What Factors Cause The US’ Busiest Single Runway Airport To Execute Reverse Ops?

The busiest single-runway airport in the United States , undoubtedly, is San Diego International Airport (SAN). Located near the southern border of California and serving the cities of both San Diego (United States of America) and Tijuana (Mexico), the airport is renowned for its central location and pan-American and growing international network. However, what causes aircraft arriving and departing at the busy airport to flip their arrival or departing directions?
Flip landings at San Diego International Airport
Aircraft departing from San Diego International Airport usually head west over the peninsular. However, there are times when the aircraft must fly in the opposite direction, which can cause widespread noise in various parts of the city. Takeoffs and landings can be reversed due to visibility or weather conditions; however, San Diego’s most common westerly direction sees around 95.4% of all departures.
Several factors, as reported by Obrag, identified these reasons (but are not limited to) why the airport could ‘flip’ the take-off and landings at San Diego:
Visibility dropping less than two miles
The ceiling (base of the lowest clouds), being below 700 feet
The fog ceiling is less than 700 feet, and combined with visibility being lower than one mile
Tailwinds surpassing ten miles per hour
What weather conditions could cause San Diego International Airport to close?
Visibility being less than a mile, and ceiling being less than 300 to 400 feet (this would require San Diego International Airport to close)
Related Fog Impacts Around 800 Flights In San Diego Over The Last 3 Days Among the disruptions was a British Airways flight that had to divert to Los Angeles twice.
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Limiting noise at San Diego International Airport
San Diego is home to around 1.4 million Americans, and when combined with Tijuana, the number surpasses 5.5 million, making it one of the largest binational conurbation areas along the US/Mexico border. Due to the airport’s proximity to the central business district of San Diego, the airport’s noise can frequently be heard echoing through the streets of downtown. This can create multiple challenges for those working and living near the airport’s periphery.
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Not only is San Diego battling noise, but it has also seen an increasing number of investigations for close calls between arriving and departing aircraft. The airspace above San Diego is increasingly busy, with commercial flights operating not only to SAN but also to Tijuana and other military installations in the county.
San Diego, the third busiest airport in California
San Diego International Airport (SDIA) is the main entry point for travelers to San Diego. It is the third busiest airport in the state, after Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The airport is just three miles (4.8 kilometers) from the city’s downtown and covers around 663 acres (268 hectares). Owned and operated by the San Diego Country Regional Airport Authority, it also controls the airspace for the southern part of the state, and the airport’s approach is known for its unique proximity to towering skyscrapers along the city’s downtown fringe.
The airport can often be challenging for junior pilots due to the short usable landing area. Passing over the crest of Bankers Hill requires a steep, decent angle, but challenging wind currents can interfere when coming in to land.
Related Flights From San Diego: Where To Go This Winter San Diego will strengthen its role as a fundamental aviation hub for Southern California this upcoming winter season.
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Regulations protecting noise pollution above the skies of San Diego
The FAA has issued several federal regulations to protect San Diego residents and those living near busy airports worldwide. The Code of Federal Regulations Part 150 specifically addresses aircraft noise and compatibility planning to ensure various procedures are followed when preparing noise exposure maps.
Two components are considered during planning: noise exposure and other information that details the planning of aircraft and airport noise, flight paths, and patterns for the years to come. These Noise Compatibility programs will show descriptions that evaluate noise abatement applicable to airports.
Source: San Diego International Airport
Noise reports are commonly provided to the Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee to review aircraft noise measurements and airport operations, compared with complaints, enforcement actions, and other information from residential sound insulation programs.
As the weather is uncontrollable, the second most significant challenge for San Diego International Airport (noise) is closely watched by the California Department of Transportation, which requires the airport to have processes in place to reduce excessive noise over 65 decibels. According to the airport, there are several noise monitoring terminals across the grounds and neighboring communities, including Golden Hill, Uptown, Loma Portal, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, and Mission Beach. Acoustic microphones measure the noise expelled from the airport and send data 24 hours daily to a centralized monitoring system. This data is then reported to the state and city.
Changing the direction of departing aircraft to limit noise to the residents below
While there can be occasions when flights arrive or depart in the less common easterly direction at San Diego, a number of restrictions are also in place to ensure that noise is limited, especially at night, to minimize disturbance to those sleeping below.
Photo: David M. Albrecht | Shutterstock
It can be assumed that aircraft are louder at night, but this is actually due to the general ambient noise levels being lower in the evening. This will cause louder noises, such as aircraft presumed to be higher. However, the airport is limited for operations between 22:00 and 07:00 to minimize disturbance.
Air traffic control procedures for the nation’s busiest single-runway airport
San Diego International Airport has just one runway—09/27—with an asphalt concrete surface spanning 9,401 feet (2,865 meters). This requires aircraft to depart in either an easterly or western direction. Westerly winds see that most arriving flights pass over Balboa Park, resulting in departing flights leaving in a westerly direction towards the Pacific Ocean. We see aircraft turning course to and from the airport only in unique circumstances, such as inclement weather or during the Santa Ana winds.
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In addition to departing and arriving directions, several other procedures are required due to the flight’s destination. Those flights departing for airports west and northwest of San Diego (such as Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport , are required to make a right turn of around 15 degrees shortly after take-off, while others are encouraged to go straight out over the Pacific Ocean before re-directing towards their final destination to enable adequate space in the skies above Southern California and mitigate congestion. These procedures can vary from flight to flight and depend on flight schedules and air traffic controllers’ discretion.
Related Could MCAS Miramar Be A Feasible Replacement For San Diego International Airport? San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the busiest single-runway airport in the US. The airport is set to expand with the newly constructed Terminal 1 and the stretched Terminal 2. But despite these plans, the airport is still congested due to its single runway usage and the lack of surrounding land to expand. Not to mention, landings can be difficult due to its proximity to skyscrapers. The existing Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Miramar is located north of SAN. The air base has a bigger land area, which is perfect for commercial expansion. Additionally, moving the Marine Air Corps into the current San Diego Airport area means that it will be positioned next to the Naval Air Station, making them more unified. Do you think they should’ve moved commercial operations into Miramar? Disclaimer: The statement above is shared by one of our readers and does not necessarily reflect the views or ideas of our publication.
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Navigating San Diego International Airport on the ground
There are two terminals and 51 gates for passengers arriving and departing SAN. Terminal 1 has partially had some gates demolished, which has paved the way for the NEW T1 project. The terminal currently has just 14 gates (5 to 18), and expects Phase 1A to open late summer 2025 (with 19 additional gates), and Phase 1B opening early 2028 with 11 more gates). Terminal 2, on the other hand, has 32 gates and four lounges, which include the Aspire Lounge, Chase Sapphire Lounge, Delta Sky Club , and United Club.
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Most major US carriers serve the airport, providing direct services to several states, including Alaska and Hawaii. International airlines are also plentiful, including Air Canada (Toronto, Montreal (seasonal), and Vancouver), British Airways (London Heathrow), Japan Airlines (Tokyo Narita), Lufthansa (Munich), Porter Airlines (Toronto), KLM (Amsterdam—beginning on May 8), and Westjet (Calgary and Vancouver (seasonal)).
Data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics identified that the busiest domestic routes from the airport between September 2023 and August 2034 were to Las Vegas, Denver, and Phoenix, while international services are most popular to London, San Jose del Cabo, and Vancouver.