Closest Airport to Palm Springs & How to Get There 2023
Are you looking for the closest airport to Palm Springs, CA? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
When visiting Palm Springs, you may be surprised to know that you have several options for airports to book for your trip.
And the closest airport to Palm Springs may not be the best airport for you and your travels To help you make the best decision for your upcoming vacation, I have created the ultimate guide on the closest airports to Palm Springs, CA.
You will also discover how long it will take to get from each airport to Palm Springs, details about car rentals, and other planning tips.
Closest Airport to Palm Springs
The closest airport to Palm Springs is Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), which is conveniently located two miles from downtown Palm Springs. However, Palm Springs International is not your only option when visiting the desert oasis.
There are 10 airports near Palm Springs, and if you are traveling from destinations that PSP does not offer direct flights to, you may want to consider all of your airport options.
Depending on where you are traveling from, the time of year, your budget, and how much vacation time you have will help you decide which airport to book for your travels.
Airports Near Palm Springs, CA
If you are not flying into Palm Springs International you will most likely be looking at booking flights at these four airports: Ontario International, John Wayne Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and San Diego International Airport.
Palm Springs International Airport
- 🌴 Distance to Palm Springs: 2 miles
- 🚗 Drive Time to Palm Springs: 6 minutes
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), is your best bet for flying into Palm Springs. It is convenient, easily accessible, and you will find nonstop flights to more than thirty destinations in major cities throughout the United States.
As a California local for the last 7 years, Palm Springs quickly became one of our favorite destinations to escape to for some sunshine, relaxation, luxury, and outdoor activities. It is a destination that is absolutely worth a visit!
Only a 6-minute drive to downtown Palm Springs, PSP offers access to the city’s main attractions, including world-class golf courses, spas, and outdoor adventures in the nearby mountains and deserts.
However, an important tip to know before your travels is that some of the major airlines and routes operate on a seasonal basis.
These seasonal flights to Palm Springs are typically only offered during the fall months and continue throughout the winter and spring, Palm Springs’s peak tourist season.
If you are traveling outside of this time of year, you may have a harder finding a direct flight to Palm Springs from your location.
Which Airlines Fly to Palm Springs International
There are 12 airlines that fly to Palm Springs and offer nonstop and connecting flights at Palm Springs International Airport. Some of the popular ones are Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United Airlines.
Which Cities Have Direct Flights into Palm Springs
As mentioned above, some of these airlines only offer seasonal nonstop routes. I have created a table to show you the nonstop routes and which airlines only offer seasonal flights. per the Palm Springs International Airport website.
| Airline | Nonstop Route | Seasonal or Year Round |
| Air Canada | Toronto Vancouver | Seasonal Seasonal |
| Alaska | Boise Everett Portland San Francisco San Jose Seattle | Seasonal Seasonal Seasonal Year-Round Year-Round Year-Round |
| Allegiant | Bellingham Des Moines | Year-Round Seasonal |
| American | Austin Chicago ORD Dallas DFW Phoenix | Seasonal Seasonal Year-Round Year-Round |
| Avelo | Bend/Redmond Eugene Santa Rosa | Seasonal Seasonal Seasonal |
| Delta | Atlanta Minneapolis Salt Lake City Seattle | Seasonal Seasonal Year-Round Seasonal |
| Flair | Edmonton Toronto Vancouver | Seasonal Seasonal Seasonal |
| JetBlue | New York JFK | Seasonal |
| Southwest | Dallas Love Denver Las Vegas Oakland Phoenix Portland Sacramento San Jose | Seasonal Year-Round Year-Round Year-Round Year-Round Seasonal Year-Round Year-Round |
| Sun Country | Minneapolis | Seasonal |
| United | Chicago ORD Denver Houston Los Angeles San Francisco | Seasonal Year-Round Seasonal Seasonal Year-Round |
| West Jet | Calgary Edmonton Vancouver Winnipeg | Year-Round Seasonal Year-Round Seasonal |
Ground Transportation From Palm Springs International Airport
You have plenty of options for ground transportation from Palm Springs International Airport to your accommodations in Palm Springs or nearby.
From PSP You Can Conveniently Access:
- 🚗 Car Rentals: Avoid the hassle and book your car rental ahead of time here!
- Rideshare (Uber & Lyft)
- Taxis
- 🚐 Private transfer: Covers Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta
- Public transportation: Sunine Transit offers a bus to Coachella Valley or MBTA transports to Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Twenty Nine Palms, and the 29 Palms Marine Base
Does Palm Springs Airport Have TSA Precheck and Clear
If you have TSA precheck or Clear, or both, you will be happy to know that Palm Springs International Airport offers TSA PreCheck lanes and Clear kiosks at their security checkpoints. Giving you more time to hang out in Palm Springs and not in a TSA line, and making traveling from PSP a breeze.
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
- 🌴 Distance to Palm Springs: 70 miles
- 🚗 Drive Time to Palm Springs: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- ✈️ Airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Avianca, China Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, & Volaris
Ontario International Airport is a medium-sized airport located in Ontario, California. The airport offers a range of domestic and international flights to various destinations and over 25 nonstop flights, including numerous major cities in the United States.
Why Choose Ontario International Airport, it serves as a convenient and stress free alternative to the busier airports in the surrounding area, such as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and John Wayne Airport (SNA).
Car rentals are located in a short and free shuttle away from the ONT terminals. Make sure to book in advance before your trip.
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ)
- 🌴 Distance to Palm Springs: 70 miles
- 🚗 Drive Time to Palm Springs: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- ✈️ Airlines: Charter & air taxi services only
Located in Carlsbad, California, McClellan-Palomar Airport is about 35 miles north of San Diego and a 1 hour 15 minute drive to Palm Springs, CA.
McClellan-Palomar was a public airport in the past and offered some commercial flights. However, currently, it only serves flights for general aviation and chartered flights. So unless you are planning on chartering a flight for your trip to Palm Springs, this is not the best airport for your trip.
Orange County John Wayne Airport (SNA)
- 🌴 Distance to Palm Springs: 95 miles
- 🚗 Drive Time to Palm Springs: 2 hour drive
- ✈️ Airlines: Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta, Frontier, JSX, Southwest, United, & WestJet
Another top pick for airports close to Palm Springs is John Wayne Airport. The airport offers a variety of nonstop flights to over 40 destinations
It is conveniently located just 14 miles southeast of downtown Anaheim and serves as a gateway to popular destinations such as Disneyland, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach. John Wayne Airport is about a 2 hour drive to Palm Springs without traffic.
There are numerous car rental companies that are conveniently located on-site at John Wayne Airport. The rental car pick-up and return are open from 5:30 am-11:30 pm and located on level “0” of Parking Structures A2 and B2.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- 🌴 Distance to Palm Springs:
- 🚗 Drive Time to Palm Springs: 2 hour 20 minute drive
- ✈️ Airlines: Alaska, Allegiant, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United, Spirit, and to name a few popular ones. You can find the full list here.
Los Angeles International Airport is one of the largest and busiest airports in the United States. LAX offers flights to a wide selection of domestic and international destinations, with more than 70 airlines operating out of the airport.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has a wide range of car rental companies available to choose from. The rental car companies can be found at the LAX Car Rental Terminal, accessible via a free shuttle bus service from the airport terminals. Popular car rental companies include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Alamo, among others.
As someone who used to live in Los Angeles and frequently traveled in and out of LAX often, my best advice is to avoid it if you can.
LAX is great for finding a nonstop flight to southern California. However, the traffic getting out of the city, the chaos of a busy airport, and the possibilities for delays.
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- 🌴 Distance to Palm Springs: 128 miles
- 🚗 Drive Time to Palm Springs: 2 hour 30 minute drive
- ✈️ Airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines to name a few. You can find the full list here
Lastly, another popular major airport close to Palm Springs is San Diego International Airport. Just a few miles northwest of downtown San Diego, California, the international airport is a 2.5 hour drive to Palm Springs, not including traffic.
With over 70 nonstop destinations, San Diego International Airport is the busiest single-runway commercial airport in the United States. So similar to LAX, SAN offers numerous nonstop flights. However, as the third-busiest airport in California, you can expect traffic surrounding the airport and longer TSA lines.
The car rental center can be accessed by a quick shuttle ride from the airport terminals.
Should You Rent a Car When Visiting Palm Springs
If you’re planning a trip to Palm Springs, renting a car can be a convenient and flexible option for getting around, especially if you plan on exploring beyond the downtown area.
We always have a car with us when visiting Palm Springs. It gives you the freedom to visit nearby attractions such as Joshua Tree National Park or the San Jacinto Mountains.
Also, if you’re staying at a vacation rental or Airbnb, having a car can make it easier to stock up on groceries or discover the local dining scene.
🚗 Avoid the hassle and book your car rental ahead of time here!
How Do I Get to Palm Springs
There are several ways to get to the well-known desert resort city in Southern California. Besides flying, you can get to Palm Springs by car, train, or bus.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer stay, knowing how to get to Palm Springs is an essential part of your travel planning.
Arrive in Palm Springs by Car
Getting to Palm Springs by car is a popular option, especially for those traveling from Southern California.
If you’re driving from Los Angeles or San Diego, budget extra time for traffic, especially during peak travel times.
If you plan on arriving in Palm Springs by car here are the driving times from major nearby cities:
- Los Angeles, CA: 2 hours 20 minutes
- San Diego, CA: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Newport Beach, CA: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Anaheim, CA: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Phoenix, AZ: 4 hours
- Las Vegas, NV: 4 hours
- San Francisco, CA: 8 hours
Arrive to Palm Springs by Train
If you are wondering how to get to Palm Springs without a car, you can arrive by either train or bus. Getting to Palm Springs by train can be a comfortable and scenic form of transportation if you are traveling from a nearby city.
The Amtrak Station in Palm Springs is located about a 10 to 15 minute drive from the heart of downtown and offers train routes to and from several major cities in California, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara.
Arrive to Palm Springs by Bus
Getting to Palm Springs by bus is possible, Flixbus offers service from various locations in Southern California to Palm Springs.
The bus ride from Los Angeles to Palm Springs is about a 2 to 3-hour nonstop trip, depending on where you are departing from. The prices for bus tickets vary but are typically around $20.00 for a one-way ticket from LA to Palm Springs.
FAQ: Closest Airport to Palm Springs
The Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is conveniently located just 2 miles from downtown Palm Springs. It is about a 6-minute drive.
The best airport to go to in Palm Springs is Palm Springs International Airport. PSP is the top pick because it is located in the heart of Palm Springs and offers numerous nonstop flights to destinations all over the US.
Finding the cheapest airport near Palm Springs can be a little tricky because it depends on where you are flying from and the time of year you are traveling.
The cheapest time of year to visit and fly to Palm Springs is during the summer months, from June to August. During this time, temperatures can reach over 100°F (38°C), which can make it less popular for tourists.
In Conclusion: Closest Airport to Palm Springs
The most convenient and closest airport to Palm Springs is Palm Springs International Airport. However, if you are not able to fly into PSP, there are multiple other great options for airports close to Palm Springs, CA.
I hope you have enjoyed this guide and have found it helpful in choosing the best airport and way to travel to Palm Springs for your upcoming trip.
