Bakersfield is a city located in Kern County, California and is known as a hub for energy and agricultural production. Food processing, petroleum refining & distribution, energy extraction, mining and corporate officers are the major economic activities.
Talking about the transportation facilities, Bakersfield offers highways, railways and airways conveyance. There are various domestic and international airports close to Bakersfield CA that offer regular commercial passenger flights.
With the basic introduction, let’s explore all airports close to Bakersfield CA with their general details, technical information, airlines, destinations and much more.
Airports close to Bakersfield CA
There are 4 domestic airports close to Bakersfield CA and they are Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield Municipal Airport and Visalia Municipal Airport.
| AIRPORT NAME | DISTANCE FROM BAKERSFIELD CA | ESTIMATED DRIVING TIME |
| Bakersfield Municipal Airport | 3.8 miles | 8 minutes |
| Meadows Field Airport | 8.1 miles | 13 minutes |
| Visalia Municipal Airport | 74.5 miles | 1 hour 9 minutes |
Note: The distance and driving time are taken from Google Maps including the fastest route with the usual traffic.
International Airports near Bakersfield, CA
| INT’l AIRPORT NAME | DISTANCE FROM BAKERSFIELD CA | ESTIMATED DRIVING TIME |
| Fresno Yosemite International Airport | 110 miles | 1 hour 50 minutes |
| Los Angeles International Airport | 116 miles | 1 hour 50 minutes |
| Ontario International Airport | 148 miles | 2 hours 20 minutes |
| John Wayne Airport | 151 miles | 2 hours 24 minutes |
Note: The distance and driving time are taken from Google Maps including the fastest route with the usual traffic.
Now, let’s learn more about the airports close to Bakersfield California.
Meadows Field Airport (ICAO: KBFL, IATA: BFL, FAA LID: BFL)
Meadows Field Airport (BFL) is one of the major airports close to Bakersfield CA that offers regular scheduled commercial passenger flights. Residing at an elevation of 510 ft (155 m) AMSL, it serves the Greater Bakersfield Metropolitan area.
BFL Runway and Terminal Information
BFL is owned by Kern County and operated by the Kern County Department of airports. The airport covers a total area of 1,357 acres (549 ha) and features two asphalt runways with the designation Rwy 12L/30R and Rwy 12R/20L.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | DIMENSION | SURFACE |
| 12L/30R | 10,855 ft by 150 ft (3,309 m by 46 m) | Asphalt |
| 12R/30L | 7,703 ft by 100 ft (2,348 m by 30 m) | Asphalt |
Meadows Field Airport is equipped with a newly built William M. Thomas Terminal that holds six gates numbered from 1 to 6. All terminal facilities including check-in, security, gift shop, restaurants and others are available.
Airlines and Destinations
At present, American Airlines, United Airlines and aha Airlines operate regular commercial passenger flights to various domestic destinations from BFL.
| AIRLINES | DESTINATIONS |
| American Airlines | Nonstop flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor and Dallas/Fort Worth |
| United Airlines | Nonstop flights to San Francisco and Denver |
| Aha Airlines | Nonstop flights to Reno-Tahoe |
NOTE: This list provides the most up-to-date status of each nonstop and seasonal route available from BFL. Please check with each airline from the BFL’s official website to determine flight schedules and availability.
BFL Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KBFL |
| IATA CODE | BFL |
| FAA LID | BFL |
| AREA | 1,357 acres (549 ha) |
| ELEVATION | 510 ft (155 m) AMSL |
| RUNWAY | 12L/30R (10,855 ft long) – Asphalt Surface 12R/30L (7,703 ft long) – Asphalt Surface |
Bakersfield Municipal Airport (FAA LID: L45)
Bakersfield Municipal Airport is located 3.5 miles south of the downtown area in Bakersfield and is categorized as a General Aviation Airport. It is owned and operated by the City of Bakersfield.
Bakersfield Airport is situated at an elevation of 378 ft (115 m) above mean sea level (AMSL) and accommodates over 100 general aviation aircraft. About the area, the airport covers almost 200 acres of land and features a single asphalt runway with the designation Rwy 16/34 and a dimension of 4,000 ft by 75 ft (1,219 m by 23 m).
The airport doesn’t offer commercial services however, other general aviation activities including private flights, aircraft parking, hangar facility and so on are provided.
BFL Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | – |
| IATA CODE | – |
| FAA LID | L45 |
| AREA | 253 acres (102 ha) |
| ELEVATION | 378 ft (115 m) AMSL |
| RUNWAY | 16/34 (4,000 ft long) – Asphalt Surface |
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Visalia Municipal Airport (ICAO: KVIS, IATA: VIS, FAA LID: VIS)
Visalia Municipal Airport (VIS) is also one of the airports close to Bakersfield CA located in Tulare County at an elevation of 295 ft (90 m) AMSL. The airport serves Visalia City in California.
Covering a total area of 821 acres (332 ha), VIS features a single asphalt runway with the designation Rwy 12/30 and a helipad H1.
| RUNWAY/HELIPAD | DIMENSION | SURFACE |
| 12/30 | 6,559 ft by 150 ft | Asphalt |
| Helipad H1 | 45 ft by 45 ft | Asphalt |
The airport doesn’t operate commercial passenger flights however, services including aircraft maintenance, hangar facility, cargo flights, charter services and Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) are available. Cargo flights are operated by the American Cargo Airline Ameriflight.
VIS Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KVIS |
| IATA CODE | VIS |
| FAA LID | VIS |
| AREA | 821 acres (332 ha) |
| ELEVATION | 295 ft (90 m) AMSL |
| RUNWAY | 16/34 (4,000 ft long) – Asphalt Surface |
Conclusion
Finally, we discovered 3 airports close to Bakersfield CA which are Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield Municipal Airport and Visalia Municipal Airport.
Among these airports in Bakersfield, only Meadows Field Airport offers commercial passenger flights to and from the city to various domestic destinations. If you want to visit Bakersfield, you can catch a flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor, Dallas Fort/Worth, San Francisco, Denver or Reno-Tahoe.
However, if your origin destination is other than the above-mentioned cities, you need to land at the nearby international airport and take a highway drive. The closest international airport to Bakersfield, California is Fresno Yosemite International Airport followed by Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport and John Wayne Airport.
Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which airport is closest to Bakersfield CA?
Bakersfield Municipal Aiport is closest to Bakersfield CA however, Meadows Field Airport is closest in terms of commercial passenger flight services.
Which airlines fly from Bakersfield?
American Airlines, United Airlines and Aha Airlines fly to various domestic destinations from Bakersfield.
How many airports are there in Bakersfield?
There are 3 major airports in Bakersfield which are Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield Municipal Airport and Visalia Municipal Airport.
What airlines fly out of Meadows Field Airport?
Aha Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines fly out of Meadows Field Airport.
