Santa Monica Municipal
SMO · KSMO · Santa Monica, California · Los Angeles County · map
Santa Monica Municipal is a public-use airport owned by the City of Santa Monica, 3 miles east of Santa Monica, California, 170 feet above sea level. It has 2 runways; the longest, 03/21, is 3,500 feet of asphalt. It has a control tower, fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A, UL94 unleaded avgas) and about 74 general-aviation aircraft based on the field by the FAA's count. The FAA counts about 55,169 takeoffs and landings a year. About 220 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Quick answers answers refresh every morning
What is the airport code for Santa Monica Municipal?
Its FAA code is SMO, and its ICAO code is KSMO.
Where is Santa Monica Municipal?
It is 3 miles east of Santa Monica, California, 170 feet above sea level.
How long is the longest runway at Santa Monica Municipal?
The longest of its 2 runways, 03/21, is 3,500 feet long.
Does Santa Monica Municipal have a control tower?
Yes, it has a control tower.
What fuel can you buy at Santa Monica Municipal?
The FAA's airport file lists 100LL avgas, Jet A, UL94 unleaded avgas.
Where can you fly nonstop from Santa Monica Municipal?
Airline flights go to 8 airports, the busiest of them Harry Reid International, Phoenix, Napa County, Jacqueline Cochran Regional, Friday Harbor. Every route
Are there flight schools at Santa Monica Municipal?
8 flight schools, flying clubs or college flight programmes are based within about 15 miles of it, including Santa Monica Flyers INC and Tiger Flyers INC. Compare them
Where are the nearest FAA examiners to Santa Monica Municipal?
33 pilot examiners and 45 aviation medical examiners work within 50 nautical miles. See them by name
Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions
Fetching the weather now, the forecast, the warnings in force, pilot reports and the winds aloft for Santa Monica Municipal…
Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.
The airport facts, runways, radio, fuel and services, the FAA's remarks
The airport
- Codes
- FAA SMO · ICAO KSMO
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Owner
- City of Santa Monica
- Elevation
- 170 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- A control tower · 7:00 am to 9:00 pm
- Attended
- around the clock
- Lights
- runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel and services
- 100LL avgas, Jet A, UL94 unleaded avgas; the services card below
- Notes
- landing fee
- On the chart
- Los Angeles sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 12E
- In the FAA's files since
- April 1940
Runways 2
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/21 | 3,500 × 150 ft | Asphalt, good | Medium-intensity lights |
| H1 | 40 × 40 ft | Asphalt, good | Perimeter lights |
- Runway 03: PAPI, four lights on the left, right-hand traffic pattern
- Runway 21: PAPI, four lights on the left
Radio frequencies
| Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · Tower | 120.1 | Santa Monica |
| UNICOM | 122.95 | |
| ATIS (recorded airport information) | 119.15 | Santa Monica |
| Ground | 121.9 | Santa Monica |
| Approach 101-245 smo | 124.3 | Santa Monica |
| Approach 069-100 lax | 124.9 | Santa Monica |
| Approach · Departure procedure (CTRUS) · Departure 246-341 lax; Runway 21 | 125.2 | Santa Monica |
| Approach · Boget and star · Departure procedure (CHOII) 342-068 smo; Runway 3 | 135.05 | Santa Monica |
| Kimmo and star · Wayve and star | 119.85 | Santa Monica |
| Thrne and star | 126.7 | Santa Monica |
| Zuuma and star | 128.5 | Santa Monica |
| Bonjo and star | 128.75 | Santa Monica |
| Fernando and star | 134.2 | Santa Monica |
Automated weather (ASOS), by phone 310-309-5134.
Fuel and services as reported to the FAA
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas, Jet A, UL94 unleaded avgas
- Repairs
- airframe and engine: major repairs
- Parking
- tie-downs
- Oxygen
- bottled oxygen (high-pressure), bulk oxygen (high-pressure)
- Also here
- avionics, charter flights, flight instruction, aircraft rental, aircraft sales
- Notes
- landing fee charged
Other fields with jet fuel nearby: Los Angeles International (5 nm southeast), Jack Northrop Fld/Hawthorne Municipal (8 nm southeast), Hollywood Burbank Airport (12 nm northeast).
The FAA's file records what is sold and done at the field, as the airport manager reports it, not who sells it or the price; fuel sellers (FBOs) are not named in any public file. Airports selling jet fuel in California · avgas.
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out
- When the control tower closed activate runway end identifier lights runway 21; medium-intensity runway lights runway 03/21 - the common traffic frequency.
- Pattern altitude: 1200' above ground level SINGLE-ENG; 1700' above ground level TWIN-ENG.
- 100LL full service only.
- UL94 available at SELF-SERVE island.
- Helicopter flight training open prohibited; helicopter operations approach airport bdry at midfield at or above 900 feet above sea level.
- Intersection departures and frmn landings/departures prohibited.
- Runway 03/21 departure end approx 1000 feet from residential homes. Extended high power settings on RUN-UP or departure negatively impact the community.
- No touch-and-go, stop/go, or low approach permitted on Saturday, Sunday, holidays; weekdays SS-0700.
- VFR departures runway 21 turn left 10 degreess over smo VOR then turn right 225 degreess
- If departure north, no right turns bfr rchg shoreline. Runway 03 departure no turns prior to 405 freeway located 1 MI east.
- Eng maintenance RUN-UP: jets and turboprops north side, WI 300 feet east of taxiway A4. Piston sngls and twins on south side, WI 300 feet east of taxiway B4. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm only.
- Noise lmts all aircraft: pure jet and stage II (with/without hushkits) prohibited. Maximum noise limit 95.0 dba sngl event noise exposure level (senel) rcrdd 2200 feet extdd centerline.
Flights and activity in the air now, the airlines, based aircraft, takeoffs and landings
Activity now checking the volunteer receiver network…
Within ten miles
- Looking…
Arrivals and departures, last hour
- Looking…
From the volunteer receiver network, a few minutes behind at most; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out; no person is named. Open the live map here.
Scheduled and charter flights from here the DOT's airline reports · August 2025 to July 2026
Airlines reported 702 departures from SMO in those twelve months, carrying 10,713 passengers in 20,813 seats (51% filled), to 11 destinations on 4 airlines.
All 11 destinations, the airlines and the aircraft, month by month
From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' T-100 table: every segment an airline reported flying, three months in arrears. Private, business and training flights are not in it; the live picture is in the activity card.
Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024
Based aircraft, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| single-engine | 68 |
| multi-engine | 6 |
The FAA's count is the general-aviation aircraft kept on the field (singles, twins, business jets, helicopters) from its Terminal Area Forecast, the latest year with an actual count; airline fleets are never counted as based anywhere, so a big airline airport shows a small number. The register section below shows how many aircraft are registered to owners in town, a different measure again.
Takeoffs and landings a year about 55,169, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
| a year | |
|---|---|
| airline | 4 |
| air taxi and commuter | 3,058 |
| general aviation, travelling | 32,509 |
| general aviation, local | 19,498 |
| military | 100 |
Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates. How this compares nationally: Airports by the numbers.
Who flies and works here aircraft registered in town, the companies, the examiners nearby
Aircraft registered in Santa Monica from the FAA register
110 aircraft are registered to owners in Santa Monica, California: 71 piston singles, 12 business jets, 6 piston twins, 5 turboprops, 5 gliders. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.
Companies and organisations in town with two or more aircraft:
Individuals are counted, not named (the site's policy at this time). All aircraft registered in California.
Who works here from the FAA's certificate lists and the register
Flight schools, flying clubs and college flight programmes based within about 15 miles:
- Santa Monica Flyers INC 3 aircraft · Santa Monica
- Tiger Flyers INC 1 aircraft · Santa Monica
- A&E Flying Club of Los Angeles 4 aircraft · Hawthorne, 9 miles away
- Beach Cities Aviation Academy LLC 1 aircraft · Hawthorne, 9 miles away
- Beech Flyers LLC 1 aircraft · Tarzana, 11 miles away Beech Flyers is a flying club based at Van Nuys Airport in California that provides Beechcraft-specific pilot training and aircraft rental.
- Eight Ball Flying Club 4 aircraft · Van Nuys, 14 miles away
- Flight Academy LLC 3 aircraft · Van Nuys, 14 miles away The Flight Academy is a Part 61 flight school located at Van Nuys Airport in California.
- La Flight School INC 2 aircraft · Van Nuys, 14 miles away LA Flight School is a flight training school at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles offering discovery flights, private pilot, sport pilot, instrument rating, commercial pilot, and airline pilot training.
Charter operators and airlines based in Santa Monica:
- Cove Partners LLC 2 aircraft on the certificate
- Verijet INC 2 aircraft on the certificate
- Action Air Express, Inc. 1 aircraft on the certificate
Repair stations in Santa Monica:
Companies in the same town as this airport, and schools within about 15 miles of it (each placed at the main public airport of its town, or at the town's centre); not every one of them works from this field. All operators · all repair stations · all flight schools · all FBOs.
Examiners and inspectors nearby designated by the FAA · within 50 nautical miles
33 pilot examiners (the FAA's designated pilot examiners, who give the practical tests for pilot certificates) are based within 50 nautical miles: 32 for private pilot, 28 for commercial and instrument, 13 for airline transport pilot, 20 for flight instructor, 2 for sport pilot, 5 for type ratings; 27 for airplanes, 16 for multi-engine airplanes, 5 for helicopters. Also nearby: 5 sport aviation examiners, 45 aviation medical examiners, 11 mechanic examiners, 10 airworthiness representatives (maintenance), 8 airworthiness representatives (manufacturing), 32 engineering representatives, 37 training center evaluators, 5 training center examiners.
- Stephen Lawrence Higgins private pilot, commercial and instrument, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes · Santa Monica, CA (0 nm) · (503) 233-3949 · [email protected]
- Dixon Howard instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates · Business Center · El Segundo, CA (6 nm) · (562) 760-1461 · [email protected]
- Andrew Joseph Strack private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes · Beach Cities Aviation · Hawthorne, CA (8 nm) · (714) 883-8410 · [email protected]
- Brian Petschauer private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, commercial pilot; helicopters · Atlantic Aviation (KBUR) · Burbank, CA (12 nm) · (818) 590-4441 · [email protected]
- Bryan Estiveira de Ataide Ferrell private pilot; airplanes · Van Nuys, CA (12 nm) · (818) 205-8873 · [email protected]
- Donovan Stephen Burns private pilot, commercial and instrument; airplanes · Redondo Beach, CA (12 nm) · (786) 457-6172 · [email protected]
- Jonathan Orourke private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · Hot Shot Aviation · Van Nuys, CA (12 nm) · (818) 860-1074 · [email protected]
- Mark Boss private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, instrument instructor, sport pilot, type ratings, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · Van Nuys, CA (12 nm) · (818) 389-4918 · [email protected]
All 186 nearby, by kind, with contact details
What each kind does
- DPE: Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings.
- SAE: Sport Aviation Examiner: gives the tests for sport pilot certificates and light-sport aircraft.
- AME: Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold.
- DME: Designated Mechanic Examiner: tests candidates for the mechanic certificate (airframe and powerplant).
- DAR-T: Designated Airworthiness Representative, maintenance: issues airworthiness certificates and approvals for aircraft in service.
- DAR-F: Designated Airworthiness Representative, manufacturing: issues airworthiness certificates for newly built aircraft and parts.
- DER-T: Designated Engineering Representative: approves engineering data for repairs and alterations on the FAA's behalf.
- TCE: Training Center Evaluator: gives tests at a simulator training center.
- DCTO-E: Designee at a certificated training organisation.
Designees are listed with the name and contact details the FAA publishes for them on its designee locator (read October 10, 2026): the FAA lists them so that pilots, mechanics and companies can find them. Private individuals are not named, the site's policy at this time. A designee who would rather not appear here can ask us through the contact address on the About page. Each designee is placed at the main public airport of the town the FAA lists (or the nearest one to its zip code), so "nearby" means the town, not an exact address. All examiners by state.
Safety record the NTSB's cases at or near this airport
Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 52 since 1982, 14 fatal
Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English. The country as a whole: Where accidents happen.
Nearby within 30 nautical miles
Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register
- Aircraft registered in Santa Monica 110 aircraft · 71 piston singles, 12 business jets, 6 piston twins
- Gbh Aviation 4 aircraft in town
- Santa Monica Flyers INC 3 aircraft in town
- Red 6 Technologies LLC 3 aircraft in town
- Onaero INC 3 aircraft in town
- Cove Partners LLC 2 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Verijet INC 2 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Action Air Express, Inc. 1 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Santa Monica Flyers INC 3 aircraft · flight school
- Tiger Flyers INC 1 aircraft · flight school
- A&E Flying Club of Los Angeles 4 aircraft · flying club
- Kim Davidson Aviation INC · repair station
- Santa Monica Propeller Service INC · repair station
- Harry Reid International (LAS) 405 flights in twelve months · Delux Public Charters d/b/a JSX
- Phoenix (SCF) 184 flights in twelve months · Delux Public Charters d/b/a JSX
- Napa County (APC) 97 flights in twelve months · Delux Public Charters d/b/a JSX
- Jacqueline Cochran Regional (TRM) 6 flights in twelve months · Delux Public Charters d/b/a JSX, ADVANCED AIR, LLC
- Friday Harbor (FRD) 4 flights in twelve months · Kenmore Air Harbor
- Mammoth Yosemite (MMH) 1 flights in twelve months · Scott Aviation, LLC d/b/a Silver Air
- San Diego International (SAN) 1 flights in twelve months · Scott Aviation, LLC d/b/a Silver Air
- Mineta San Jose International (SJC) 1 flights in twelve months · Scott Aviation, LLC d/b/a Silver Air
- NTSB accidents and incidents at or near this airport 52 since 1982 · 14 fatal
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,087 in the last ten years
- Nearby landing places within 30 nautical miles 8 airports, heliports and seaplane bases
- Public-use airports in California 244 landing places
- California 27,686 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/SMO.json.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 29, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 30, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.