airways, later renamed Texas International Airlines (TI), took over Continental's route in 1963 and introduced 40-seat Convair 600 turboprop aircraft. In the late 1970s, TI briefly upgraded their flights to 85-seat Douglas DC-9-10 jets before reverting to the Convair 600s. In 1979, TI transferred its route authority to commuter carriers Air Midwest and Crown Airlines, with Crown operating flights to Albuquerque.

In the following decades, several airlines served Carlsbad, including Mesa Airlines, which operated from 1984 to 2007, and Continental Express, which briefly served the city in 1987. Advanced Air, another commercial airline serving Cavern City Air Terminal, offers flights to Albuquerque and Phoenix.

While searching for the cities served by Carlsbad Airport, I came across information about two airports with the same name:

• Cavern City Air Terminal (IATA: CNM) in Carlsbad, New Mexico
• McClellan-Palomar Airport (IATA: CLD) in Carlsbad, California

This answer primarily focuses on Boutique Airlines serving Cavern City Air Terminal in Carlsbad, New Mexico. However, I can provide additional details about the cities served by McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California, if needed.

Carlsbad, California's airport is named after Gerald McClellan, an aviator and civic leader

Carlsbad, California's McClellan-Palomar Airport is named after Gerald McClellan, an aviator and civic leader in San Diego's North County area. The airport is a public airport located three miles (4.8 km; 2.6 nmi) southeast of Carlsbad in San Diego County, California. It is owned by the County of San Diego and is used for both general and commercial aviation.

As of March 2013, the airport was the fourth-busiest single-runway airport in the United States. It covers 466 acres (189 ha) and has one asphalt runway, 6/24, which is 4,897 ft x 150 ft (1,493 m x 46 m). The airport was previously served by airlines such as Scenic Airlines, American Eagle, United Express, Mesa Airlines, Imperial Airlines, Air Resorts, and Golden West Airlines.

In early 2020, Taos Air inaugurated seasonal skiing-oriented flights between McClellan-Palomar and Taos Regional Airport in New Mexico. Advanced Air also announced new seasonal service to Mammoth Lakes, and Surf Air, a private air charter company, offers flights between McClellan-Palomar, selected California cities, and Las Vegas. Clay Lacy Aviation operates at the airport, providing aircraft management services, charters, and full-service aircraft maintenance.

The airport master plan is developed by the county to provide a blueprint for airport projects over a 20-year period, with input from the Palomar Airport Advisory Committee. The plan includes FAA design standards for widths, minimum clearances, and other dimensional criteria for runways, taxiways, and other physical features.

The airport is a gateway to San Diego's North County

The McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California, is a gateway to San Diego's North County. The airport is named after Gerald McClellan, an aviator and civic leader in the region. It is a public airport located three miles (4.8 km) southeast of Carlsbad and is owned by the County of San Diego.

McClellan-Palomar Airport is used for both general and commercial aviation and, as of March 2013, was the fourth-busiest single-runway airport in the United States. The airport covers 466 acres (189 hectares) and has one asphalt runway, which is 4,897 feet (1,493 meters) long and 150 feet (46 meters) wide.

The airport is popular due to its proximity to business and recreational opportunities. Major corporations and world-class resorts are just minutes away. The airport is also close to some of the finest beaches in San Diego County, offering surfers, swimmers and sunbathers pleasant weather and beautiful ocean waters for most of the year. Oceanside Harbor, with its shops, yachts and fishing boats, is a popular attraction nearby.

Several resorts and entertainment options are located near the airport, including Legoland, which is just two miles west. La Costa Resort & Spa, and the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa are also easily accessible from the airport.

In terms of flight operations, the airport has seen a variety of airlines and services over the years. In the 1970s and 1980s, airlines such as Golden West Airlines, Air Resorts, and Imperial Airlines operated flights with turboprop or prop aircraft. More recently, in 2018, California Pacific Airlines announced services from the airport to various destinations in California and Nevada, although these services were short-lived. Taos Air also inaugurated seasonal skiing-oriented flights to Taos Regional Airport in New Mexico in 2020. Surf Air, a private air charter company, offers flights between McClellan-Palomar, selected California cities, and Las Vegas. Clay Lacy Aviation provides aircraft management services and charters using business jets.

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