Move Over San Diego! United Launching First Flight To Nearby Beach Town In Over A Decade

We at Travel Off Path almost broke the web final yr by revealing San Diego certainly has a second airport again in enterprise for industrial air journey.

A lot of our readers chimed in with their pleasure (and issues) relating to American Airways’ groundbreaking flight to/from Phoenix.

Taking my Journalist hat off for a second, as a San Diegan myself, I questioned if a secondary airport could be possible long-term as many SoCal vacationers have found the Tijuana loophole.

However, I, in addition to many others, stand corrected in the present day because it was simply announced United Airways is about to be the second industrial airline taking off from McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD) in Carlsbad, and there are some simple plusses now that 2 main airways are anchoring the only real airport of San Diego’s North County.

2 Main Airways Now Serve California’s Strangest Airport

Carlsbad’s McClellan-Palomar Airport, simply accessible from I-5, holds an undeniably weird historical past.

What’s been largely an airport for personal use, there have been spurts of success in its oddball timeline which have been fairly helpful for vacationers, although it by no means appears to stay…

Since it has been nicely over a yr from the time we revealed Carlsbad’s comeback, current information that this underrated seashore city has surged to the purpose of being on United’s radar is the largest promise in years its right here to remain.

United hasn’t operated from CLD in a little bit over a decade, final serving a direct path to LAX for these us preferring the fly over gridlock site visitors to achieve certainly one of America’s busiest airports in Spring 2015.

Since then, the airport has been extra of a circus than a dependable supply for vacationers.

One native billionaire did not preserve little-known California Pacific Airways off the tarmac, and the one different try has been JSX and Superior Air, each charters which might be nonetheless going robust by all accounts.

In abstract: constitution carriers JSX and Superior Air (seasonally), and main carriers, American, and now United, all serve CLD.

Name It A Comeback: United Returns After Decade-Lengthy Absence

American serves Phoenix a significant hub of their community, and the identical will be stated for Denver in regard to United because it’s truly the airline’s quickest rising hub.

Denver is the massive winner for United’s thrilling return to San Diego County’s paradisal seashore cities. As such, this makes United California’s most related airline in the complete state.

Tickets are already on sale for the first-ever nonstop route from Denver to Carlsbad. The schedule is at present slated for twice-daily service starting March 30, 2026, which simply so occurs to be among the best occasions of the yr to go to.

No, not due to Spring Break, however as a result of certainly one of California’s most photo-worthy sights might be in full bloom.

That is proper — as beautiful as Carlsbad’s (and neighboring cities’) seashores could also be, the highest attraction for Carlsbad is definitely the kaleidoscopic Flower Fields.

Does CLD Growth Assist Keep away from LA & Tijuana?

When Tijuana opened up an unique border crossing (CBX) for airport use, it was much more helpful again then than it’s now from a prices perspective.

Again when the CBX was a barren lot with no parking charges and seasonal upcharges, vacationers did not must suppose twice about whether or not to fly out of San Diego or LA as the following finest choices to trip south of the border.

These days, you possibly can simply spend triple digits earlier than passing customs.

It has been well-documented that San Diego Worldwide Airport (SAN) simply opened a model new Terminal 1 after a protracted awaited debut.

Although the area is far nicer and site visitors appears to circulate higher, one difficulty not addressed is the dearth of worldwide flights.

There are solely 5 worldwide airways working out of San Diego:

Therefore many San Diegans are pressured to courageous the snail’s tempo drive to LAX, or head to the border, relying in your ultimate vacation spot.

With the addition of two main airways serving CLD now connecting to a pair of common hubs (Phoenix and Denver), those that reside nearer to Carlsbad now have extra choices to trip internationally with only one layover.

For instance, Denver welcomed 2 superior worldwide routes by way of United this yr:

• Frankfurt, Germany (FRA)
• Rome, Italy (FCO)

Why Go to Carlsbad?

Most guests who plan a visit to San Diego do not make all of it the way in which as much as Carlsbad, which lies roughly 35 minutes north of the downtown if you happen to beat rush hour.

However Carlsbad isn’t any snoozefest like another hidden gems alongside the coast. Residence to certainly one of my favourite resorts for a staycation Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa and on-site restaurant Ember & Rye, a mouthwatering steakhouse ‘of types’ backed by celeb chef Richard Blais, if you happen to can swing the worth, I can not suggest it sufficient.

For the kiddos, an ideal Disneyland different is LegoLand, an amusement park and lodge good for a weekend getaway.

One in every of my favourite locations to go to alongside the seashore is Carlsbad Village. Right here, you will discover seaside cafes, extra resorts, vibrant murals, and seafood shacks — and it is usually much less crowded than San Diego correct, together with lagoons and exquisite seashores stretching for 7 miles.

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Author & Journalist primarily based in San Diego has visited 36 international locations and written over 1000 articles with a give attention to sharing his personal journey experiences and shining a light-weight on lesser-known gems.