Santa Monica Airport (KSMO) where aviation history was made, and continues to be made every day.

Originally known as Clover Field, KSMO is one of the oldest and most storied airports in the United States. The first circumnavigation of the world by air took off from this very runway on St. Patrick’s Day, 1924, and returned here after 28,000 miles. Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, and Wiley Post all flew from these grounds, and the very first Powder Puff Derby, the legendary women’s air race, started right here. That spirit of adventure, community, and flight lives on today.

General aviation is the backbone of American aviation, accounting for 95% of all aircraft and 75% of all takeoffs and landings nationwide. KSMO is a proud part of that system, connecting the Westside of Los Angeles to airports across the continent. And it’s so much more than a runway:

  • Home to Sling Pilot Academy, one of the fastest-growing flight schools in the nation, offering a path from a first flight lesson all the way to an airline career using the innovative Whisper Sling aircraft, purpose-built for modern, quieter, cleaner training

  • Founded in 1958, Airspacers Flying Club is the oldest flying club at KSMO, a cooperative of 75 equity members making aircraft ownership accessible and affordable for over six decades

  • The Museum of Flying is a nonprofit aerospace museum whose collection of vintage aircraft, artifacts, and aviation art tells the story of Southern California’s extraordinary role in the history of flight

  • The Los Angeles Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots, has deep roots here, including their historic Compass Rose designed at KSMO in 1939 and recently designated a Santa Monica historical landmark

  • Angel Flight West operates from KSMO, with volunteer pilots donating their aircraft and flying costs to arrange free flights for children and adults with serious medical conditions who might otherwise go without vital care

  • Spanning 166 businesses across 43 industries, the airport campus includes aviation services, art studios, a theater, and the iconic Barker Hangar, one of Southern California’s most celebrated event venues

  • A place where anyone, kids included, can take an introductory flight, join a flying club, or begin training for an airline career

  • Santa Monica Airport serves as a community gathering place, with an airport park, farmers markets, art walks, and events that bring the neighborhood together around aviation

  • A connection to a national air transportation system of over 19,400 public airports across the United States and thousands more throughout North America

KSMO isn’t just an airport. It’s a piece of living history, a launchpad for careers, and a place where the joy of flight is open to everyone.