Private jet airport · Carlsbad, CA
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ)
McClellan-Palomar is one of the airports serving San Diego, with airline service alongside private flights, 29 miles from San Diego. It has one runway, the longest 4,897 ft, U.S. Customs for a fee, jet fuel and a control tower.
- Longest runway
- 4,897 ft
- asphalt, 150 ft wide
- Elevation
- 331 ft
- above sea level
- To downtown
- 29 mi
- straight line to San Diego
- U.S. Customs
- User-fee
- per the FAA record
Runways to scale, north up, from FAA airport data (cycle October 1, 2026). A schematic, not for navigation.
Runways
Which private jets can use CRQ?
General guidance from the longest paved runway. We assume each size needs its typical full-weight takeoff length, lengthened 8% per 1,000 ft of elevation. Hot days, wet runways and the operator's own limits change it, so the operator confirms each flight.
- Light jetPhenom 300, Citation CJ3 · needs about 4,100 ft hereUsually fits
- Midsize jetCitation XLS, Learjet 60 · needs about 5,100 ft hereOften, with limits
- Super-midsize jetChallenger 350, Citation Longitude · needs about 5,600 ft hereOften, with limits
- Large jetChallenger 650, Gulfstream G450 · needs about 6,200 ft hereNot a usual fit
- Ultra-long-range jetGlobal 7500, Gulfstream G650 · needs about 6,700 ft hereNot a usual fit
Runways at CRQ
- Runway 06/244,897 × 150 ft · asphalt · ILS 24
Voluntary curfew: 10 pm to 7 am local time.
From the remarks in the FAA's airport record.
FBOs and services
FBOs and private jet services at CRQ
Private flights at CRQ use an FBO (fixed-base operator): a private terminal with a lounge, fuel, ramp and hangar space, and ground handling, where you drive up to the aircraft. We don't list FBO names, as the FAA's record doesn't include them; on a charter the operator chooses one, and we'll tell you which. What an FBO is, and what to expect
- U.S. Customs
- User-fee
- A U.S. Customs user-fee airport (customs on request, for a fee).
- Jet fuel
- Available
- Grades listed: 100LL, A.
- Control tower
- Yes
- Towered: air traffic control on the field.
- Airline service
- Yes
- Private flights use the FBO side, away from the airline terminal.
- Airframe repair
- Major
- Maintenance on the field, per the FAA record.
- Other services
- Air freight, Air ambulance, Avionics
- Also charter, flight training, aircraft rental, aircraft sales.
- Noise rules
- In effect
- Noise abatement procedures apply to departures.
- Codes
- CRQ
- ICAO KCRQ · IATA CLD · FAA CRQ
Location
Private jet airports near San Diego
Straight-line miles from San Diego, and a rough drive without traffic. Click another airport for its page.
- CRQ to San Diego: 29 miles from San Diego, straight line; roughly 50 to 90 minutes by car.
Other private jet airports nearby
Popular routes
Private jet routes from San Diego
One-way estimates on the jet size each trip calls for, from published jet card rates. They're priced from San Diego's main airport; leaving from CRQ changes the quote a little. Estimates, not quotes.
McClellan-Palomar Airport: questions
What FBOs are at McClellan-Palomar Airport?
We don't list FBO names: the FAA's airport record doesn't include them, and directories that do aren't ours to republish. An FBO (fixed-base operator) is the private terminal: lounge, fuel, ramp, hangar and ground handling. On a charter, the operator chooses the FBO at CRQ; ask us which one your flight uses and we'll tell you before you go.
Can a large private jet use CRQ?
CRQ's longest paved runway is 4,897 ft at 331 ft elevation. As general guidance, light jets usually fit; midsize jet and super-midsize jets often do with less fuel or fewer passengers. Weather, weight and the operator's rules decide each flight.
Does CRQ have customs for international private flights?
Yes. The FAA lists CRQ as a U.S. Customs user-fee airport (customs on request, for a fee). Hours and notice requirements vary, so the operator files ahead and the arrival is planned around them.
How far is CRQ from San Diego?
29 miles from San Diego, straight line; roughly 50 to 90 minutes by car, depending on traffic. Other private jet airports for San Diego: San Diego International Airport (SAN), 28 miles away.
Is there a curfew at CRQ?
The FAA record notes a voluntary night curfew, 10 pm to 7 am local time, plus noise abatement procedures. Operators are asked to avoid those hours, so late departures are planned around it.
How much is a private jet from CRQ?
Estimated one-way costs from San Diego: Las Vegas $6.5k–$8.5k (light jet), Scottsdale $7.5k–$9.5k (light jet), Santa Barbara $5.5k–$7k (light jet). These are estimates from published jet card rates, not quotes; the departure airport, date and repositioning change the number.
Keep going
Sources: FAA National Airspace System Resource (NASR) airport data, cycle October 1, 2026 (runways, elevation, tower, customs, fuel and remarks); city centres from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Runway guidance is general and conservative, not performance data. Not for navigation.
Charter Sales
Tell us the trip. We'll tell you the number.
Route, dates, rough timing, how many people. That is enough to start, and you get a firm price for that specific trip rather than a range.
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