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Los Angeles County Airports & Airfields

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Catalina Island Airport, Santa Catalina Island

Catalina "Airport in the Sky". Photo courtesy of Tucker Axum III


The website Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields lists 47 airfields that once existed across Los Angeles County.



Airport (Airport Code) & Link to FAA Information City Owner First Aviation Operations
Agua Dulce Airpark (L70)
- FAA Info
Agua Dulce Land Sea Air Leasing Corporation 1958
Brackett Field Airport (POC)
- FAA Info
La Verne County of Los Angeles 1940
Catalina Airport (AVX)
- FAA Info
Avalon Santa Catalina Island Conservancy 1941
Compton/Woodley Airport (CPM)
- FAA Info
Compton County of Los Angeles 1924
General William J. Fox Airfield (WJF)
- FAA Info
Lancaster County of Los Angeles 1959
Airport (Airport Code) & Link to FAA Information City Owner First Aviation Operations
Hawthorne Municipal Airport (Jack Northrop Field)(HHR)
- FAA Info
Hawthorne City of Hawthorne 1942
Hollywood Burbank Airport (Bob Hope Airport)(BUR)
- FAA Info
Burbank Burbank-Glendale- Pasadena Airport Authority 1930
Long Beach Airport (Daugherty Field)(LGB)
- FAA Info
Long Beach City of Long Beach 1924
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- FAA Info
Los Angeles City of Los Angeles 1928
Palmdale USAF Plant 42 (Palmdale Regional Airport)(PMD)
- FAA Info
Palmdale U.S. Air Force 1940
Airport (Airport Code) & Link to FAA Information City Owner First Aviation Operations
San Gabriel Valley Airport* (EMT)
- FAA Info
El Monte County of Los Angeles 1936
Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO)
- FAA Info
Santa Monica City of Santa Monica 1923
Torrance Municipal Airport (Zamperini Field)(TOA)
- FAA Info
Torrance City of Torrance 1943
Van Nuys Airport (VNY)
- FAA Info
Van Nuys City of Los Angeles 1928
Whiteman Airport (WHP)
- FAA Info
Los Angeles County of Los Angeles 1946

* Formerly named El Monte Airport



Airliner Departing Los Angeles International Airport, LAX

Airliner departing from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Los Angeles Almanac Photo.


Also see: Evolution of Airline Service in Los Angeles


Until the end of 1946, Burbank Airport (now known as Hollywood Burbank Airport) and Grand Central Airport in Glendale served as the primary airports for airlines in the Los Angeles area. In December 1946, American Airlines, Trans World Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airways, and Western Airlines moved their operations to what was then known as Los Angeles Municipal Airport. Pan American Airways followed a month later. Los Angeles Municipal Airport was renamed to Los Angeles International Airport in 1949.


Santa Monica Airport, first established as Clover Field in 1923 (named for World War I aviator 2nd Lieutenant Greayer Clover), is one of the oldest still-operating airports in the United States.


General William J. Fox Airfield hosts the U.S. Forest Service "Fox Tanker Base" (at the east end of the airfield). Large numbers of "airtankers" (aircraft that drop aerial fire retardants) are able to assemble at this base, as well as "lead planes" (aircraft that lead airtankers over fires).


Los Angeles County Fire Department air operations are based at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima.


The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Aero Bureau operates from Long Beach Airport.