The San Diego airport has been a part of the community for more than 80 years, ever since the earliest days of aviation. Now a modern and well-equipped hub, the airport has been designed to meet the transportation needs of the more than 15 million passengers who pass through the gates every year. Located close to the central business district and just twenty miles from the Mexican border, the airport is easy to access no matter where you intend explore on your vacation in San Diego.

Properly called the San Diego-Lindbergh Field Airport, the transportation hub of Southern California is well in touch with its roots, even as it looks towards the future. Throughout the state-of-the art terminals, you'll find a variety of nods to the past. The most noticeable feature of the San Diego airport is a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis suspended above the baggage claim area in the second terminal. Aviator and namesake Charles Lindbergh piloted this plane into the history books on the first solo trans-Atlantic flight.

Just a year after the fabled flight in 1927, the citizens voted to fund a municipal airport not far from where the aviator began the trailblazing flight. Over the years, the San Diego-Lindbergh Field Airport has expanded and upgraded its facilities. Today, the airport is serviced by a wide variety of both traditional and low-cost airlines that arrive in the various gates of the three terminals. Flights arrive from around the world, from as close as Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and well as other cities in the West including Portland, Houston, Denver, and Vancouver. Many other major North American and European cities offer regular flights to and from San Diego. With connecting flights, it's especially not hard to get to Southern California. If you're planning to use the airport to head to your vacation destination, you will have many choices. Regular flights shuttle people to Honolulu, Mexico City, and San José del Cabo, along the Mexican Riveria.

San Diego Map

Once passengers have arrived, the terminals at SAN are full of shops, restaurants, and other services travelers need to get going. A variety of car rental companies have desks right in the terminal, so you can take care of getting the keys for your car rentals before stepping outside. Taxis are readily available near the terminal, and the drivers can take you right where you want to go first.

If you're driving on your own, parking won't be difficult to find. No matter which of the lots you choose, San Diego airport parking is designed to be secure as well as convenient. All of the well-lit and fenced-in lots are open 24 hours a day, so if you're taking the red eye or a light-night flight, you won't have to worry about closed lots. After you've chosen a spot and locked your car, you can hop aboard one of the airport shuttles for a short and free trip to the terminals of San Diego-Lindbergh Field Airport.

If your car is many miles away at home or you don't want to worry about car rentals, you can leave the San Diego airport parking to other travelers and use alternative modes of transportation. The city is well connected with a network of trolleys and buses. Most of the airport hotels offer regular shuttle service for their guests. If you'd like to add car rentals to your vacation packages, you could step up to one of the desks conveniently located right in the terminal. Many of the passengers who arrive at the San Diego Airport are passing through en route to their cruises. In recent years, the city has become an increasingly popular place to begin a cruise. Every year, thousands of passengers embark on cruises to ports of call along the Pacific Ocean. The cruise ship terminal is just ten minutes away from the airport, and taxis are readily available to take between both points.

Some of the cruise lines will even take your luggage for you, saving you the hassle of lugging bags with you through the airport, on the taxi, and through security at the Port of San Diego cruise terminal. Several lots along the way are options for long-term San Diego airport parking as well as for cruises, even providing free shuttles either way.

While SAN is the most popular choice for flying into San Diego, it's not the only option for flying into Southern California. If you have a passport or one of the PASS Cards, you could take an international flight to Tijuana and head back over the border without spending a lot of time on the journey. The Los Angeles Airport is another option if you plan to spend some time in both San Diego and Los Angeles. The drive from LAX to San Diego is quite spectacular, especially when it winds by the Pacific Ocean.