Lindbergh Field may be bursting at the seams, but at least one airport in San Diego County looks like it’s ready and eager to accommodate more business — North C
ounty’s McClellan-Palomar Airport. Located about 30 miles north of downtown San Diego (and just south of the town of Carlsbad, on Palomar Airport Road), the field has been at this location since 1952, when it was relocated from Del Mar. But a $24 million upgrade of the county-owned facility has just been completed. Grand opening ceremonies are scheduled for Thursday morning at 11 a.m.
When I stopped by this past Sunday morning, it looked as if the worker bees would have to scurry to finish planting plants and tidying up the recent construction mess. But the new 18,000-square-foot terminal is impressive. The airy, open design features windows that open to allow for natural climate control. Exterior canopies evoke the sweep and billow of sailboats, and the concrete floors are encrusted with shells. Rocking chairs in the waiting rooms warm things up. And the influence of green-minded designers can be sensed throughout in such details as recycled barn lumber for the internal walls, Trex for outdoor decking, low-flow water walves in the bathrooms, and other touches.
The airport has long served private and general aviation, as well as offering a variety of flight-training programs. The only commercial service at the moment appears to be United Express, which flies only to Los Angeles, but there’s talk of other operators moving in. Service to Mexico is even a possibiity; the upgraded facility includes a customs-inspection station.
Initial passengers should be impressed with the amenities, which include free parking (for up to two weeks), connected to the terminal by an outdoor elevator and walkways.
