Located on the west coast of the USA, California is a state known for its cities, beaches and pleasant weather. Its geographical features are quite diverse, offering great variety to arriving visitors. Given the size of the state, it’s also fortunate that there are numerous international airports in California to choose from.

California has coastal regions, desert regions and mountains, as well as forests. The state also boasts the highest and lowest points in the contiguous US. The state is also prone to earthquakes. Despite this adversity, visitors choose this destination for their vacation to enjoy the myriad of geographical features that this region offers.

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Reaching here is quite convenient as many international airlines ply their services to this state. Compare airline prices on Expedia.

International Airports in California

Airports in this state are both international as well as domestic that meet the demands of overseas as well as national visitors.

The two prime international airports are Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.

A great variety of commercial as well as general aviation airports are there in the state’s 58 counties. These airports offer global standards of facilities that matches internationally accepted parameters. State-of-the-art technologies related to aviation sector are being used here. To cater to the growing demands of visitors planning to vacation at this mesmerizing state, the number of flights to California has increased significantly.

From an economic point of view, the state has progressed in leaps and bounds.

International and Domestic Airports

To facilitate augmenting traffic, it became necessary to set up more international as well as domestic airports. Besides San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, there are many other international airports in the state including Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, airports at San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento and many other counties.

San Francisco International Airport

One of the major international airports, San Francisco International Airport occupies a prominent position due to its location and infrastructure. Located about 13 miles south of the San Francisco city the airport caters international traffic to a great extent.

Since these days, many frugal flights to California are also plying their services; it became all the more important to gear up to this growing demand. Cities like Millbrae and San Bruno are located close to this airport. Popularly referred to as SFO, the flights operate to destinations like Asia, Australasia, North America and Europe.

In San Francisco Bay Area, it is the biggest airport as well as the second busiest airport after the International Airport at Los Angeles. For United Airlines, this airport acts as the main hub. Book access to the Virgin Atlantic Lounge access at SFO San Francisco Airport.

With four terminals, this airport is all set to cater to the ever increasing number of passengers passing through the state. Leading airlines like Cathay Pacific, Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Emirates and United ply their services here.

Los Angeles International Airport

Another major airport catering this area is Los Angeles International Airport.

Popularly referred to as LAX, it is considered to be one of the busiest airports of the region. These well maintained airports have been able to garner customer satisfaction.

More International Airports in California

San Francisco and Los Angeles handle most long-haul flights, but they’re not your only options:

  • San Diego International (SAN): right next to downtown, handy for Southern California and trips to the Mexican border.
  • San José Mineta International (SJC): a quieter alternative to SFO for Silicon Valley.
  • Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK): across the bay from San Francisco, often cheaper for domestic and low-cost flights.
  • Sacramento International (SMF): the gateway to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.
  • John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA): close to Disneyland and the Orange County beaches.
  • Ontario International (ONT): an easy alternative to LAX for the Inland Empire, Palm Springs and the mountains.
  • Hollywood Burbank (BUR) and Long Beach (LGB): smaller, faster airports in the LA area, mainly for domestic flights.
  • Palm Springs International (PSP): seasonal flights, including to Canada, ideal for the desert.

Tip: compare flights into the smaller airports. They’re often quicker to get through and closer to where you actually want to be.

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