Owais Crawford
John Wayne Airport, originally Orange County Airport, was renamed in 1979 after the late actor and Newport Beach resident. However, in 2020, controversy arose when Democrats in Orange County, California, called for the removal of John Wayne's name and likeness from the airport due to his alleged support for white supremacy in a 1971 interview with Playboy. This sparked a debate, with some arguing that his comments were taken out of context and that he took everyone at face value. The discussion surrounding the airport's name continues, reflecting the evolving values and demographics of the county.
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What You'll Learn
- John Wayne Airport was previously called Orange County Airport
- The airport is owned by the County of Orange and located in Santa Ana
- A 9-foot statue of John Wayne, nicknamed The Duke, is in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal
- In 2020, calls were made to rename the airport due to John Wayne's alleged support of white supremacy
- The airport offers international flights to Mexico, Canada, and Vancouver
John Wayne Airport was previously called Orange County Airport
John Wayne Airport, located in Orange County, California, was previously called Orange County Airport. The airport was renamed John Wayne Airport on June 20, 1979. A 9-foot bronze statue of John Wayne, nicknamed "the Duke", was commissioned to commemorate the renaming and was dedicated to the county on November 4, 1982. The statue is located in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal on the Arrival Level.
John Wayne Airport is a busy airport, serving over 9 million passengers in 2023. It is accessible via several freeways and offers various parking options, including terminal parking structures, curbside valet parking, and off-site parking. The airport has three terminal buildings (Terminals A, B, and C) and two runways, with the main runway being the shortest in the United States that handles regularly scheduled international flights.
The airport offers international flights to Mexico and Canada and has several general aviation facilities and airline concourse buildings. In 2010, Air Canada began operating flights to Toronto, Ontario, becoming the first international airline to serve Orange County. Other airlines serving the airport include Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines.
John Wayne Airport has been the site of several notable incidents. In December 1993, a chartered business jet crashed while approaching the airport, resulting in the deaths of all five occupants, including Rich Snyder, the president of In-N-Out Burger. In 2017, actor Harrison Ford accidentally landed his plane on a taxiway, and a Cessna 310 twin-engine aircraft crashed short of a runway into a highway median on Interstate 405.
In recent years, there have been discussions about changing the airport's name again due to controversial comments made by John Wayne during a 1971 interview, which were perceived as supportive of white supremacy. Despite this, the airport continues to bear his name and serve as a significant transportation hub for the region.
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The airport is owned by the County of Orange and located in Santa Ana
John Wayne Airport (IATA: SNA, ICAO: KSNA, FAA LID: SNA) is an international commercial and general aviation airport. It serves Orange County and the Greater Los Angeles area in California. The airport is owned and operated by the County of Orange and is located in an unincorporated area of Orange County, surrounded by the cities of Irvine, Newport Beach, and Costa Mesa. Its IATA airport code is registered to Santa Ana, the county seat.
The airport was originally named Orange County Airport, but on June 20, 1979, the Orange County Board of Supervisors renamed it after actor John Wayne, who lived in neighbouring Newport Beach and passed away that year. In 1982, a 9-foot bronze statue of "the Duke" was installed in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal on the Arrival Level. The airport is the only commercial airport in Orange County, handling about 11.3 million passengers annually and approximately 130 commercial flights per day.
John Wayne Airport has two runways. The main runway, 2L/20R, is 5,700 feet long and is the shortest runway in the United States that handles regularly scheduled international flights. The airport offers international flights to Mexico and Canada, with daily non-stop flights to Vancouver, British Columbia, and previously to Toronto, Ontario. In 2014, it was the second busiest airport in the Greater Los Angeles area by passenger count, with over 9 million total passengers.
The airport has faced some controversies, including a requested name change in 2020 due to comments attributed to John Wayne that were perceived as supportive of white supremacy. Additionally, there have been efforts to address the adverse impacts of the airport on the neighbouring community, such as noise, traffic, and aircraft emissions.
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A 9-foot statue of John Wayne, nicknamed The Duke, is in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal
John Wayne Airport, originally named Orange County Airport, was renamed in 1979 in honour of actor John Wayne, who lived in neighbouring Newport Beach and passed away that year. Following the name change, a statue of John Wayne, nicknamed "The Duke", was commissioned by the John Wayne Associates. The 9-foot bronze statue, sculpted by Robert Summers, was dedicated to the county in 1982 and placed in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal on the Arrival Level.
The Thomas F. Riley Terminal is the main passenger terminal at John Wayne Airport and is named after the late county supervisor who advocated for the airport's expansion in the 1980s. The terminal, which opened in 1990, features distinct arrival and departure levels, 14 loading bridges, four baggage carousels, and wide-open spaces. It is divided into three terminal areas, A, B, and C, with dedicated commuter gate areas at the north end of Terminal A and the south end of Terminal C.
The statue of John Wayne, "The Duke", stands proudly in this modern terminal building, becoming a notable feature for travellers passing through the airport. The bronze statue measures 9 feet in height (2.7 metres) and was crafted at the Hoka Hey Foundry in Dublin, Texas. Its dedication to the county in 1982 marked a tribute to the legacy of John Wayne, whose association with the region left a lasting impression.
The Arrival Level of the Thomas F. Riley Terminal, where the statue is located, provides a seamless experience for travellers with seven baggage claim belts, rental car offices, and a curbside arrivals pickup area. The lower level also offers easy access to public transportation options such as taxis and buses, facilitating a convenient transition for passengers arriving at the airport.
Housing the statue of John Wayne within the Thomas F. Riley Terminal creates a unique connection between the airport's namesake and its main passenger terminal. Travellers passing by or pausing to admire "The Duke" statue are reminded of John Wayne's impact on the region. The statue's presence in a bustling airport setting serves as a tribute to the actor's legacy, ensuring that his memory remains alive in the hearts of travellers from around the world who pass through John Wayne Airport.
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In 2020, calls were made to rename the airport due to John Wayne's alleged support of white supremacy
John Wayne Airport (IATA: SNA, ICAO: KSNA, FAA LID: SNA) is an international airport that serves Orange County and the Greater Los Angeles area in California. The airport was originally named Orange County Airport but was renamed in 1979 in honour of actor John Wayne, who lived in neighbouring Newport Beach and died that year.
In response to these comments, Orange County Democrats pushed to have Wayne's name, statue, and other likenesses removed from the airport. In a statement, the Democratic Party listed the actor's history of "racist and bigoted" remarks against Black and Native Americans as the reason for their campaign. This call for a name change occurred during a period when the United States was grappling with systemic racism and white supremacy, with at least 22 cities removing or approving the removal of Confederate statues and imagery.
Despite these demands, the airport remained unchanged. A representative for the airport stated that the airport is owned and operated by the County of Orange and that only the County Board of Supervisors has the authority to change the name. They noted that there were no plans to change the airport's name or remove the John Wayne statue, despite the ongoing public discussions and media attention on the topic.
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The airport offers international flights to Mexico, Canada, and Vancouver
John Wayne Airport in Orange County offers international flights to Mexico, Canada, and Vancouver. The airport covers 504 acres and has two runways. The main runway, 2L/20R, is 5,700 feet long, making it the shortest runway in the United States that handles regularly scheduled international flights. Passenger jetliners operating from the airport have never exceeded the size of a Boeing 757. The airport's second runway, 2R/20L, is 2,887 feet long and is used by smaller general aviation and light aircraft.
The airport did not offer any regularly scheduled international flights until 2010 when Air Canada began flights to Toronto, Ontario. Air Canada also operates daily non-stop flights to Vancouver, British Columbia, since October 2, 2021. Southwest Airlines, which operates international flights to Puerto Vallarta and San José del Cabo in Mexico, previously offered flights to Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City through its subsidiary AirTran Airways. Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet also briefly offered flights to Guadalajara and Mexico City from 2012 to 2014.
In addition to international flights, John Wayne Airport serves as a hub for several major airlines, including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines. The airport features an airline concourse building split into three terminal areas: Terminal A, Terminal B, and Terminal C. Terminal C is used for international arrivals and was the first to implement the new FIS system. The airport also has a variety of general aviation facilities, with general aviation operations outnumbering commercial operations.
John Wayne Airport is named after the famous actor and was previously known as Orange County Airport until its renaming in 1979. A 9-foot bronze statue of John Wayne, nicknamed "the Duke," can be found in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal on the Arrival Level. The airport has seen fluctuations in passenger traffic over the years, with a decrease in March 2025 compared to the previous year. However, it remains a significant aviation hub in the region, serving over 9 million passengers in 2014 and being recognised for its initiatives to reduce noise and promote sustainable aviation practices.
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Frequently asked questions
The Arrivals level, or lower level, of the airport has seven baggage claim belts, with two in Terminal A, two in Terminal B, and three in Terminal C. Baggage Claim 7 is for international arrivals. The curbside arrivals pickup area is located right outside the baggage claim.
In June 2020, there were calls to change the airport's name due to comments John Wayne made in a 1971 interview, which were believed to be in support of white supremacy. That same year, the airport saw a decrease in airline passenger traffic compared to 2019.
The airport offers international flights to Mexico and Canada. Air Canada operates flights to Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Southwest Airlines' subsidiary AirTran Airways also flies to Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City.
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