A survey of voters in Santa Monica, California, found that 67% of respondents support keeping the Santa Monica Airport open in some form, compared to 25% who favor closing it as soon as possible with 8% undecided.
The survey was conducted by FM3 Research and commissioned by the Spirit of Santa Monica. Support to keep the airport open was found in every neighborhood and demographic group in the city, including support from voters living within one mile from the airport.
“The survey found that Santa Monica voters value the airport and support keeping it open in a way that preserves options for the city,” said Ben Marcus, co-founder and president of the nonprofit Spirit of Santa Monica. “As the city faces a once-in-a-generation decision about a 227-acre site, voters are signaling clearly that they do not want to rush toward irreversible decisions driven by a vocal minority to close the airport.”
The city of Santa Monica is scheduled to close the high-traffic general aviation airport by Dec. 31, 2028, and redevelop the land for a broader community purpose. In 2017, the FAA signed a “consent decree” that passes control of the airport back to the city at the end of 2028. In 2017, the city also shortened the airport’s runway from 4,973 ft. to 3,500 ft. to reduce jet traffic and pollution, it said.
More than six in 10 voters had a favorable opinion about the airport, including voters living less than one mile away.
A survey also found that a majority of voters oppose a requirement that the airport land be used for a park if the airport were to close.
“Overall, the findings suggest that as Santa Monica weighs the future of a 227-acre site with long-term implications for jobs, revenue, public space, and economic vitality, voters across every geography and demographic value the airport, support keeping it at least partially open, and favor flexible, thoughtful approaches over rushed or irreversible outcomes,” Spirit of Santa Monica leaders say.
The survey was conducted Sept. 18-25, 2025, of registered voters in the City of Santa Monica with 632 interviews.
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