3/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Palo Alto Airport is a great small airport with a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful views of the Bay.”
Subhajit Bag5★ on Google
Airports / California / PAO
Medium airport · PAO
Palo Alto Airport.
Palo Alto, California · 4 ft elevation. 1 charter operator based here.
4.6/5
Google rating
119 ratings
1
Operators based
4
Elevation ft
Palo Alto, CaliforniaELEV 4 FTMedium airport
4.6
Google rating
119
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1
Based operators
charter operators on the field
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
4
Field elevation
feet above sea level
Field standing
#44 / 152
California airports by Google rating
4.6★ across 119 Google ratings , ranked against 152 rated CA fields.
4 nm
To the nearest alternate
Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Palo Alto Airport (KPAO / PAO) sits in Palo Alto, California, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. Field elevation is 4 feet above sea level. Free of scheduled airline operations, it serves business aviation, charter flights, and local general aviation.
For charter flyers, PAO is a home base: Centurion Flight Services, Inc operates from the field. The closest alternate fields are Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ, 4 nm), San Carlos Airport (SQL, 7 nm), and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC, 11 nm). At 2,441-foot, the runway favors turboprops and light general aviation over jet operations.
Trip costs from PAO are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. You may also see the field referenced as Santa Clara County. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from PAO to plan your flight.
1 FBO serves KPAO. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
West Valley Flying Club
Your FBO? Claim it, free- 9AM-5PM, 7 days
- Wi-Fi
- Restrooms
- Maintenance
- Pilots lounge
- Weather briefing
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“It’s small, easy to get around, and the area is clean and well maintained.”
Jordan Lopez5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Palo Alto Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KPAO
IATA
PAO
FAA / Local
PAO
Elevation
4 ft
Coordinates
37.4611° N · 122.1150° W
Airspace
D · DeltaClass D, DeltaA control tower runs the immediate airspace. Pilots establish two-way radio contact before entering, typical for busy business-aviation fields.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs CA fields
state range -210–7,135 ft
At 4 ft, PAO sits lower than 94% of the 164 California fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 2,441 ft
- 13/312,441 ft × 70 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 2,441 ft
At 2,441 ft, PAO is generally suited to piston and turboprop aircraft rather than jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Based charter operators1
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 4nmNUQMoffett Federal AirfieldMountain View
- 7nmSQLSan Carlos AirportSan Carlos
- 11nmSJCNorman Y. Mineta San Jose International AirportSan Jose
- 16nmSFOSan Francisco International AirportSan Francisco
- 16nmOAKSan Francisco Bay Oakland International AirportOakland
- 32nmCCRBuchanan FieldConcord
Location
Open the full mapKPAO · Palo Alto Airport · Palo Alto, CA
From the ramp
Google Places photography of Palo Alto Airport, tap any frame to view full-screen, then cycle with the arrows or your keyboard.
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from PAO on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 263 nm | 1h 1m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 345 nm | 1h 12m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 512 nm | 1h 35m |
| Scottsdale (SCF) | 549 nm | 1h 41m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 600 nm | 1h 48m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 636 nm | 1h 53m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 725 nm | 2h 5m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 725 nm | 2h 5m |
Common questions
- Can private jets use PAO?
- At 2,441 ft, Palo Alto Airport is generally suited to turboprop and piston aircraft rather than jets. Charter flyers usually depart from a nearby field with a longer runway.
- What is the longest runway at PAO?
- Palo Alto Airport has one runway; the longest measures 2,441 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Are there charter operators based at PAO?
- Yes. 1 charter operator list Palo Alto Airport as a home base, including Centurion Flight Services, Inc. You can also request quotes from operators that reposition aircraft into the field.
- Which FBOs are at Palo Alto Airport?
- One FBO serves PAO: West Valley Flying Club. Phone, website, hours, unicom and services for each are listed on this page. Call ahead for fuel, ramp space, and ground handling.
- What is the nearest major airport to PAO?
- The closest alternate is Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ), about 4 nm away, followed by San Carlos Airport (SQL) at 7 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from PAO to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Los Angeles about 1h 1m (263 nm), Las Vegas about 1h 12m (345 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 35m (512 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.