Major Air Cargo Player Adds Passenger Service

With the debut of scheduled passenger service on August 4, 2022, San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) began an exciting new chapter in its ongoing success story. In the last five years, SBD has seen tremendous increases in aviation activity, becoming the airport of choice for cargo giants, major corporations, and private aviation customers in Southern California—making it one of the fastest-growing cargo airports in the U.S. The launch of daily passenger flights not only marks a major milestone in SBD's evolution, it also meets a pressing need in a community that's traditionally been underserved by commercial air service.

Since the closure of the former Norton Air Force Base in 1994, SBD has been transformed into a world-class airport that boasts updated infrastructure and state-of-the art facilities while offering an attractive cost structure to it partners. With its strategic location just 60 miles east of Los Angeles in the heart of California's thriving Inland Empire, SBD provides easy access to a vital goods movement corridor—as well as to millions of people living nearby. Chosen by UPS and FedEx as a base of operations, and by Amazon Air as its West Coast hub, SBD enables the nation's leading cargo airlines to fast-track deliveries and decrease expenses in a highly competitive market.

A booming, yet underserved passenger market

More than two million people live within 30 minutes of SBD, and the Inland Empire, with its nearly five million residents, ranks as one of the country's largest metro areas—yet commercial passenger air service offerings are a fraction of comparable MSAs. "Offering scheduled daily passenger flights for the first time is cause to celebrate," says Mark Gibbs, the Airport's Director of Aviation. "Our community now has a convenient, affordable airport to meet their leisure and business air travel needs."

Designed to efficiently process a high volume of passengers, SBD's domestic and international terminals welcome travelers with the uncrowded convenience of a local airport. The airport's 10,001 ft. x 200 ft. runway and jet bridges can easily accommodate the world's largest aircraft, while skilled and certified staff and specialized equipment ensure quick handling and efficient turn times.

"Providing an alternative to the region's notorious congestion and high costs has fueled SBD's growth across multiple categories of aviation traffic to date, far exceeding the initial goals we set 20 years ago," says Michael Burrows, CEO of the Airport. "We are pleased to extend the same convenience and affordability to the residents of the region, and anticipate it will drive additional growth in the future."

The airport offers a full range of services and facilities that can support additional domestic and international passenger airline service, air cargo operations, general aviation, and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) businesses. To learn more about how SBD International Airport can help fuel the growth of your business, call Mark Gibbs at (909) 382-4100 ext. 131 or visit flysbd.com