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McClellan Palomar Airport - CLD

4.2 (71 reviews)

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TSA= Thousands Standing Round
Billy B.

2 flts per day and only to Phoenix which it's fine for. Pros: free parking, only one gate so you can arrive 1/2hr before flt. The one restaurant on public side is pretty good. Cons: reminds you that TSA stands for Thousands Standing Around. 5 agents bored out of their minds!!! Every bag is opened and checked, 90yr old lady in front of me getting full pat down, out of control. You gotta walk up a ramp to the plane, usually runs out of overhead bin space. So if you're going to Phoenix or just avoiding Lindbergh field ( which who isn't) then it's fine.

JSX gate at Carlsbad. June 2024.
Rachel S.

Absolute breeze to get in and out of this airport flying JSX. There is even a Budget rental car desk here. The location is very convenient to the rest of Carlsbad and parking is FREE! Yeah, free! There's an elevator that takes you from the parking lot to the actual airport. Why deal with the hassle of San Diego traffic to fly out of the city? I'm glad JSX moved their terminal up here because it clean, convenient and you don't have to deal with traffic. The landscaping is also very pretty at this airport and includes quite a few different flowering plants and a fish-themed waterfall fountain. The baggage claim is open air but covered. Visited: June 2024

Dinner at La Jolla Cove the day we arrived

We prefer to fly into McClellan Palomar Airport - CLD with AirSmart private charter service because a member of our group has disabilities and it's too much hassle to go through Lindbergh Field. This time when we arrived our rent-a-car wasn't waiting for us, and after waiting over an hour at the Jet Center, our car rental company delivered a car much smaller than the one we had contracted for - epic failure! Furthermore, the Customer Service representative professed to have no knowledge of the reservation number or the jet tail number we had provided, and she became defensive and belligerent, raving so loudly into the phone that I had to hold the phone away and the hospitality team behind the desk could hear it, too!!! At this point, Aida Hernandez, the Lead Hospitality representative interceded and became very proactive on our behalf! she quickly examined our paperwork and cancelled the reservation we had prepaid, and then she secured a great car for us from an outstanding provider: GO RENTALS based in Newport Beach! We were so happy with our roomy vehicle that had enough room for our group, bags, and a wheelchair - and at approximately the same cost the other company forfeited due to their appalling failure and disrespect to a longtime valued customer. Aida made sure the cancellation went through and our funds were restored. She was so pleasant, earnestly desiring to correct our situation, which had fallen into the abyss! We are so appreciative of the great Hospitality Team at McClellan Palomar Airport - CLD, most especially the lead, Aida Hernandez! She was so not apathetic, launched into action, and turned around our bewildering circumstances within minutes! The ground crew was awesome, too, when we returned to Las Vegas and our ADA member had a broken foot! The pilots and everyone did their utmost to get her aboard safely and make her comfortable. We thank everyone at the Carlsbad and North Las Vegas Airports who got us home safely! These airports and their personnel have our profuse thanks and deserve highest ratings!!!

Up up and away
Sonia Alisa J.

Easy airport for private planes and jets. We had a code to get to our place a bit of a longer standby to take off but it could have been the time that we were departing (before night fall).

EVERY flight @CLD is PACKED w/ revenue passengers.  Why,  Why,  Why,  are flights being discontinued at this awesome airport?!
Richard T.

My review for the Carlsbad Airport and ALL of its staff remains 5 well deserved Stars! The fact that United Airlines is discontinuing flights in and out of here in a few weeks and that no compromise has been reached between UAL, the Carlsbad Airport Authority, and the City of Carlsbad to retain a major airline carrier at this awesome airport unfortunately merits *1* Yelp Star. BOO!!! The Carlsbad Airport IS a vital, convenient, and affordable resource for transportation for the ever growing residents of North San Diego. ​The current air carrier, Skywest/UAL, is retiring it's aging fleet of Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia's airplane in favor of the newer commuter jets. The problem is that the current runway at Carlsbad is approx. 500 feet too short and the approach has not been tested to accommodate the new jets. Rather than spending the money to address and fix the problem UAL has chosen to discontinue its service here. After opening in 1959, planes have been flying at the Carlsbad Airport on a regular basis. United has been running regular commuter flights to Los Angeles out of Carlsbad since 1994 and it truly remains an important travel outlet for many travelers. This airport and I have had a long, rich history.​ I began flying out/in of Carlsbad, CLD, on a regular basis 10 years ago and the primary reason why we bought our house in La Costa was that it was close to this commuter airport! Every flight I've ever been on to and from this airport has been PACKED with revenue passengers. The fact that there are now many new hotels, businesses, and shopping centers close by makes flying in and out of CLD an awesome destination for those wishing to visit nearby Legoland, La Costa, Flower Fields, etc. There are those who claim that the San Diego Airport, SAN, is a viable alternative to CLD. Well, guess what? Try driving on the I-5, heading south to SAN, any time before 10 am or after 4 pm on weekdays or during the San Diego County Fair or Del Mar Horse Racing season. Being stuck in that hellacious traffic jam can take over 2+ hours, which is about the same amount of time it takes to drive up to LA!!! This will also mean a direct loss of revenue to United Airlines. Last week my employees all voted that, if they have to drive to the San Diego airport to fly out, they would rather fly on a different air carrier that offers more in-flight amenities. As a result we will now be switching our corporate air carrier account from United Airlines to Virgin America. Truly, a great loss and disappointment for all, sigh.

Brie F.

We needed to get to Carlsbad from Los Angeles. Although Carlsbad is 20 mins away we took a connecting flight. We boarded the Embraer 120 Brasilia from LAX to Carlsbad. We flew into the McClellan Palomar Airport. This airport is beyond tiny. It's also privately owned & operated. Once you depart the plane you walk through a gate to an airport located right outside. This airport has a loungy feel to it. The ambiance is amazing from the palm trees to the tea lights that hang from the poles. It's quite romantic if you ask me. There are taxis waiting on the street & there is a Hertz rental car shop located right near baggage claim. There is a brochure stand that offers many activities and tours. The funniest yet strangest thing about this tiny airport is the baggage claim. Baggage claim is located outside which I've never seen before. It looks like a drive thru for a fast food joint. The gate is lifted up by Gina & then she unloads suitcases one by one right in front of you. Gina is the go to person when visiting this airport.

Small airport
Maria C.

Commuter flight from CB to LAX on United Express. We drove into the airport and it was quiet and no traffic. SCORE!!! There is ample parking everywhere with lots for 15 mins parking or 2+ hour parking. Anything less than 2 hours is free. We parked in the lot since we arrived early to see if the fiancee can change his flight to an earlier one. We walked to the desk (NO LINE) and everyone behind the counter was very helpful and friendly. He was able to change it, no problem! We had about 30 mins to spare so we went to The Landings (restaurant on site/next door) to check out the happy hour. We grabbed some HH beers and food before his flight. I did convey to the waitress that we had a flight in 30 mins and she was on the ball. We went back to the terminal and the security check was easy and fast. There was only about 8 people on the flight and the security guy was saying how laid back and easy they were and they don't have to be there right at the boarding time. Just as long as the flight is on time. Super chill airport with no traffic and friendly employees. I wish every airport was like this! Note: Flights to LA on United Express are 20 mins!

President of Cal Jet
Alexxes K.

Now flying from Carlsbad to Las Vegas Cheap flights from $69.00 dlls. Each way Viva Las Vegas...... McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad is a gateway to and from San Diego's North County. It serves the general aviation community, corporate aircraft and commercial services. Yes , rental cars available Yes, Restaurant Fast check-in, Clean, beautiful, friendly, courtesy, cheap flights.

Jean Y.

From all the odds we had, this airport served us well. For our year end vacation to San Antonio, we flew from here to LAX, and switched the plane , and landed at San Antonio, TX. 7 of us from LA, we couldn't skip the part of flying from Carlsbad to LAX!, so we drove down from LA to Carlsbad to catch a plane to LA! That was our tickets, that's why. Few good things you can have here, parking is $5 per day, United staffs were nice, not much of lines, either. Few bad things you also can have here, our little plane was propeller plane with two seats each next to aisle. A tiny plane! There's no Starbucks or any other shops at this airport, except one restaurant facing little planes beyond the fence. On the way back from TX, we did the same thing, flying from LAX to Carlsbad, and driving to LA.

Drop box
Alexandra B.

Small airports are amazing! Not stressful, fast and easy to get to. I flew once in 2014 out of this small airport on United Express to LAX where I connected to the Bay Area. I was sad when they stopped flights because it was so convenient and it was not necessary to arrive hours ahead in hours to make it to your flight. A mere 30 minutes before your flight was enough. It was a DREAM. I hope they bring back some flights to LAX on a major airline. My preference would be American Airlines, I don't care much for United (in my opinion)

My last flight into CLD on United 3-26-15. UAL is pulling out on April 6.

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30 days ago

We landed at JSX at the airport. It was very clean Customer Service no hassles would definitely go back.

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Ask the Community - McClellan Palomar Airport - CLD

If I land at CLD via JSX how far is the Avis rent a car? Should I take a cab or is it connected?

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Review Highlights - McClellan Palomar Airport - CLD

Last weekend I took my first trip from the Carlsbad airport up to Monterey flying United to LAX then onto Monterey.

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Bob Maxwell Memorial Field

Bob Maxwell Memorial Field

4.0(2 reviews)
7.5 mi

I come here a lot because I like to watch the sky diver from Go Jump. This is a real small airport…read moreand the parking lot is usually full by the sky divers so good luck with parking. On the weekends is the worst time to come here because it's so busy. There are a few vending machines with drinks and snacks.

Bob Maxwell died in August 2010 a the age of 88, but his legacy lives on as an aviator and a…read morecommunity leader. He was so influential a supporter of Oceanside's little airport, that in 2013, Oceanside Municipal Airport was renamed in his honor. Now Oceanside Municipal Airport is officially called the Bob Maxwell Memorial Field. The general aviation airport is located on 43-acres in the community of Oceanside in San Diego's coastal north county. It features one runway and fuel services. According to their website, the Bob Maxwell Field "provides tie-downs, hangars, transient parking, restrooms, coffee, and snacks daily from 9:00AM -5:00PM." While this is considered a smallish-landing place, I gave the airport, in which I stopped at on my way home from LA last week, 4 YELP STARS. 1 YELP STAR was deducted for some noise issues. According to a story in the Coast News, over the years, "noise mitigation has been a problem." The airport has received complaints about small aircraft that don't follow the designated take off and landing path and veer over nearby houses." The airport is mostly utilized by local private pilots and small businesses, with about 12,000 total operations per year. The majority of traffic here is small planes while the corporate jets and bigger planes will utilize nearby McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad. But what is so fabulous is that this Oceanside airfield honors the memory of a former Tuskegee Airman & aviation enthusiast who was instrumental in saving Oceanside's Airport when it was slated for closure, as part of a shady land grab back in 2006.. Maxwell joined the Army Air Corps during World War II and was trained as a bomber pilot. He was an esteemed member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen--the first group of African-American fighter & bomber pilots ever in our country's history. The group was collectively honored with a congressional Gold Medal for service in 2007. Oceanside's small airport in the city's San Luis Rey Valley just north of Highway 76.is lucky to be renamed after such an honorable and beloved aviation figure as Bob Maxwell.

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Bob Maxwell Memorial Field
Bob Maxwell Memorial Field

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CBX Cross Border Xpress

CBX Cross Border Xpress

3.0(652 reviews)
43.7 mi
24/7 Availability
Committed to satisfaction

I have flown out of the Tijuana airport a few times in my life, the most recent time being last…read moreweek. It was the first time I went to that airport since CBX had been constructed. Hubby and I were headed to Puerto Escondido, which is very expensive and very time-consuming to fly to from the airport in San Diego. However, flight prices and times were much more reasonable from Tijuana. Thanks to CBX, we didn't need to find anyone to cross the border and drive us directly to the airport, especially as our flight departed at 5:40 AM. It was nice to have an easy drop off on this side of the border. Anyway, we were dropped off on the US side, and had pre-purchased CBX tickets online for $50 per person, round trip. I felt that the price was very fair for the staffing and amenities along the way. We had already reserved a rideshare to drive us to CBX, but I saw the secure parking lots and realized that parking there is also a valid, safe option. It appeared that some of the secured parking cost about $30 per day, making it a good option depending how may days you would like to park your car. Anyway, when we entered, there were people guiding us, as it wasn't too crowded at that early hour. You scan your CBX ticket, your boarding pass, and your passport. Then you are able to walk through the barriers. There are escalators and elevators to get to the bridge, and signs stating that there is assistance available for people with disabilities. The bridge was clean and air-conditioned. We walked through customs just prior to entering the Tijuana airport. When I had learned about CBX, I was reluctant. A friend of mine told me that she had walked much further in various airports. It is true. The walk is short and easy Upon coming back to the states, we learned that there were several taco and other food trucks on the US side of CBX, as well as Starbucks and a well-known mall pretzel company. All in all, I am grateful to have a way to access the TJ airoprt in a very easy and affordable way. I plan to continue to use CBX for more affordable flights south of the border.

Easy peasy. With CBX, San Diego County basically gets a bonus airport out of TIJ that offers more…read moredirect flights, especially to other parts of Mexico. I used CBX to fly from TIJ to San Miguel Allende 10 years ago, and recently to Cancun. Both times were uneventful, exactly how I like my airport experiences to be. Purchase your CBX pass and parking ahead of time. Parking is priced cheapest in the dirt lot and most expensive in the covered/paved lot. I prefer the Goldilocks of uncovered paved in Lot A up front. Upon arrival, scan your CBX ticket and boarding pass (you can link them and just scan boarding pass as well, but don't need to). Same on the way back.

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CBX Cross Border Xpress
CBX Cross Border Xpress - The CBX Terminal located in San Diego, California connects through an enclosed bridge to the Tijuana International Airport

The CBX Terminal located in San Diego, California connects through an enclosed bridge to the Tijuana International Airport

CBX Cross Border Xpress

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Carlsbad Village Coaster Station - Coaster arrival

Carlsbad Village Coaster Station

3.7(26 reviews)
4.8 mi

This railroad station in Downtown Carlsbad serves the Coaster computer rail line between Oceanside…read moreand Downtown San Diego. It has a single side platform for the single set of tracks that go through Carlsbad. Overall, I think this is a very nice station. North County Transit District buses also stop here, most importantly in my book, Route 101 that runs on Historic 101 between Oceanside and UTC in La Jolla. There are over 400 parking spaces at the station, which is a short walk to restaurants, coffee shops, retail shops, and more. The Carlsbad Village station is not the historic Carlsbad station that was used by Santa Fe Railroad until 1960. That station still stands about 1/10th of a mile south.

Hadn't ridden the Coaster in a while, but recently took it to an event at the Belly Up in Solana…read moreBeach and it turned out to be a great choice. Traveled on a Friday around 5pm and parked at the Carlsbad Village station. Parking took quite a while to find, so I'd definitely recommend giving yourself extra time if you're leaving during peak hours. The ride itself was smooth and relaxing. One cool perk is that you're allowed to bring and enjoy alcoholic beverages onboard, which is a great way to save some cash before hitting your destination. Free Wi-Fi was also a nice bonus. All in all, it was a convenient and fun way to get to the show! Also on Fri and Saturdays they have a later schedule.

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Carlsbad Village Coaster Station - What a crap hole this has become. For such a tourist destination, you'd think the City would figure it out

What a crap hole this has become. For such a tourist destination, you'd think the City would figure it out

Carlsbad Village Coaster Station
Carlsbad Village Coaster Station

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McClellan Palomar Airport - CLD - airports - Updated May 2026

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