John Wayne Airport Map & Terminal Guide 2026

John Wayne Airport Map

The John Wayne Airport map below shows the full layout of John Wayne Airport (SNA/KSNA) — officially named Orange County Airport and also known locally as SNA. Located in Santa Ana, California, it is the only commercial airport in Orange County and the closest major airport to Disneyland. In 2024, SNA served 11.08 million passengers and was ranked #1 for customer satisfaction among large airports in the J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

As you can see on the John Wayne Airport map, the layout is compact and user-friendly: one main building — the Thomas F. Riley Terminal — houses three consecutive terminal areas (A, B and C) all connected airside. Once through security, you can walk freely between all three without re-screening. Study the SNA airport map before you arrive so you know which terminal your airline uses.

John Wayne Airport Location Map

John Wayne Airport is located in an unincorporated area of Orange County, California, surrounded by the cities of Irvine, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. It sits approximately 35 miles south of downtown Los Angeles and just 14 miles from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim — making it the closest major airport to the theme parks. The airport is accessed from the 405 (San Diego Freeway) via Airport Way and MacArthur Boulevard.

John Wayne Airport Terminal — Thomas F. Riley Terminal

The Thomas F. Riley Terminal is the single passenger building at John Wayne Airport. It is divided into three terminal areas — A, B and C — arranged consecutively from north to south. The terminal has two levels: the upper Departures Level (ticket counters, security checkpoints, curbside drop-off and valet) and the lower Arrivals Level (baggage claim, the Ground Transportation Center and rideshare pickup). All three terminal areas connect airside, so a connecting passenger does not need to re-clear security when walking between them.

Thomas F. Riley Terminal Levels

John Wayne Airport Security Checkpoints

There is one TSA security checkpoint per terminal area, all located on the upper Departures Level. Each checkpoint has dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes. CLEAR is also available at SNA. As of May 7, 2025, all U.S. domestic travellers must be REAL ID compliant — ensure your ID has the star marking or use a passport.

John Wayne Airport Terminal A

Terminal A is at the north end of the Thomas F. Riley Terminal and handles international carriers as well as several major domestic airlines. It is home to the American Airlines Admirals Club on the mezzanine level, and features two baggage carousels on the arrivals level. Parking structures A1 and A2 are directly across from Terminal A on the Departures Level.

John Wayne Airport Terminal B — United & Alaska Hub

Terminal B sits in the centre of the Riley Terminal, flanked by A and C. It is the home of United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, with gates 9–14. The United Club lounge and the American Airlines Admirals Club both sit on the mezzanine level above the Terminal A/B junction — the two lounges are adjacent. Terminal B also has a family play area and a nursing room between Gates 11 and 12, and a Hoag Fly Well health clinic near Gate 10.

John Wayne Airport Terminal C — Southwest & Low-Cost Hub

Terminal C is at the south end of the Riley Terminal and is the newest of the three areas. It handles Southwest Airlines (the dominant carrier at SNA), plus Frontier, Allegiant and Spirit. Terminal C also contains the Federal Inspection Station (FIS) for international arrivals and hosts the Amex Centurion Lounge. Rideshare pickup is on Level 3 of the Terminal C parking structure.

Walking Between Terminals at John Wayne Airport

Unlike hub airports with separate concourse buildings, John Wayne Airport is entirely contained within the Thomas F. Riley Terminal. Once you clear any of the three security checkpoints, all gate areas connect airside through a single continuous corridor. You can walk from Terminal A gates to Terminal C gates without leaving the secure zone — no tram, no train, no re-screening.

Walking Times Between Gates

The entire airside walkway from the farthest Terminal A gate to the farthest Terminal C gate takes roughly 10–15 minutes at a relaxed pace. SNA is small by design — this compactness is one of its most praised features. If you have a connection at SNA, the minimum connection time is shorter than at major hubs, but still allow at least 30 minutes to be safe, as you will need to account for deplaning, walking and any gate changes. For connections between Terminal B and Terminal C, the walk takes under five minutes.

Getting to John Wayne Airport

Ground transportation departs from the Ground Transportation Center (GTC) on the lower Arrivals Level, located between the A2 and B2 parking structures. To reach it from baggage claim, take the escalator down and walk across the crosswalk near the John Wayne statue.

John Wayne Airport Parking

All terminal parking at SNA is accessible from the upper Departures Level only. Pre-book parking at ocair.com — structures A1, A2, B2 and C fill quickly during peak periods.

John Wayne Airport Map — Arrivals

Arriving passengers land and deplane at their gate in Terminal A, B or C. All three gate areas feed into the lower Arrivals Level, where baggage carousels are located. International arrivals land at Terminal C and must pass through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Federal Inspection Station before retrieving baggage. After collecting bags, all passengers exit to the Arrivals Level where the Ground Transportation Center is located between Terminals A and B.

Ground Transportation from Arrivals

From the baggage claim area, follow signs to the GTC (near the John Wayne statue) for taxis, pre-arranged shuttles and hotel/rental car shuttles. For rideshare (Uber/Lyft), you must go up to Level 3 of parking structures A2, B2 or C — rideshare cannot pick up on the curbside arrivals road. If someone is picking you up by car, direct them to the free cell phone lot on MacArthur Boulevard; personal vehicles may not wait at the Arrivals curbside.

John Wayne Airport Map — Departures

Departing passengers enter the Thomas F. Riley Terminal on the upper Departures Level via curbside drop-off or a covered walkway from the parking structures. Check in at your airline’s ticket counter, then proceed to the security checkpoint in your terminal area (A, B or C). After clearing security, walk to your gate — all gate areas connect airside, so you can browse the shops and restaurants across all three terminals before boarding.

Recommended Arrival Times

Arrive at least 90 minutes before domestic flights and three hours before international flights. SNA’s security lines are generally short compared to LAX or SFO, and the terminal is compact — gate-to-gate is never more than a 15-minute walk. However, Terminal C security can build during Southwest morning banks (roughly 5–8 a.m.). Check-in counters typically close 45–60 minutes before departure.

John Wayne Airport — Curfew and Flight Restrictions

SNA operates under one of the strictest noise management programmes in the United States. A community-negotiated curfew restricts scheduled commercial departures between approximately 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The airport also caps total annual departures (Average Daily Departures, or ADDs) and enforces noise-reduction take-off procedures specific to SNA — the steep initial climb followed by a power reduction over residential areas is required on all commercial jets. Airlines use narrowbody jets only (no widebodies in scheduled service). These restrictions are enforced by Orange County under a series of legal agreements dating back decades.

Insider Tips

SNA is consistently ranked one of the top airports in the United States for passenger experience — short walks, fast security, easy parking. The downside: its curfew means the last departures are around 10 p.m. and the first around 7 a.m., so it does not suit red-eye travellers. For Disneyland trips, SNA beats LAX on every metric: distance, parking cost, walk time and rideshare ease. Heading to the beach? Newport Beach is 10 minutes by rideshare. Be aware that SNA’s short 5,700-foot runway means jets use a steep power-reduction take-off — expect a noticeable thrust reduction shortly after lift-off. This is normal procedure, not a mechanical issue.