Is Modesto airport any closer to bringing back commercial flights? City has update
In the early 2000s, the Modesto City-County Airport offered daily flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
A Modesto Bee reader recently asked our journalists with Bee Curious, a community-driven series where reporters answer reader questions about the Modesto region: “When will they bring back commercial flights to (the) Modesto airport?”
Roughly two years ago, city and airport officials said they were exploring that possibility, with a focus on community demand and cost.
“The airport is always keeping an eye on the market,” former airport manager Gabe DaSilva told The Modesto Bee in August 2023. “We’re always reevaluating those opportunities.”
What progress has been made in the last two years? Is Modesto any closer to welcoming commercial flights again?
We reached out to city officials for an update. Here’s what they said:
Is the Modesto airport still in operation?
The Modesto City-County Airport, 617 Airport Way in Modesto, spans approximately 470 acres along the border between Modesto and Ceres near the Tuolumne River.
It is currently used as a “general aviation airport,” according to city officials.
“As a general aviation airport, airport has 134 hangers that houses over 100 privately owned small aircrafts that include corporate jets, twin and single engine aircraft, helicopters and ultralights,” the city wrote in a statement to The Bee.
Daily operations at the airport include charter flights, aircraft maintenance and repair, fueling services, a flight school, fixed-base operators and on-site rental car agencies.
When could commercial flights return to Modesto?
City officials said there’s no set date — but plans are in motion to explore the possibility.
“The airport is currently looking into a commercial air service feasibility study to determine viability of air service,” the city wrote in a Wednesday, June 25, statement. “This study is scheduled to begin later this year.”
While no concrete steps have been taken in the past two years, the city said it is “still re-evaluating those opportunities.”
The results of the study — along with factors such as pilot availability and airline equipment — will help determine next steps.
“A goal and timeframe will be dependent on the results from the feasibility study and airline availability,” the city said.
Where are airports near Modesto for domestic flights?
To travel by plane to domestic destinations, Modesto residents can head to either Merced Regional Airport or Stockton Metropolitan Airport, the city said.
Both are roughly 40 miles away from Modesto.
What about international air travel?
The closest airports to Modesto that offer both domestic and international flights are Oakland International Airport and Sacramento International Airport.
Oakland International Airport is about 75 miles away from Modesto.
Sacramento International Airport is roughly 86 miles away from Modesto.
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