Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty Airport (SNA) Flights & Flight Status

When you’re booking flights to and from the Los Angeles or San Diego areas, you may see options come up for John Wayne Airport (SNA). This airport is located about an hour south of Los Angeles (or more depending on traffic) in the Orange County city of Santa Ana. It’s significantly smaller and less chaotic than LAX. As a Southern California native, I love it as a calmer alternative.

SNA is a hub for many business travelers and that may bring you here, yourself. If you do find yourself traveling through SNA for that or any other reason sometime soon, these expert tips will help you navigate the airport with ease and have a less stressful travel day.

Getting to and from John Wayne Airport

One of the major perks of being a smaller airport is that getting to and from SNA is normally a breeze with no crazy airport traffic to deal with.

If you’re coming from the Orange County area you can easily take a rideshare like Uber, and the driver can drop you off curbside right in front of your terminal. If you’re arriving at SNA, there are dedicated rideshare pick-up zones just outside the terminals – they are clearly marked and show you exactly where to get your car.

There are also various car rental counters located in the lower arrivals area between Terminals A and B at SNA. If you’re looking for it from outside, look for the John Wayne statue – they’re right across from it. To pick up and return the rental car, head to Level 0 of parking lots A2 and B2.

There are also private shuttles, hotel shuttles and group shuttles available – for most you’ll have to make reservations ahead of time. If you’re on a budget, there is an Orange County transit system with buses that stop at the airport, but just know it’ll take much longer to get anywhere using this option and they may not be great choices if you have a lot of luggage.

Security at John Wayne Airport

Another perk of being a smaller airport is that it’s hardly ever super crowded. Unlike at LAX, I’ve never waited longer than 10 minutes in line for security at SNA. There are TSA PreCheck lanes at each of the 3 terminals and these will expedite your travel even more if you’re eligible.

If for some rare reason the security line looks slow, I often just walk a couple minutes to the security checkpoint at the next terminal over to see if it’s shorter. Since the airport is so small, it takes no time to walk from one to the other, so it doesn’t matter if you enter at the one closest to your gate or not.

Here’s a fun fact: SNA is one of a handful of airports that lets you see off or pick up loved ones past security. In order to do this, you’ll have to get an OC AirPass by heading to the information booth at any of the terminals (located near baggage claim) and showing them a valid government ID.

Once that’s approved (which is usually within minutes), your pass will get printed out and you’ll take that to the normal security line. Just know you can only take 1 personal item through on this pass, so don’t try bringing multiple bags – just your purse or backpack – or you’ll have to go back to the car to put extra stuff away.

Terminals at SNA

There are 3 terminals at SNA. Terminal A serves American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, WestJet, and Breeze Airways. Gates 1 to 8 can be found here. For those traveling with pets, there’s an animal relief area outside of the arrivals area at this terminal.

If you’re at the airport for a while, don’t miss out on my personal favorite dining choice, Ruby’s Diner – an iconic Southern California beach cities institution – located between Gates 8 and 9.

Terminal B is where you’ll find Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, and it houses Gates 9 to 14. It’s also home to the nursing mother’s lounge located between Gates 11 and 12, and the Fly Well Clinic (across from Gate 10) where travelers can receive basic health services for minor injuries or illnesses by licensed medical professionals. There’s also another animal relief area past security across from Gate 12.

Terminal C, which is the most recent addition to SNA, serves as the international terminal and is also where you’ll go if you’re flying Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant Air or Spirit Airlines. Gates 15 to 22 are located here.

You can rest assured knowing all 3 terminals have a variety of restaurants and shops (including a coffee shop in each one), free Wi-Fi and TSA PreCheck security lanes. It’s only half a mile between the furthest gates on either end of the airport, so you’ll never get lost and you’re free to explore the whole thing while waiting for your flight.

Airline lounges at John Wayne Airport

While it’s not a sprawling facility like LAX to the north, there are still 2 airline lounges at SNA. You can find the American Airlines Admiral Club in Terminal A and the United Club lounge in Terminal B. If you want to access the amenities of either lounge but aren’t a member, you can purchase a day pass instead, as long as there’s space available.

Word to the wise: The day pass for the United Club lounge is less than the American Airlines Admirals Club admission.

There’s also a second lounge in Terminal B – the Bob Hope USO Lounge – but it’s only open to military personnel and their families. Active and reserve members, as well as veterans can access the lounge. It’s stocked with things like food and drinks, video games and even movies.

Parking at SNA

The airport offers both long- and short-term parking at surprisingly affordable rates with EV charging stations in both. There are super convenient lots located right across from the terminals, but they do cost more due to their location. You can pay per hour or the full daily maximum. You can also reserve spots ahead of time online, although I’ve never found that necessary.

If you’re really in a hurry or just want to splurge, there’s a curbside valet option where you simply hop out of your car with your luggage and someone else parks it for you and brings it back to you upon your return.

Main Street Parking is a more affordable long-term parking option, but it’s a short shuttle ride away. Just know the shuttles run approximately every 15 minutes from the terminals, so there will likely be some waiting involved.

Alternative airports to SNA

While its small size makes everything from security lines to walking to your gate super convenient, if you’re traveling internationally beyond Mexico or Canada, or looking for the best flight prices and routes, SNA likely won’t be your go-to. There are 3 relatively nearby airport alternatives.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is located about an hour or more north of SNA and tickets out of LAX are generally significantly cheaper, but you’ll pay more in time and potential stress. It’s also a major international hub.

The security lines at LAX can take what feels like years, and you’ll also need to account for finding parking and shuttling over to the airport unless you are willing to pay premium rates for the parking lots that are right across from the terminals. If you take a rideshare, you’ll still need to factor in time for getting stuck in the crush of almost guaranteed LAX traffic.

San Diego International Airport (SAN) is an international option about an hour south from SNA. Finally, Long Beach Airport (LGB) is a smaller airport similar to SNA and located just over 22 miles away in Long Beach. It’s a major hub for Southwest, so if you fly that airline frequently you may want to check here for better rates.