This Historic California Airport Is Closing Forever

People have battled the existence of the Santa Monica Airport for decades, largely due to noise and toxins. However, now there is finally a confirmed date in sight for its closure. As of midnight on December 31, 2028, the Santa Monica Airport will close forever. The City of Santa Monica even reconfirmed this closure date amid Dallas-based JSX Air's 2025 application to operate out of the airport. "Santa Monica Airport will close at the end of 2028, and nothing about this process with JSX Air changes that fact," City Manager Oliver Chi told the Santa Monica Daily Press. 

The airport first started in 1917 as a landing strip during World War I, and maintained military status throughout World War II — when it was known as Clover Field. However, it became a center for general aviation in the 1950s, with history that involves Amelia Earhart, "The Big Lebowski", and the first-ever women's pilots' "Powder Puff Derby." Despite the starry history involved with the Santa Monica airport, it is also located on over 200 acres of public land. Considering that the daily cost just to visit Santa Monica is almost unaffordable, freeing up 4% of Santa Monica's land in 2028 could make room for important developments like, say, affordable housing or even adding designated green spaces. While the original battle against the airport started as a war against noise pollution, the possibilities surrounding how the airport's land could eventually be used might end up changing the landscape of Santa Monica forever.

Back in 2014, Santa Monica residents voted in favor of a large park replacing the airport. Then, in 2017, that park became more of a possibility after the 2028 closure date was first decided. However, in 2025, housing affordability has reached crisis levels. While Santa Monica doesn't quite crack the list of the top 14 most expensive cities to buy a house in, that may be because there simply aren't any houses to buy. The cost of living in Santa Monica is incredibly high, with housing costs a whopping 374% higher than the national averages, per Payscale. The city has not built enough homes to accommodate new jobs over the last 45 years, which has had a profound affect on the housing market and population of the area. Given this context, many residents are reconsidering a park in the airport's place.

However, depending on which Santa Monica neighborhood group is approached on the subject, fears of luxury developments battle fears over affordable housing. Adding to this is the fact that the city must submit a mandated affordable housing plan by 2029 — a fact that has left certain residents wishing to delay the closure of the airport altogether until after that deadline passes. Those in favor of the initial park proposal are especially eager to delay the closure of the airport — largely to ensure the space isn't given to affordable housing.

Due to runway length and environment, the Santa Monica Airport sees most of its traffic from private jets that are both chartered and owned. That said, the average net worth of people who own private jets is significant, and that high end of the wealth scale may end up being what tips the scales when it comes to exactly how the Santa Monica Airport space is ultimately developed. Regardless of some residents' income, Santa Monica is in the midst of a budget deficit, largely thanks to paying out legal settlements associated with a city employee's misconduct. However, this deficit could be a reason that the city avoids an affordable housing option in the airport space — instead prioritizing the money that a luxury or commercial development could bring.

Unfortunately, if the city accepts an influx of cash up front as a means to shore up debt, the decision is unlikely to immediately (or ever) aid any would-be homebuyers in the area. Still, there is a pitch for affordable housing and small parks known as Cloverfield Commons, which may gain influential support. The history of the Santa Monica Airport may also inspire some elements of the structures to remain after the airport's closure. There is the Barker Hangar, once owned by Bill Lear of Learjet. Now an event space and filming location, it could  become part of the airport's eventual park space. However, it is unclear if any new housing or business developments would consider keeping the hangar.