John Wayne Airport Operations

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John Wayne Airport Operations

John Wayne Airport (JWA) is owned and operated by the County of Orange and it is the only commercial-service airport in the county. General aviation, commercial aircraft and private jets share the airport’s runway, terminal and storage facilities.

JWA currently handles about 11.3 million passengers annually and about 130 commercial flights per day. The airport is located along the northern boundary of Newport Beach and residential and commercial properties are located directly below the airport’s primary departure pattern for commercial and general aviation aircraft.

The adverse impacts associated with being adjacent to an airport - such as noise, traffic and aircraft emissions – pose significant threats to the quality of life for Newport Beach residents. Monitoring and mitigating the airport’s operations and related impacts, and attempting to ensure the airport does not expand, will always be top priorities for the City of Newport Beach and our community.

JWA Settlement Agreement and Amendments

In 1985, the City, the County of Orange, the Airport Working Group (AWG), and Stop Polluting Our Newport (SPON) entered into a Settlement Agreement to resolve litigation related to John Wayne Airport (JWA). This agreement is unique in the United States and extremely important to protecting the quality of life in Newport Beach. You can read more about the agreement on the Settlement Agreement and Extensions page.

Aircraft Noise

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for controlling all air traffic and flight patterns. Several years ago, the FAA implemented new departure patterns (see "NextGen") for John Wayne Airport.

JWA records, researches and responds to all noise complaints and wants to hear from our community. If you have a concern about aircraft noise, please contact the John Wayne Airport Access and Noise Office at 949-252-5185.

Community Partners and Corridor Cities

The Newport Beach City Council and a number of Orange County cities (known as the “Corridor Cities”) located along the airport’s arrival and departure corridors have publicly agreed to oppose:

Any expansion of JWA beyond its current physical footprint;
A second commercial runway or the extension of the existing runway;
Any significant reduction in general aviation operations / facilities, which could allow for more commercial aircraft use; and
Any detrimental change to air carrier or general aviation noise ordinances.

Newport Beach believes that the coordinated, collective efforts of local citizen groups, the Corridor Cities, and the County are essential to controlling the adverse impacts of JWA and protecting the quality of life here for this and future generations of residents. There are numerous governmental committees and community groups that meet regularly to discuss and address airport issues, including the City's Aviation Committee. To learn more about one of the community groups, please visit the Get Involved page.

If you would like more information about the City’s efforts, please contact the City Manager's Office at 949-644-3001.

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