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Southern California has literally had a hellish week as out-of-control fires have ravaged Los Angeles.
While there are certainly many questions about what went wrong and how we can better handle future disasters, over-regulation and bureaucratic nonsense are no strangers to the “Golden State,” regardless of which side of the fence you stand politically.
We first announced last summer that San Diego’s alternative airport would reopen its doors to the public after previously failed ventures, but it turns out we kind of overstepped the mark.
Having lived in San Diego for a decade, I should have known better before reporting such news, as anything new, new and exciting within California’s borders often comes with unforeseen circumstances.
As such, it’s now a new year and San Diego County is just getting around to it approve commercial flights to San Diego’s new alternative airport – and no, it’s not the locals’ favorite Tijuana loophole. That’s old news.
American Airlines comes to Carlsbad
When we first revealed the surprising news that Carlsbad McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD) opened the doors to the public again, many of you agreed with mixed feelings.
It begs the question: one, if it is necessary, and two, will it be a game changer?
If you don’t know, Carlsbad is a very family-friendly beach town for football fans, about 40 minutes north of San Diego and only 25 minutes from Orange County.
In recent years, local businessman Ted Vallas had lofty dreams that California Pacific Airlines would anchor CLD with regional flights to places like Vegas and Oakland, but flying out of Carlsbad on an unnamed airline never caught on.
Having launched a year or two before the pandemic, there is a good chance that this grand undertaking would have been halted anyway.
Today, CLD Advanced Air serves only seasonally to Mammoth Lakes and JSX, a public charter that is making a name for itself on social media as a new, trendy concept.
As you can see, CLD has long missed major players. That will change quickly in February US airlines enters the chat, a historic first for SoCal and even more so for Carlsbad.
Is flying to/from Carlsbad worth it?
Others may disagree, but I’ve seen Carlsbad and San Diego’s other cluster of northern beach towns blossom as destinations in their own right for years.
Carlsbad has more than enough to form your base with luxury resorts like one of my favorites, Park Hyatt Aviara, and more kid-friendly LEGOLAND for those who have never felt the pain of stepping on a Lego and find Disneyland a little too overwhelming.
Not to mention the small town charm Carlsbad village, full of popular local eateries, swimsuit-friendly bars, and e.geven more resorts along Southern California’s famed coasts.
Will people fly here directly, or is it worth dealing with San Diego International Airport’s ongoing construction problems?
Well, the ladder won’t last forever, and America has only committed to dipping its toe in the water one route to Phoenix, launched February 13.
Plus, Orange County is home to John Wayne Airport (SNA) with many more flights, so you won’t exactly find a loophole by flying into Carlsbad.
What are the benefits?
It all comes down to what you want to do. If you’re the type who wants to get a taste of city life and check off San Diego’s bucket list attractions, like the world-famous zoo, maybe fly to San Diego.
If you want to visit San Diego’s quintessential beach towns, with fewer tourists and more of a local feel, Carlsbad is your best bet to visit not only Carlsbad itself, but also local gems like Solana Beach and Cardiff-by-the-Sea.
There’s one type of traveler that will benefit the most: both California and Arizona road trippers.
Every state hates seeing each other’s license plates across state lines, and it’s fair to say that driving back and forth across the desert becomes monotonous.
More flights to the San Diego region and Arizona’s only metropolis make weekend getaways more efficient, plus more connectivity to one of the major US hubs since San Diego isn’t as connected as LA.
For example, flying through Phoenix was a life saver for me on Thanksgiving Day after my flight was canceled.
With no other options, there was one flight left with a stopover in Phoenix, which would ultimately connect me to my final destination.
Although this was America’s other new nonstop route to Phoenix from Tijuana, the same premise applies.
I would much rather have flown out of Carlsbad to avoid the hassle of customs, so if nothing else, Carlsbad is a great lifeline for last-minute schedule changes.
Either way, only time will tell if Carlsbad becomes a new hot spot. History says no, but CLD never had a cornerstone of American Airlines’ size.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
