I haven't written a review for this airport! My favorite airport!! It's close to where I live and it's soo easy to get in and out! Absolutely love this one!! They recently added more in Terminal C so it's a little bigger. Just wish they had more flight options since it's usually pricier then LAX but no traffic or hassle which is priceless!!! read more

I recently flew out to Santa Ana (John Wayne Airport) for my first time in several years for a conference in Anaheim. It was easier to fly into this airport than LAX. I have made a number of trips between Phoenix and Santa Ana previously through both Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. Though I traveled to Anaheim, I didn't have time on my trip to enjoy a lot of what makes Anaheim unique and special (including Disneyland). I flew on American Airlines this time and found myself flying in and out of Terminal A. It was easy to navigate between the gates, baggage claim, and ride-share areas. Unlike friends who absolutely hate flying, I enjoy the travel experience, especially when using some helpful tools like CLEAR, Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check, airport lounge membership, and airline status, most of which I was able to enjoy during my Anaheim visit. When checking in, I typically have been able to skip the check-in area if I didn't need to check bags (as I checked in online). I have previously needing to go and check in at the priority area for assistance and checking bags. I then went to the Terminal A check-in and used Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check Touchless to skip most of the line at Security while keeping my shoes on (thanks to an American Express Platinum card which comes with credits for both along with CLEAR). Santa Ana offers two airline lounges (Admiral's Club and United Club) along with a USO Lounge. The Admiral's Club was upstairs right next to the gate that I ended up flying out of. Fortunately, I already had access to the Admirals Club. I wrote a separate review about my experience there, which was quite positive. There are also plenty of stores and restaurants at the airport throughout the various terminals. Upon arriving with my luggage, I headed to the rideshare area upstairs. There was a staff member there directing everyone to one area or another depending on if you were using Lyft or Uber. Coming back, it was easy to be dropped off at your airline checking area. I have no idea when I plan to be back in Santa Ana again but I would certainly welcome the chance to fly through the John Wayne Airport again. read more

I've been living in airports for the last 40 years. John Wayne airport wins because it keeps me out of LAX. It doesn't have all the great amenities of a larger airport however it does the job. Easy in and out is all I request. They have Clear and that's the magic of getting to the gate. read more

Clean, easy to navigate, no hopping on a train or bus to find rental cars...everything is in the same place. This is one of the best airports in the US. Close to the beach, you can't get any better than this. read more

John Wayne Airport - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Still WAY better and convenient than LAX. Easy in and out (sometimes it can be hectic but compare to LAX, a breeze). Took about 5 to get to the entrance from the Main Street and 10mins to go through security (not always but if you have preTSA it helps ALOT). Plenty of shops and others inside side, clean and spacious inside...really enjoys this airport. read more

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I've flown in & out of here a few times. Each time was great. Easy parking. Also, close by drop off for rental cars. It's a small airport. It seems like I always move quickly through security. Bathrooms are easy to find. Very clean & have baby changing areas. I love the red & green lights to let you know available stalls. They have a piano for travelers to play. I always enjoy seeing people play. Many choices for food, drinks, or snacks while waiting. And the stores have local goods & cool items you can purchase. read more

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Lobby is clean, organized, and well lit. Parking structure a little too dark at 4am. Yes, it's 4am but my flight boards at 6:20am so it's not a crazy time to be here. That's a safety concern. Not sure why flights depart at 6:45am and Alaska desk had no clerks until 5:05am. With that, though, a sharply dressed gentleman with amazing tan shoes fired up the process and got three people quicky each to a clerk. Restooms very clean but yes, it's now 5 in the morning so might be too early to tell. TSA seemed pretty friendly. One person told me that she read online that the TSA opens at 4am but another person said 5am. Lights came on and TSA staff appeared at 5am. I don't know how you can "open" at 5am yet have flights departing at 6:45am and recommend a "2 hour" arrival to allow for the time to get through the entry process. Despite all that, I still prefer this airport over LAX. read more

John Wayne Airport - I couldn't find the elevators when I arrived here a few days ago . Dragged my heavy carryon up three flights! Found them On my way! out! - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Super easy airport to get through and navigate. 4 stars cause Arby's is the only fast food option in terminal - they need to upgrade food options! read more

This was the airport I chose to return my rental car. It was very convenient with signs leading you to the rental drop off..It was simple and easy..They checked in and off I went ...The airport itself was impressive..it has had much growth in the past years...it is quite large now.. read more

As a frequent traveler, I prioritize convenience, therefore I prefer flying out of John Wayne Airport over LAX. SOMETIMES it is a little challenging getting direct flights from Santa Ana but it is not impossible. Personally, I find it more feasible to adjust my flight to include a layover rather than traveling from LAX. Not that LAX is a bad airport but it is ALWAYS sooo busy and parking there is a nightmare. I find John Wayne super easy to navigate from parking my car to departure. read more

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Love my local airport! It's very easy to get in and out of and the staff is always friendly and courteous. I like how they have Brodard Express here and the kids play area looks fun. I like how the bathroom at Terminal B has light indicators whether it's free or occupied. I only wish flights to/from this airport aren't so expensive and there are no airport lounges in here. read more

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Orlando, here I come! I love SNA, it's always so clean and fresh inside and out. TSA Precheck is quick and easy. Lyft drop off was direct to Term A. Take-offs are certainly a blast (pun intended) going up so quickly, then over the Pacific within 2-3 minutes (maybe less). This is the fun part of the flying out of SNA. I will say it was great to come back/return to SNA after the fiasco Delta placed me through returning from Orlando a week later. Just the cleanliness and freshness of the entire airport said "I'M HOME :) !!!!!" read more

Ahhh, John Wayneeee! Love this airport. Quick and clean. Why else? US flights a plenty and convenient! read more

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Terminal A is easy to get into and easy to get out of. TSA lines are generally short and quick to get through. There aren't many places to eat in this terminal. However, walking to Terminals B and C doesn't take long. One of the complaints I have is that the walkways in Terminal A get filled up with people during boarding times, and it could get challenging to weave your way past all of the people still waiting for their zones to be called. read more

John Wayne Airport, SNA, is very convenient. Generally short lines for TSA screening, ticketing, and concessions. Parking fees are very reasonable for terminal parking if you can find a parking spot. The biggest downside to SNA is the short runway. It was originally an army air corps training field for world war 2 pilots. It worked well for piston powered aircraft. But current jets are more comfortable using longer runways for take off and landing. Unfortunately SNA sits between the 405 and 73 freeways so there isn't any room to add length to the runways. This makes for exciting take off procedures where jets use full power to take off and then the throttle comes way back at around 800 feet of altitude which gives passengers the feeling that the aircraft just slammed on its' brakes. 5 stars for convenience, 4 stars for parking, and 2 stars for the take off procedures which can be unsettling for passengers who aren't familiar with them. I actually work at LAX and still fly out of John Wayne Airport when I can just to avoid the chaos of LAX. read more

I love flying in and out of SNA and terminal A is full of people on a Friday morning 10/11/24! The lines are long so thank God for TSA pre Checking in is easy read more

John Wayne Airport - Fun shops - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Honestly, I would rather fly into John Wayne Airport than LAX anytime. I've never had an issue at this airport. It is a smaller airport and the last flights come in at 10 PM but the cost is the same as LAX or sometimes even a little cheaper. The biggest seller of this airport is traffic going in and out is so much easier than LAX. Security always move really fast. TSA has been friendly. There is a bar by the outgoing gates. There's a few gift shops. Yes, airport prices are higher, but they are pretty fair for the area. read more

I have TSA Precheck so it made the process much easier. I utilized Lyft to get to the airport and back home and both times it was a very easy drop off and pick up. The airport is well organized and has many restaurants to choose from. Between the available Southern California airports my two preferences are Long Beach and John Wayne airport. read more

Today, Saturday around 7:00 pm. Airport is empty. lol no lines, no headaches, no rushing, perfect. Oh, something I didn't know, the Mcds on terminal 1, right between gates 6 & 7, closes right at 7 pm. But luckily, there is another one (2 minute walk) by gate 11 & 12 that closes at 9 pm. read more

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Probably my favorite airport to fly in and out of in the whole usa. Super easy to get into and out of super easy to get rental car or get an Uber. All the staff and all the agents have always been super welcoming and nice and I've been flying in and out of this airport for over 10 years. It might be a little more expensive some of the time then LAX or other airports but I would say it's almost always worthwhile. read more

John Wayne Airport - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I don't even know why they have terminals at this airport. It is one long continuous building that they decided to split up into terminals. The terminals may look separated from one another, but they really aren't. They have this concourse/atrium looking area that acts as a buffer. From Terminal A you could easily walk to Terminal C and not miss your flight. It's just that easy of an airport, and if you get lost in here, it is your fault. Terminal A consists of gates 1-8. Terminal A could be self contained if needed, but like I said you can go wherever you want. It has a lot to offer food wise and a few shops. McDonald's California Pizza Kitchen, Greenleaf Kitchen, and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for your food and drink need. Hudson News, Rip Curl, and Orange County Market for your other needs. Decent seats and charging areas. It didn't totally feel like we were sitting and waiting in an aiport. read more

Beware. All disability care has disappeared at this airport. They left me in a transport chair which of course is not a wheel chair so I can not move. They said someone else would come to rush me to my gate so I didn't miss my connecting flight boarding in 5 minutes. After 5 minutes I started asking anyone for help. Nope. 2 workers rushed by. I managed to get out of that chair and get to the counter at southwest. They could not help. They said I still had to go through security again. Pointed to the line. No help. Awful. Awful experience. Finally got to where they make me take off my pots and stand holding on spread eagles so they could seriously pay me down everywhere. I know you have all been through that. They kept asking me who I was traveling with. Who is helping me. I said usually there are transport people who push the wheel chair. Nada. Finally the woman looked at my boarding pass and said oh. They are boarding. She got it together to push me past 4 gates to get me on the plane. I have traveled many airports and never been so badly treated. Looks like Trumps Policy's have all been accepted here. Bypass this airport. Looks nice. Full of prejudice, no staff. It said right in my boarding pass deaf and wheelchair needed. Bad experience. read more

First time flying in and out of this airport and it was a breeze. Easy to navigate and the line for TSA was not bad. We waited about 15 minutes to get through. There is a variety of places to eat. We went with McDonalds and The Coffee Bean. Will definitely use this airport for future trips to this area! read more

American Airlines is served in this terminal, so I found myself on this side versus the one for Southwest. Be advised the uber pick up is in a different area than southwest. Very easy to maneuver and always find security at this airport very friendly! read more

One of the best airports in the world. Lots of great flight options, easy to navigate baggage claim and a great transportation set up. The take off is always fun as well. Trivia question? What BIG movie was filmed here? read more

John Wayne Airport - John Wayne Airport - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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I love my home airport. Everything always goes smooth here for me. I know people talk about the takeoffs and the landings, but it's never an issue, and if you don't know, you won't know. And I know and I don't care. The TSA pre-check line is fast, retrieving, my luggage is fast, gate agents are friendly and helpful. I just feel like this is the best airport of all time. And I probably shouldn't post this review so that we can keep it a well-kept secret. I love SNA. Choose to fly out of here and get a connection over traveling to any of the international airports within reasonable distance by far!! read more

John Wayne Airport - Live music, beautiful and calming, pic taken from the Admirals Club upstairs. - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

This is a smaller airport. With the parking structure only $20.00 a day. If you find one of the TSA lines to be long you can walk to the next terminal. All of the terminals are connected. You'll find some great food at this airport too. Little known but a nice service is called an air pass. With this pass you can go to TSA without a ticket. It's nice if you want to meet someone that is off a plane or to walk them to the gate. You can get the pass from the customer service desk in the baggage claim area. read more

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John Wayne Airport is one of my favorite airports to fly in and out of. It's small, clean, and incredibly efficient--especially if you have TSA PreCheck. Security lines move quickly, the terminals are easy to navigate, and everything feels calm and well-organized. A great alternative to the bigger SoCal airports, with a much smoother travel experience. Always a breeze flying through here! read more

I love this airport! It's small and easy to navigate. I used to fly out of LAX all the time but LAX is a big headache. John Wayne is closer to my home and most of the airlines are represented here. If you love simplicity, ample parking and on time flights, definitely choose John Wayne.... Check in is a breeze! read more

John Wayne Airport - Inside terminal - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I would have to say, this is my favorite airport in Southern California. It's not too busy, easy to get in and out of and the location is near everything. I normally fly from Las Vegas to SNA (either on Sprint Airlines or Frontier Airlines). The great thing is I can either go for the weekend or maybe just for a couple of hours. This airport is small but nice and clean. I have Pre-TSA so it helps with not waiting in the long lines. (I highly recommend it). They do have some good shops in airport. A couple of food places if your hungry. The reason for not giving them 5 stars is because they have NO airport lounges. It would help waiting for your flight. read more

This airport is above average for its layout and function, except every once in a while, the line in terminal C (southwest and spirit) is outrageously long. The TSA KNOWS how many people are coming through. They should plan much better. read more

Most of the airlines that fly out of SNA are domestic airlines. However, I flew out of SNA on WestJet to Vancouver BC two years ago. This year after quarantining for the COVID-19 pandemic, and getting vaccinated, I decided to fly to Greece for my birthday. That's right, I booked a round trip flight out of SNA to Athens, Greece. There were a couple of layovers but you know what, I was going to freaking Greece. We flew on a British Airways/American Airlines codeshare flight. It was a long flight but it was worth it just to get out of the country and see how the Europeans were faring with COVID. It turns out they are stricter than the US, but they have culture and history, so it was still a freaking birthday vacation. I was waiting for my flight and was watching the janitor empty the trash cans. SNA has 3 separate bins for trash, recycling, and food waste. Guess what, none of that matters because the janitor will combine it all into one trash can when he empties the bins. I couldn't believe it but I saw it with my own eyes. There's a big reason why I prefer flying out of John Wayne Airport aka SNA than anywhere else. Location, location, location. Sure, flights out of LAX may be cheaper but the hour long drive to LAX does not compare to the 25 minute drive to SNA. I've never had to park my car since I can order a Lyft or get a ride which is way nicer than paying for parking. The TSA staff here is great. I don't have issues normally due to my Global Entry status. The terminals are clearly marked and there are plenty of spots for food and drink. I do wish that they had water bottle filling stations instead of the outdated water fountains. Come on, SNA, you can do better. If you can manage it, fly out of SNA because it's more pleasant than LAX. read more

I didn't realize how small of an airport this was until recently. Not sure why I thought it was bigger. I guess I'm grateful that it's big enough where I can get lost. Check in and going through TSA was a breeze. read more

Good airport near south Los Angeles. We like it, clean and fast. Getting rental car was a real pain. Underground at terminal 1 and we were at terminal 3. Luckily my wife stayed with the bags while I hiked to the Hertz counter. I was tired and sweating when I got there. read more

I traveled in and out of this airport during the holiday season. It was great, definitely an 180° difference from LAX. It was really quick and easy in & out of...from gate-to-door/door-to-gate. On my outbound flight, it was in the evening and going thru TSA checkpoint was a breeze, and surprisingly the TSA agents were friendly! I would definitely recommend this airport especially if your destination is South of LA. read more

John Wayne Airport - JWA Terminal A Christmas tree. - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Great airport, easily accessible, airlines work efficiently to process customers. TSA works a little slower, and for the passenger volume. They need more lanes/personnel. read more

John Wayne Airport - Terminal A. Gate 5/6 area - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Where to start. Dropped off for an Alaska Airlines flight. Zero people in line with 3 counter agents. Wheel chair assisted for my wife seamless. read more

John Wayne Airport - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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TSA security agents are really nice here. Very chatty. I think they realize that it takes the same amount of energy to be nice vs being a jerk, might as well be kind! Even in this day and age, there are plenty of people who have never flown in a plane before. Whether for economic reasons, where and how they grew up, no opportunity for travel in their jobs. So I think we could all be a little more forgiving when someone doesn't take off their shoes and belt, forgets to take a water out of their backpack, or to a mom with three kids struggling to get them through security and one is laying on the ground screaming. If you're a business flier and get annoyed with the common folk because they don't get how it works, then go ahead and get TSA pre-check. My only complaint with John Wayne airport is they don't have benches after security so you can sit to put on your shoes. You either have to awkwardly stand on one leg trying to get them back on, or nab the one chair where they have the perps sit while they go through their luggage, or you can carry your shoes with you to the closest gate and find a place to sit. I've been to plenty of airports who have convenient benches and I really appreciate that. You can put all your clothes and belt back on in relative privacy. Great airport - $20/day parking no matter which lot. read more

John Wayne Airport - Airport Terminals Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Love flying out of John Wayne - easy in and out - unlike going through LAX John Wayne feels like 1st class in comparison

If I have to fly in or out of Southern California, specifically Orange County, I will ALWAYS try to catch my flight of out John Wayne, or otherwise known as SNA. It is fast inside and through security with Pre-check and I never have an issue getting dropped off or picked back up. I cannot speak to parking here, as I live close enough to get a ride, but I imagine it's pretty easy since it's just steps from the sliding doors of the airport. I have flown during COVID for essential business and I always felt safe and mostly everyone respected the rules. There are few flights in the early morning in landing at night which helps keep the crowdedness to a minimum as well. I flew American and the other passengers were respectful and did not crowd when boarding at the gate. The flight was also not full, and I did not have a neighbor in the middle seat on my flight to or from chicago O'Hare. Overall, would definitely recommend this airport if you plan on flying by. read more