Palm Springs International Airport

International airport in Palm Springs, California, United States

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Palm Springs International Airport
Palm Springs Army Airfield

* IATA: PSP
* ICAO: KPSP
* FAA LID: PSP

Summary
Airport type| Public
Owner| City of Palm Springs
Operator| City of Palm Springs Aviation Department
Location| Palm Springs, California
Elevation AMSL| 476 ft / 145 m
Coordinates| 33°49′47″N 116°30′24″W﻿ / ﻿33.82972°N 116.50667°W﻿ / 33.82972; -116.50667
Website| flypsp.com
Maps

FAA airport diagram (2006)
Runways
| Direction | Length  | Surface

|
|

ft  | m
13R/31L  | 10,000  | 3,048  | Asphalt
13L/31R  | 4,953  | 1,510  | Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
| Total Passengers| 3,230,914

|

Aircraft operations (local+intinerant)| 111,016

Source: FAA[1][2][3][4]

Palm Springs International Airport (IATA: PSP, ICAO: KPSP, FAA LID: PSP), formerly Palm Springs Municipal Airport, is an airport two miles east of downtown Palm Springs, California, United States. The airport covers 940 acres and has two runways.[3][5] The facility operates year-round, with most flights occurring in the fall, winter, and spring.

The airport was named as number 3 in a 2011 list of "America's Most Stress-Free Airports" by Smarter Travel.[6]

## History

[edit]

### Military use

[edit]

PSP was built as a United States Army Air Corps emergency landing field in 1939 on land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians due to its clear weather and its proximity to March Field and the Los Angeles area.

In March 1941, the War Department certified improvements to the existing airport in Palm Springs as essential to National Defense. The airport was approved to serve as a staging field by the Air Corps Ferrying Command 21st Ferrying Group in November 1941. Land was acquired to build a major airfield a half mile from the old airfield site. The new airfield, Palm Springs Army Airfield,[7] was completed in early 1942, and the old air field was then used only as a backup.[8]

Many of the field's Air Transport Command 560th Army Air Forces Base Unit personnel stayed at the comfortable Lapaz Guest Ranch nearby. Training conducted at the airfield was by the 72d and 73d Ferrying Squadrons in long-distance over-water flying and navigation. Later, training was also provided to pursuit pilot training by IV Fighter Command 459th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron. Training was in P-51 Mustangs, P-40 Warhawks and P-38 Lightnings.

On June 1, 1944, training moved to Brownsville Army Airfield, Texas, and the airfield was used for Army and Navy transport flights until the end of April 1945. The auxiliary field or backup field was declared surplus on May 12, 1945, and the main airfield was declared excess and transferred to the War Assets Administration for disposal in 1946 and it was sold to private buyers. The City of Palm Springs purchased the land in 1961 and converted it to Palm Springs Municipal Airport.

### Historical airline service

[edit]

Palm Springs had scheduled passenger service in 1934 operated by Palm Springs Air Lines with Ford Trimotor aircraft with flights to the Union Air Terminal (now the Hollywood Burbank Airport) in Burbank.[9] Western Airlines flights began in 1945–46 followed by Bonanza Air Lines in 1957–58. In 1964, Western Lockheed L-188 Electras flew nonstop to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego.[10] Bonanza and successors Air West and Hughes Airwest served Palm Springs for many years with the Fairchild F-27 followed by Douglas DC-9s. American Airlines Boeing 707s appeared in winter 1967–68. By 1969, American had four Boeing 707 departures a day from the airport, two nonstops to Los Angeles and two nonstops to Phoenix and on to Chicago.[11] Trans World Airlines (TWA) Boeing 707s arrived in 1978, flying to Chicago via Phoenix.

Scheduled nonstops did not reach beyond California, Las Vegas, and Phoenix until winter 1969–70, when American Airlines started a nonstop to Chicago O'Hare Airport. In the 1970s, American McDonnell Douglas DC-10s appeared, the largest aircraft ever scheduled to PSP. In 1976, American was flying the DC-10 to New York LaGuardia Airport via Chicago O'Hare Airport as well as Boeing 727-100s to Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix and Los Angeles.[12] In 1976 Western Boeing 727-200s and Boeing 737-200s flew nonstop to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.[12] In 1987, Western was merged into Delta Air Lines which continues to serve PSP with year-round service to Salt Lake City (via Delta Connection) and seasonal service to Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Seattle. Other jet service to Palm Springs in the past included flights operated by Air21, Air California and successor Air Cal, America West Airlines, CP Air, the original Frontier Airlines (1950–1986), Hughes Airwest, Morris Air, Pacific Express, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA), Pan Am, Reno Air, Republic Airlines (1979–1986) and USAir.[13]

Commuter and regional airlines at Palm Springs from the late 1970s to the 1990s included Air Bahia, Air Nevada, American Eagle operated by Wings West Airlines, America West Express operated by Mesa Airlines, Cable Commuter Airlines, California Seaboard Airlines, Dash Air, Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines, Imperial Airlines, Inland Empire Airlines, Scenic Airlines, SkyWest Airlines (operating independently), Sun Aire Lines, Swift Aire Lines, Trans World Express operated by Alpha Air, United Express operated by WestAir and later by SkyWest Airlines, and USAir Express followed by US Airways Express operated by Trans States Airlines and StatesWest Airlines.[14]

### 1990-2020: Growth and expansion

[edit]

During the 1990s, the airport transformed from a single runway into a dual-runway airport with the completion of a nearly 5,000 foot general runway in 1993 and the expansion of the existing runway to 10,000 feet as part of a 1994 master plan.[15] Simultaneously, the airport grew with the addition of the Sonny Bono Concourse in 1999, outdoor courtyard in 2007, and renovated South Concourse by 2007. The airport installed Wi-Fi in December 2004.[16] The renovations and expansions allowed PSP to handle aircraft as large as the Boeing 747. However, commercial flights are limited to aircraft as large as the Boeing 767 due to terminal size limitations.

On December 30, 2006, a U.S. Air Force Presidential Boeing VC-25 (the USAF military version of the Boeing 747), departed Palm Springs International Airport with the body of the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, and delivered it to Washington, D.C., for memorial services. Air Force One continues to make an appearance at PSP, most recently in February 2020 with a visit from then-President Donald Trump.

Despite the terminal renovations and expansions in the 1990s and 2000s, rapid airline growth and expansion started in the 2010s.

In 2010, WestJet launched flights to PSP with service to Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. In 2011, the airline added service to Toronto, and upgraded Calgary to year-round service.[17] The airline has since dropped Toronto, but has since added seasonal service to Winnipeg and upgraded Vancouver to year-round. In November 2011, Frontier Airlines launched service to PSP with seasonal service to Denver.[18] The airline served PSP from 2011 to 2021, when it pulled out in favor of expanding flights at Ontario. In December 2011, low-cost carrier Virgin America launched seasonal service to PSP from San Francisco, and in 2012, launched the airport's first ever service to New York's JFK Airport. The airline upgraded service to year-round in 2016.[19] Alaska Airlines, Virgin America's successor, continues to operate Virgin's PSP-SFO route multiple times daily using the Embraer E175 and resumed service to JFK in December 2023. Alaska also offers one-stop service between PSP and JFK via San Francisco and Seattle.

In 2013, a new Air Traffic Control Tower opened at the airport, replacing the airport's old tower (which had been in operation since 1967) while giving controllers a better view of planes on the airfield and at the airport.[20] The airport also boosted perimeter security with a radar-based system to better detect airport intrusions.[21]

Delta Airlines began flights to Seattle in December 2014 with the Embraer E175.[22] JetBlue launched flights to New York-JFK in 2016[23] and Boston in 2019.[24] In December 2016, Air Canada Rouge launched service between PSP and Toronto using the Airbus A319.[25] In December 2018, Delta launched seasonal flights to Atlanta.[26] For the 2019–20 season, Delta upgraded Seattle to mainline and expanded Atlanta to three times weekly, using the Boeing 757. The airline also deployed the Embraer E175 on one of its Salt Lake City flights. In November 2019, Alaska Airlines launched flights to Everett's Paine Field,[citation needed] supplementing the airline's existing service to nearby Seattle-Tacoma.

However, in 2020, as a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines suspended most seasonal and some year-round destinations as traffic plummeted during the month of March,[27] and Canadian service being almost eliminated due to the temporary closure of the Canada-United States border (even though WestJet continued serving PSP with reduced frequency).

### 2020-present: Record-breaking growth

[edit]

In September 2020, Southwest Airlines announced plans to serve Palm Springs, year-round.[28] Flights to Oakland, Phoenix, and Denver launched in November 2020,[29] and flights to Las Vegas launched in May 2021.[30]

In December 2020, Delta resumed service to Atlanta and Minneapolis-St. Paul with the Boeing 737 and Seattle with the Embraer E175. Also, Alaska added flights to San Jose, Reno, and Boise using the Embraer E175.[31] Simultaneously, American and JetBlue announced flights to Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale, respectively.[32][33] Although Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale, San Jose, and Reno have since been discontinued, Boise continue to run seasonally. Southwest started its own flights to San Jose. Alaska also expanded Everett to twice daily during peak season. Meanwhile, American upgraded most Phoenix flights to mainline and increased capacity to Dallas/Fort Worth during peak season by using the Airbus A321. JetBlue even upgraded select Boston and JFK flights to the Airbus A321.

Delta upgraded Atlanta from three-times weekly to daily service from December through April with the Boeing 737, and upgraded Minneapolis-St. Paul to double-daily service during peak season using the Boeing 737 or Airbus A321 (depending on passenger demand). The airline also restored mainline service to Seattle using the Boeing 737 and Airbus A220, becoming the first (and currently only) airline operating the A220 into PSP. Delta also added capacity on the long-running Salt Lake City route by swapping out the CRJ-200 in favor of the larger Embraer E175. Delta still occasionally deploys the Boeing 757 to Palm Springs as an aircraft swap of if demand is high.

In August 2021, the airport renovated and expanded the ticketing area. It also installed a new baggage handling system to cope with increased passenger growth and demand.[34]

During the 2021-22 winter season, airlines continued expanding at PSP, allowing passenger traffic to meet and even exceed pre-pandemic levels.

In October 2021, Southwest Airlines launched daily, year-round flights to Sacramento. In November, the airline inaugurated flights to Chicago-Midway, Dallas-Love Field, and Portland, Oregon.[35] Simultaneously, Allegiant launched seasonal flights to Nashville, Tennessee[36] and Des Moines.[37] On November 19, Alaska Airlines launched flights to Austin, Texas[38] and later expanded its seasonal PDX service into June (using the Embraer E175 from April through June). With the reopening of the Canada-United States Border, Canadian service was restored with the return of Air Canada on November 4, 2021, and the entrance of Canadian ultra-low cost carriers Swoop and Flair in December.[39][40]

In January 2022, AHA! Airlines launched flights to Reno using the Embraer E145 operated by ExpressJet.[41] However, AHA! ceased operations in August of that year (due to ExpressJet's bankruptcy), and Swoop has since pulled out. Flair continues to serve PSP seasonally from Vancouver, while WestJet resumed its own seasonal service to Edmonton. Simultaneously, WestJet restored year-round service to Vancouver and Calgary, becoming the only Canadian carrier to serve PSP year-round. Air Canada also fully restored seasonal service to Toronto (via Air Canada Rouge) and Vancouver using the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 MAX, respectively. Reno can still be reached via a connection on American, Southwest, or United.

In March, PSP launched a new incentive program to attract more year-round domestic and international service (from cities with U.S. Border Preclearance), along with nonstop flights to Hawaii.[42] Although the airport regularly sees Canadian service during season, PSP has never hosted a nonstop flight to Hawaii.

In September, American and Alaska relaunched their respective seasonal services to Chicago O'Hare and Portland one month early. In November, Air Canada Rouge began flying the Airbus A321 on select frequencies to Toronto, while American upgraded Chicago O'Hare to double-daily service on select days, filling the void left by the discontinuation of its PSP-Philadelphia flight. Southwest Airlines launched daily flights to San Jose, California, making the airline the largest in terms of destinations served. Avelo Airlines launched seasonal flights to Eugene, Santa Rosa, and Redmond/Bend, with PSP becoming Avelo's 30th destination.[43] Although Avelo dropped EUG, it has since upgraded Santa Rosa to year-round.

Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines dropped flights to Austin, Texas, while American Eagle launched their own flights to Austin using Embraer E175's operated by Envoy Air (which have since been dropped). Allegiant Air also dropped Nashville flights in favor of Bellingham and Des Moines. To compensate, Delta added five additional weekly flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul while United added another three weekly flights to Chicago. JetBlue dropped Boston, but upgraded New York-JFK to twice daily on select days. Delta also extended their seasonal flights to Atlanta and Minneapolis-St. Paul into May and Seattle as late as early June to meet rising demand, even as temperatures exceed 100 degrees.

In December 2022, PSP announced it will be doubling the number of restaurants and renovating the airport's current shops, along with adding duty-free shopping for the first time in the airport's history.[44] The multi-phase project began in 2023. In February 2023, PSP was awarded $5.7 million to renovate and expand the baggage claim area.[45] That same month, the airport launched a master plan process in an attempt to expand the airport while maintaining the mid-century aesthetic.[46]

In 2024, JetBlue ended service to PSP, citing underperformance and lack of demand.[47] Simultaneously, United Airlines launched its own seasonal transcontinental flights between PSP and Washington-Dulles.[48] In addition, Frontier returned to PSP with flights to Denver and San Francisco, while Porter Airlines launched new service to Toronto-Pearson.[49] That same year, PSP launched a "Stay and Play" program, allowing non-travelers to greet loved ones at the gate, visit shops and restaurants, or plane spot from the outdoor courtyard.[50]

In 2025, Alaska Airlines upgraded its long-running Portland flights from seasonal to year-round to meet increased demand during summer, bringing the total number of year-round destinations to 14.[51]

## U.S. customs clearance

[edit]

Although a true international airport, PSP only has U.S. customs and immigration facilities for general aviation aircraft including business jets. All international airline flights are currently operated from Canadian cities that have pre-clearance facilities.

## Terminals

[edit]

Palm Springs International Airport Tower (2021) The main courtyard
(view as a 360° interactive panorama) Courtyard

PSP's passenger terminal consists of three parts—the main building, the elevated Sonny Bono Concourse to the north, and the Agua Caliente concourse to the south. The airport has 19 total gates.[52] Airside, it has a unique open-air layout in that all passenger walkways connecting these structures are roofless.[53]

### Main Building

[edit]

The main building is the land side of the airport. Road traffic accesses the airport directly off of Tahquitz Canyon Way (from downtown) or Kirk Douglas Way, itself fed by Ramon Road from points east. Uncovered parking areas are directly in front of the building. The center section houses the security screening area and automatic doors to/from the open-air walkways airside. Ticketing is on the right (south) wing, while baggage claim and car rental counters are on the left (north). The main building opened in 1966 and was designed by Donald Wrexler.[54]

Departing passengers are routed first to airline ticket counters or kiosks for checking in. Since all gates at Palm Springs are in the two outlying concourses, passengers must pass through the security screening area for admittance into the secure air side of the airport.

### Outdoor Courtyard

[edit]

After clearing security, passengers leave the main building via the automatic doors and enter the open-air courtyard, which contains a full-service restaurant, coffee shop, and multiple sets of restrooms. A children's playground and pet relief area are adjacent to the Sonny Bono concourse. It is through this courtyard that passengers access the nineteen full-service gates at the two concourses. There is also a hardstand adjacent to the restaurant (Gate 3) that can be used as a boarding gate when gates at the two concourses are unavailable or if an aircraft needs to park for mechanical reasons.

The Sonny Bono Concourse, with Bono's bust to the right of the escalator An Air Canada Rouge Airbus A319 at the Sonny Bono Concourse

### Sonny Bono Concourse (Gates 4–11)

[edit]

On November 4, 1999, the new Sonny Bono Concourse opened as part of the 1994–2000 expansion. Named in honor of the late singer, congressman and former mayor of the city,[55] this newer concourse has 8 gates (all with jet bridges) and is the elevated one of the two. It is designed to handle larger aircraft (such as the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320 family) because of its jet bridges. Although it is capable of handling aircraft as large as the Boeing 767, it is commonly used by the Boeing 737, Airbus A320 family, and the Embraer E175. SB's outdoor escalator and walkway are shaded by a designer roofline similar to that of the Denver International Airport.[53]

Amenities include a full-service restaurant, golf pro shop, and two newsstands.

### Regional Concourse (Gates 12–20)

[edit]

The older Regional Concourse on the south side, simply known as the Regional Concourse on the airport website, or "Gates 12–20" on airport signage, is at the tarmac level and hosts smaller aircraft such as the Embraer ERJ and Bombardier CRJ. There are 11 gates, which are all hardstands, 6 of which are capable of handling larger aircraft (up to the Airbus A321) should the need arise. It also contains the airport's only hardstands for the Airbus A220. Boarding uses ramps or airstairs.[53]

Amenities include a restaurant, newsstand, and restrooms. There is also a fountain adjacent to the concourse entrance.

## Airlines and destinations

[edit]

Sun Country and United Airlines jets at the airport Sonny Bono Concourse Palm Springs International Airport United Airlines Airbus A319 at the airport

### Passenger

[edit]

Airlines| Destinations

|

Air Canada |  Seasonal: Vancouver
Air Canada Rouge | Seasonal: Toronto–Pearson
Alaska Airlines |  San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma
Seasonal: Boise, Everett, New York–JFK,[56] Portland (OR)
Allegiant Air |  Bellingham
Seasonal: Des Moines
American Airlines |  Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare
American Eagle |  Phoenix–Sky Harbor
Avelo Airlines |  Seasonal: Santa Rosa,[57] Redmond/Bend
Delta Air Lines |  Seasonal: Atlanta, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–JFK,[58] Seattle/Tacoma
Delta Connection |  Salt Lake City
Flair Airlines |  Seasonal: Vancouver
Frontier Airlines |  Denver
Seasonal: San Francisco[59]
Porter Airlines |  Seasonal: Toronto–Pearson[60]
Southwest Airlines |  Denver, Las Vegas, Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose (CA)
Seasonal: Chicago–Midway,[61] Dallas–Love
Sun Country Airlines |  Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul
United Airlines |  Denver, San Francisco
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Washington–Dulles[62]
United Express |  Denver, San Francisco
Seasonal: Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles
WestJet |  Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver
Seasonal: Winnipeg

### Cargo

[edit]

Airlines  | Destinations

|

Ameriflight | Ontario

## Statistics

[edit]

In the year ending December 31, 2018, the airport had 57,512 aircraft operations, average 158 per day: 41% general aviation, 37% airline, 19% air taxi, and 3% military.[63] 81 aircraft at the time were based at the airport: 62 single-engine, 8 multi-engine, 10 jet, and 1 helicopter.[63]

### Airport traffic

[edit]

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

|

Annual passenger traffic at PSP airport. See 1949). FILTER (?year < YEAR(NOW())) } } AS %airport WHERE { { # Get the sum of monthly values within a year SELECT ?item ?year (SUM(?max_numberperperiod) AS ?number) (SAMPLE(?monthly_reference_URL) AS ?monthly_reference_URL2) WHERE { # Get the maximal value and a sample reference URL for each unique month { SELECT ?item ?year (MAX(?numberperperiod) AS ?max_numberperperiod) (SAMPLE(?reference_URL) AS ?monthly_reference_URL) WHERE { INCLUDE %airport ?timevalue wikibase:timePrecision ?precmonth. FILTER (?precmonth =10)# precision = month } GROUP BY ?item ?year ?date } } GROUP BY ?item ?year } UNION { ?timevalue wikibase:timePrecision ?precyear. FILTER (?precyear =9)# precision = year BIND (?numberperperiod AS ?number) BIND (?reference_URL AS ?sample_reference_URL) INCLUDE %airport } OPTIONAL {?item wdt:P1813 ?this. # has shortname FILTER(LANG(?this)="en") } SERVICE wikibase:label { bd:serviceParam wikibase:language "[AUTO_LANGUAGE],en,en". ?item rdfs:label ?itemLabel.} BIND(COALESCE(?this,?itemLabel) as ?shortname) } GROUP BY ?item ?shortname ?year ORDER BY ?item DESC (?year)">Wikidata query.

### Annual traffic

[edit]

PSP Airport Annual Passengers 2014-Present[64] Year  | Passengers  | % Change

|
|

2014 | 1,914,402 | —
2015 | 1,888,657 | 01.3%
2016 | 1,998,206 | 05.8%
2017 | 2,100,072 | 05.1%
2018 | 2,327,018 | 010.8%
2019 | 2,563,955 | 010.2%
2020 | 1,252,094 | 051.2%
2021 | 2,092,943 | 067.2%
2022 | 2,981,844 | 042.5%
2023 | 3,237,325 | 08.6%
2024 | 3,230,914 | 00.2%

### Top destinations

[edit]

Busiest domestic routes from PSP (January 2024 – December 2024)[65] Rank  | City  | Passengers  | Carriers

|
|
|

1  | Denver, Colorado | 187,000  | Southwest, United
2  | Seattle/Tacoma, Washington | 186,000  | Alaska, Delta
3  | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 161,000  | American
4  | San Francisco, California | 151,000  | Alaska, United
5  | Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona | 118,000  | American, Southwest
6  | Las Vegas, Nevada | 79,000  | Southwest
7  | Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois | 78,000  | American, United
8  | Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota | 74,000  | Delta, Sun Country
9  | Portland, Oregon | 61,000  | Alaska, Southwest
10  | Salt Lake City, Utah | 59,000  | Delta

### Airline Market Share

[edit]

Largest airlines at PSP
(February 2023 – January 2024)[66] Rank  | Airline  | Passengers  | Share

|
|
|

1  | Southwest Airlines | 635,000  | 22.38%
2  | SkyWest Airlines | 615,000  | 21.67%
3  | American Airlines | 488,000  | 17.19%
4  | Alaska Airlines | 347,000  | 12.23%
5  | United Airlines | 332,000  | 11.69%
\--  | Other  | 421,000  | 14.85%

## Ground transportation

[edit]

State Route 111 (Gene Autry Trail) is accessible to PSP via Ramon Road. Interstate 10 is also accessible via Gene Autry Trail and Ramon Road. Tahquitz Canyon Way also provides direct access to Downtown Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (via Palm Canyon Drive).

PSP is served by both municipal and regional routes. Sunline's SunBus routes 2 and 4 provide direct service to downtown Palm Springs via the bus stops at El Cielo/Kirk Douglas and Tahquitz/Civic. Morongo Basin Transit Authority provides service to Twentynine Palms. An Amtrak Thruway bus stop is located just outside the baggage claim area, with service to Cabazon (Morongo Casino), Riverside, and Fullerton Transportation Center, which is a one stop train ride from Los Angeles Union Station. The Idyllwild Shuttle provides weekly connections to Mountain Center and Idyllwild–Pine Cove.[67]

Palm Springs International Airport

## Aircraft spotting

[edit]

There is an abandoned taxiway on the southwestern side of the airport that can be accessed via Kirk Douglas Road. From there, aircraft descending towards (or taxing to) Runway 31L can be seen directly in front of the airport. The intersection of Kirk Douglas Road and Ramon Road also provides a closer view of aircraft descending toward Runway 31L.

There is also a grassy knoll adjacent to the intersection of Vista Chino (State Route 111) and Farrell providing a good view of aircraft descending onto Runway 13R.

In addition, the Palm Springs Air Museum is directly on airport property, providing views of aircraft taking off from Runway 31L or 13R from the outdoor exhibits.[citation needed]

## Accidents and incidents at or near PSP

[edit]

ARFF Vehicle at Palm Springs International Airport (2021)

* On October 23, 1942, American Airlines Flight 28, a Douglas DC-3 (reg. NC16017) en route to New York City, crashed in Chino Canyon, 3.1 miles (5 km) north of then Palm Springs Municipal Airport after being clipped by a United States Army Air Force Lockheed B-34 Ventura II bomber. All nine passengers and three crew were killed on the DC-3. The bomber (reg. 41–38116) landed safely at Palm Springs Municipal Airport with minor damage.[68]
* On February 13, 1958, Western Airlines Flight 19, a Convair CV-240 crash-landed and was destroyed after striking boulders and large mounds of drifted sand on desert terrain 4.1 miles NNW of PSP due to separation of the right wing leading edge in flight. Of the 18 passengers and three crew, there were no fatalities, but five passengers were seriously injured, and most of the rest had minor injuries. The aircraft was heavily damaged and written off.[69]
* On November 14, 1965, a Paul Kelly Flying Service Learjet 23 crashed 13.1 miles east of PSP at night when the aircraft lost control and crashed in a 55-degree nose-down vertical left bank attitude due to spatial disorientation of the pilot. Both crew and all six passengers died.[70]
* On September 23, 1967, a Bird Corp. Oakland Centaurus, a modified Lockheed Ventura, crashed in the initial climb after the right engine failed. Both occupants survived, but the aircraft was written off.[71]
* On January 6, 1977, a Jet Avia Learjet 24B impacted a mountain at 9,700 feet 21.9 miles NW of PSP en route to Las Vegas. The crew misinterpreted instrument flight rules clearance and air traffic control instructions, and maintained the runway heading. All four occupants (two crew, two passengers, one of them being Frank Sinatra's mother Dolly) were killed.[72]
* On December 4, 2020, a Cessna 172N Skyhawk crashed nose-first onto the main runway during an emergency landing. The sole occupant, the female pilot, was seriously injured and was rushed to a nearby hospital.[73]

## See also

[edit]

* Aviation portal

* California World War II Army Airfields
* Air Transport Command
* Palm Springs Air Museum

## References

[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

1. ^ "PSP Statistical Data". City of Palm Springs. January 2019. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
2. ^ "PSP airport Passenger Statistics for 2024" (PDF). flypsp.com.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
3. ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for PSP PDF, effective December 26, 2024.
4. ^ "PSP Airport Aircraft Operations for 2024 (local+itinerant)" (PDF). flypsp.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
5. ^ "PSP airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. FAA data effective December 26, 2024.
6. ^ "America's Most Stress-Free Airports". SmarterTravel.com. April 5, 2011.
7. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Palm Springs Army Air Field (historical)
8. ^ Aerial pic of the old airfield at 33°49′37″N 116°31′59″W﻿ / ﻿33.827°N 116.533°W﻿ / 33.827; -116.533, looking ENE
9. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Dec. 20, 1934 Palm Springs Air Lines timetable
10. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, March 1, 1964 Western timetable
11. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Mar. 30, 1969 American timetable
12. ^ a b Feb. 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide
13. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Route Maps
14. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Official Airline Guide editions: Nov. 15, 1979; April 1, 1981; Feb. 1, 1985; April 2, 1995; June 1, 1999
15. ^ "History of PSP".
16. ^ "Palm Springs International (PSP/KPSP), CA". July 15, 2006.
17. ^ "WestJet to Expand Summer Nonstop Service Between Calgary and Palm Springs International Airport". May 26, 2011.
18. ^ "Frontier Airlines' New Nonstop to Denver". November 22, 2011.
19. ^ "Virgin America Launches Year-Round Flights to Palm Springs From San Francisco". February 16, 2016.
20. ^ "FAA Dedicates 'Green' Air Traffic Control Tower in Palm Springs". September 20, 2013.
21. ^ "Palm Springs Int'l Boosts Perimeter Security With Radar-Based System". October 2013.
22. ^ "Delta To Offer Nonstop Service From Seattle To Palm Springs, Phoenix, Tucson, Jackson Hole" (Press release). February 10, 2014.
23. ^ "Palm Springs - Jet Blue | Jet Blue Will Start Flying New York to Palm Springs in 2016". August 31, 2015.
24. ^ "JetBlue starting nonstop Palm Springs to Boston flights".
25. ^ "Air Canada Rouge launches new service between Palm Springs and Toronto". December 14, 2016.
26. ^ "Delta Airlines expands Palm Springs service, adds flights to Atlanta". June 27, 2018.
27. ^ "Palm Springs airport saw 50% drop in passengers in March during coronavirus pandemic". April 27, 2020.
28. ^ "Southwest Airlines Intends to Serve Miami and Palm Springs, Calif". September 3, 2020.
29. ^ "'A game changer': Southwest Airlines lands at Palm Springs airport for the first time".
30. ^ "Southwest Airlines launches route from Palm Springs to Las Vegas". May 10, 2021.
31. ^ "Alaska Airlines adding Reno/Lake Tahoe, San Jose, Boise service out of Palm Springs airport".
32. ^ "American Airlines adds Philadelphia – Palm Springs seasonal service from Dec 2020".
33. ^ "JetBlue Announces New Service From Palm Springs to Fort Lauderdale". September 10, 2020.
34. ^ "Palm Springs International Airport Celebrates $36M Expansion". August 23, 2021.
35. ^ "Southwest announces four new direct flights out of Palm Springs". June 10, 2021.
36. ^ "Allegiant Airlines announces new seasonal route from Palm Springs to Nashville". June 29, 2021.
37. ^ "Allegiant Air starts new nonstop flight from Des Moines to California, will soon add a Florida stop". The Des Moines Register. August 10, 2021.
38. ^ "Alaska Airlines announces Austin" (PDF).
39. ^ "Swoop Launches Edmonton Service to Palm Springs & Orlando". December 17, 2021.
40. ^ "Flair Airlines Lands at PSP With Service to Three Canadian Cities" (PDF).
41. ^ "Aha! Inaugurates nonstop flights from Palm Springs to Reno-Tahoe hub" (Press release).
42. ^ "The Desert Sun".
43. ^ "Avelo Airlines Announces Three Cities from PSP" (PDF). August 4, 2022.
44. ^ "City council OKs overhaul of food, shopping at Palm Springs airport". December 6, 2022.
45. ^ "Palm Springs International Airport awarded $5.7M to renovate and expand baggage claim". February 28, 2023.
46. ^ "PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LAUNCHES AIRPORT MASTER PLAN EFFORT". February 24, 2023.
47. ^ "JetBlue ending its service between Palm Springs and New York". July 24, 2024.
48. ^ {{cite web|url=https://flypsp.com/united-airlines-launches-first-ever-nonstop-service-between-palm-springs-and-washington-d-c/ |title=United Airlines Launches First-Ever Nonstop Service Between Palm Springs and Washington, D.C. |date=December 19, 2024
49. ^ "Frontier returns to Palm Springs, Porter launches route to Toronto". December 13, 2024.
50. ^ "Gate Greetings Return: PSP Welcomes Non-Travelers Beyond Security with Stay & Play Program". February 12, 2024.
51. ^ "Palm Springs International Airport extends Portland routes to year-round". February 14, 2025.
52. ^ "City of Palm Springs : Gate Locations". Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
53. ^ a b c "Terminal Map | City of Palm Springs". www.palmspringsca.gov. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
54. ^ "Explore Palm Springs Airport" Designed for Passengers"". February 13, 2020.
55. ^ "Airport Adds Sonny Bono Concourse". Billboard.
56. ^ "Alaska Airlines adds non-stop route from Palm Springs to JFK. What to know". Desert Sun. June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
57. ^ "Here's every city you can fly to nonstop out of Sonoma County airport". April 8, 2025.
58. ^ "Delta Adds New York – Palm Springs Service From Dec 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
59. ^ "SFO celebrates new Frontier Airlines service to Palm Springs and Vail". Airline Routes & Ground Services. October 2, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
60. ^ "Porter Adds Palm Springs and San Diego from Toronto". Retrieved August 1, 2024.
61. ^ "Southwest Airlines 1Q25 Network Changes – 29JUL24". AeroRoutes. July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
62. ^ "United Adds Washington Dulles – Palm Springs From Dec 2024". Aeroroutes. May 23, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
63. ^ a b FAA. "Facility Dashboard - PSP". Retrieved December 1, 2021.
64. ^ "PSP Airport Annual Passengers Enplaned and Deplaned 2014-Present". flypsp.com. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
65. ^ Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). "Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs International (PSP) Scheduled Services except Freight/Mail". U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT). Retrieved April 1, 2025.
66. ^ "Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs International (PSP)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
67. ^ "Public Transportation Connections – Forest Folk".
68. ^ Accident description for 41-38116 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on April 12, 2021.
69. ^ Accident description for N8405H at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on April 12, 2021.
70. ^ Accident description for N243F at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on April 12, 2021.
71. ^ Accident description for N7436C at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on April 12, 2021.
72. ^ Accident description for N12MK at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on April 12, 2021.
73. ^ "Small Plane Crashes Near Palm Springs Airport". December 4, 2020.

* www.airfieldsdatabase.com

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palm Springs International Airport.

* [1] (official site)
* Signature Flight Support
* FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective April 17, 2025
* Resources for this airport:
* AirNav airport information for KPSP
* ASN accident history for PSP
* FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
* NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
* SkyVector aeronautical chart for KPSP
* FAA current PSP delay information

* v
* t
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Airports in the Inland Empire

Commercial airports|

* Ontario International Airport
* Palm Springs International Airport
* San Bernardino International Airport

Towered general aviation airports|

* Chino Airport
* Riverside Municipal Airport
* Southern California Logistics Airport

Non-towered general aviation airports|

* Apple Valley Airport
* Baker Airport
* Barstow-Daggett Airport
* Big Bear City Airport
* Cable Airport
* Corona Municipal Airport
* Flabob Airport
* French Valley Airport
* Hemet-Ryan Airport
* Needles Airport
* Redlands Municipal Airport

Military airports|

* March Air Reserve Base
* Norton Air Force Base
* former
* Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

Defunct airports|

* Rialto Municipal Airport
* closed

* v
* t
* e

Mass transit in the Inland Empire

Rail|

* Metrolink
* 91/Perris Valley Line
* Inland Empire–Orange County Line
* Riverside Line
* San Bernardino Line
* Arrow
* Amtrak
* Southwest Chief
* Sunset Limited
* Texas Eagle

Bus|

| San Bernardino County|

* Omnitrans
* sbX
* Basin Transit
* Mountain Transit
* Needles Area Transit
* Victor Valley Transit Authority

|

Riverside County|

* Beaumont Transit
* RidePV
* Riverside Transit Agency
* SunLine Transit Agency

List of Southern California transit agencies

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Geographic|

* Structurae

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template