John Wayne Airport grew from a 1920s flying school into Orange County's commercial airport, renamed for the actor in 1979.
Airliners and cargo flights within 25 nm of SNA. Routes come from a community database matched on flight numbers, so a few will be wrong or out of date. Flights without a route are marked "est." and judged from altitude and climb or descent.
History
In the 1920s aviation pioneer Eddie Martin built a private landing strip on Irvine Company land, and in 1923 he founded a flying school and Martin Aviation. In 1939 a land swap between the Irvine Company and the County of Orange made the site Orange County Airport, a publicly owned field.
The airport served as a military base during World War II, and the federal government then returned it to the County, which must keep it open to all types of aviation. A 22,000-square-foot terminal, named for Eddie Martin, opened in 1967.
In 1979 the Orange County Board of Supervisors renamed it John Wayne Airport, Orange County, in memory of the movie star and Newport Beach resident. The Thomas F. Riley Terminal opened on September 16, 1990, and the original Eddie Martin Terminal was demolished in 1994.
Quick facts
- Codes
- SNA / KSNA
- Orange County Airport
- 1939
- Renamed for John Wayne
- 1979
- Thomas F. Riley Terminal
- Opened September 16, 1990
- Runways
- 2L/20R and 2R/20L
Sources: History of JWA (John Wayne Airport)
Watch and listen
Listen to live air traffic control for SNA on LiveATC. The feeds come from volunteers, so availability varies.
Where plane spotters watch
- Parking garage outside the terminalViews of aircraft on the runways and some parking gates. Fencing on the outside can make photography difficult.
- Airport Loop Drive, northwest sideAircraft approaching from the north, useful for arrivals to runways 20L and 20R. Best if you have a car.
- Beside the Lyon Air Museum, off Airway AvenueViews through the fence over the general aviation areas and runways. You can park here. The museum's airworthy aircraft, including a B-17 and a DC-3, sometimes fly.
The guide says spotting at Santa Ana can be quite difficult, so expect limited sightlines through fences.
As described in: John Wayne Airport - A Guide for Spotters (Airport Spotting). Guides can be out of date. Stay on public property, follow posted rules, and never block roads or driveways.