Airports / California / SDM
Brown Field Municipal Airport.
San Diego, California · 526 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.4/5
Google rating
72 ratings
0
Operators based
526
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
FBOs on field
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
2 nm
To the nearest alternate
General Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport (TIJ), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Brown Field Municipal Airport, listed as KSDM / SDM, is a mid-sized airport in San Diego, California. The field lies at an elevation of 526 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
SDM has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include General Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport (TIJ, 2 nm), North Island Naval Air Station-Halsey Field (NZY, 14 nm), and San Diego International Airport (SAN, 14 nm). SDM offers 2 runways, the longest 7,972-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of SDM vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from SDM, or browse verified operators serving the area.
2 FBOs serve KSDM. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Air Center San Diego
Your FBO? Claim it, freeLocated at Brown Field Municipal Airport, Air Center San Diego is one of Southern California’s newest and premier FBOs. Our offices are located in the main terminal building directly off taxi way Bravo. Air Center San Diego is a development by Industrial Realty Group (IRG).
- Fuel
- Hangar
- 0800-1900, 7/365, afterhours available with call
- Unicom 122.95
- Executive lounge
- Customs
- Wi-Fi
- Cafe
- Courtesy car
- Car rental
- Hotel help
- Hangar
- +10 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
First Flight Corporation
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- 7am-5pm Mon-Sun; 24/7
- Customs
- Maintenance
- Parking
- Fuel
- Ground handling
- GPU
- Quick turn
- Oxygen
- +1 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
Field capability
ICAO
KSDM
IATA
SDM
FAA / Local
SDM
Elevation
526 ft
Coordinates
32.5726° N · 116.9800° 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 526 ft, SDM sits higher than 62% of the 164 California fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 7,972 ft
- 08L/26R7,972 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
- 08R/26L3,185 ft × 75 ftAsphaltUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 7,972 ft
SDM's 7,972 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- 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.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 2nmTIJGeneral Abelardo L. Rodriguez International AirportTijuana
- 14nmNZYNorth Island Naval Air Station-Halsey FieldSan Diego
- 14nmSANSan Diego International AirportSan Diego
- 20nmNKXMiramar Marine Corps Air Station - Mitscher FieldSan Diego
- 37nmCLDMcClellan-Palomar AirportCarlsbad
- 48nmKNFGCamp Pendleton MCAS (Munn Field) AirportOceanside
Location
Open the full mapKSDM · Brown Field Municipal Airport · San Diego, CA
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SDM 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) | 124 nm | 41m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 229 nm | 56m |
| Scottsdale (SCF) | 263 nm | 1h 1m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 402 nm | 1h 20m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 549 nm | 1h 41m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 633 nm | 1h 52m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 646 nm | 1h 54m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 725 nm | 2h 5m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SDM?
- Brown Field Municipal Airport's longest paved runway is 7,972 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at SDM?
- Brown Field Municipal Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 7,972 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Brown Field Municipal Airport?
- 2 FBOs serve SDM: Air Center San Diego and First Flight Corporation. 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 SDM?
- The closest alternate is General Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport (TIJ), about 2 nm away, followed by North Island Naval Air Station-Halsey Field (NZY) at 14 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SDM to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Las Vegas about 56m (229 nm), Scottsdale about 1h 1m (263 nm), San Francisco about 1h 20m (402 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.