Santa Monica Municipal Airport
SMO · KSMO · Santa Monica, CA · 170 ft elevation · var 12E · Towered
Airport information
- ICAO / IATA
- KSMO / SMO
- Coordinates
- 34.0158, -118.4510
- Elevation
- 170 ft MSL
- Magnetic variation
- 12E
- Sectional chart
- LOS ANGELES
- Airport use
- Public
- Control tower
- Yes
- ARTCC
- LOS ANGELES (ZLA)
- Flight service (FSS)
- HAWTHORNE
- NOTAM facility
- SMO
- Attendance
- ALL ALL
- Beacon
- white-green (SS-SR)
- Segmented circle
- Yes
- Wind indicator
- lighted
- Activated
- 1940/04
- Distance from city
- 3 E
Weather
METAR observed
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TAF forecast
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Sun & FAA night 2026-06-21
| Event | Local (PDT) | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Morning civil twilight Loggable night ends | 05:14 AM | 12:14Z |
| Sunrise | 05:43 AM | 12:43Z |
| Sunset | 08:08 PM | 03:08Z |
| Evening civil twilight Loggable night begins | 08:37 PM | 03:37Z |
Plan a flight from KSMO
Night operations
- Airport lighting
- SEE RMK
- Rotating beacon
- white-green · SS-SR
- Pilot-controlled lighting
- WHEN ATCT CLSD ACTVT REIL RWY 21; MIRL RWY 03/21 - CTAF. on 120.1 — Chart Supplement ↗
Runway lighting aids — 03: 4-light PAPI (left) · 21: 4-light PAPI (left).
FAA night windows (civil twilight, loggable night §1.1, currency §61.57) are in the live weather panel above.
Traffic pattern
- Landing
- Rwy 03 · 032°
- Pattern
- right (turns right)
- TPA
- 1,200 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
- CTAF
- 120.1
Enter the right downwind for Rwy 03 at 1,200 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) on a 45°. TPA estimated at 1,000 ft AGL (not charted for this field).
Runway 03/21
3,500 ft × 150 ft · Asphalt (Good)- Heading
- 032° mag · 44° true
- Markings
- nonprecision
- VGSI
- 4-light PAPI (left) (3.42°)
- Traffic pattern
- Right
- Heading
- 212° mag · 224° true
- Markings
- nonprecision
- VGSI
- 4-light PAPI (left) (3.5°)
- Traffic pattern
- Left
| Runway | Length | Your margin |
|---|---|---|
| 03/21 | 3,500 ft |
Communication frequencies
| Service | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| APP | 124.3 | SOCAL APP |
| ATIS | 119.15 | |
| CTAF | 120.1 | |
| DEP | 125.2 | SOCAL DEP |
| GND | 121.9 | |
| TWR | 120.1 | |
| UNIC | 122.95 | UNICOM |
Nearby navigation aids
| NavAid | Type | Freq | Radial / Dist magnetic |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMO · Santa Monica | VOR-DME | 110.80 | r027° / 0.4 NM |
| LAX · Los Angeles | VORTAC | 113.60 | r334° / 5.1 NM |
| VNY · Van Nuys | VOR-DME | 113.10 | r156° / 12.6 NM |
| SLI · Seal Beach | VORTAC | 115.70 | r290° / 24.2 NM |
| FIM · Fillmore | VORTAC | 112.50 | r119° / 29.6 NM |
| VTU · Ventura | VOR-DME | 108.20 | r086° / 30.3 NM |
| POM · Pomona | VORTAC | 110.40 | r249° / 33.2 NM |
Airport diagram
Open PDF ↗Preview diagram
Procedures at a glance
Departures
Arrivals
Minimums & Hot Spots
Chart Supplement FAA A/FD
Open PDF ↗Preview Chart Supplement
VFR sectional
Services
- Fuel available
- 100LL, Jet A, UL94
- Bottled oxygen
- HIGH
- Bulk oxygen
- HIGH
- Airframe service
- MAJOR
- Powerplant service
- MAJOR
- Parking
- tiedowns
- Other services
- Avionics, Charter, Instruction, Rental, Aircraft sales
Ownership & management
Remarks FAA
- HEL FLT TRNG OPN PROHIBITED; HEL OPNS APCH ARPT BDRY AT MIDFIELD AT OR ABOVE 900 FT MSL.
- INTXN DEPS AND FRMN LNDGS/DEPS PROHIBITED.
- RWY 03/21 DEP END APPROX 1000 FT FM RESIDENTIAL HOMES. EXTENDED HIGH POWER SETTINGS ON RUN-UP OR DEP NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE COMMUNITY.
- PPR RQRD FOR DW ACFT IN EXCESS OF 60000 LBS CRTFYD MAX LDG WT, CTC AMGR 310-458-8692.
- NO TOUCH/GO, STOP/GO, OR LOW APCH PERMITTED ON SAT, SUN, HOLS; WEEKDAYS SS-0700.
- VFR DEPS RWY 21 TURN LEFT 10 DEGS OVER SMO VOR THEN TURN RIGHT 225 DEGS
- IF DEP NORTH, NO RIGHT TURNS BFR RCHG SHORELINE. RWY 03 DEP NO TURNS PRIOR TO 405 FREEWAY LCTD 1 MI EAST.
- ENG MAINT RUN-UP: JETS AND TURBOPROPS NORTH SIDE, WI 300 FT EAST OF TWY A4. PISTON SNGLS AND TWINS ON SOUTH SIDE, WI 300 FT EAST OF TWY B4. 0900-1700 ONLY.
- CONS NOISE ORDINANCE IN EFCT CTC NOISE OFFICE FOR PROCS (310) 458-8692.
- NOISE LMTS ALL ACFT: PURE JET AND STAGE II (WITH/WITHOUT HUSHKITS) PROHIBITED. MAX NOISE LIMIT 95.0 DBA SNGL EVENT NOISE EXPOSURE LEVEL (SENEL) RCRDD 2200 FT EXTDD CNTRLN.
- PPR EX-MIL ACFT CTC ARPT MGR (310) 458-8692.
- CURFEW: NO ENG STARTS, APU, OR TKOFS EXC PPR LIFEGUARD FLTS 2300-0700 MON-FRI AND 2300-0800 WKENDS.
- TURBINE ACFT & ACFT OVER 12,000 LBS PROHIBITED ON SOUTH SIDE TSNT PKNG.
- IFR JETS & TURBOPROPS CTC GND PRIOR TO ENG START.
- PURE JET AND STAGE II (WITH/WITHOUT HUSH KITS) PROHIBITED.
- TSNT PRKG SOUTH SIDE, NEXT TO BCN.
- THE PAVED AREAS PRECDG THE RWY 3-21 THRS ARE NOT AVBL FOR LDG, TKOF, OR TAXI OPS. THE PAVED AREAS ARE NOW BLAST PADS CREATED FROM THE THRS' RELOCATION AND RWY LENGTH REDUCTION IN DECEMBER 2017.
- ACFT MUST NOW EXIT THE RWY AT DSGND CONNECTOR TWYS. THE CONS RWY EXIT SYS IS NO LONGER AVBL.
- FOR CD WHEN ATCT CLSD CTC SOCAL APCH AT 800-448-3724.
- WHEN ATCT CLSD ACTVT REIL RWY 21; MIRL RWY 03/21 - CTAF.
- TPA: 1200' AGL SINGLE-ENG; 1700' AGL TWIN-ENG.
- STELIOS.MAKRIDES@SANTAMONICA.GOV
- 100LL FULL SVC ONLY.
- UL94 AVBL AT SELF-SERVE ISLAND.
Nearby airports
Weather is live from the Aviation Weather Center; airport facility data is from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle). For planning and education only; always verify against official sources. Open KSMO in a full tool: METAR/TAF decoder, crosswind calculator, sun & night times, or the density altitude calculator. Planning from here? Find the nearest airport with fuel or an approach, or check whether an IFR alternate is required.
About KSMO
Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO · KSMO) is an airport in Santa Monica, CA, at 170 ft MSL. It has 1 runway, the longest 3,500 ft, with a control tower. This page shows live METAR/TAF weather, runway crosswinds, frequencies, navaids, and FAA charts for KSMO, refreshed from the Aviation Weather Center and FAA NASR.
Does KSMO have a control tower?
Yes. Santa Monica Municipal Airport has an operating FAA control tower. Check the Comms & NavAids tab for tower and ground frequencies.
What is the longest runway at KSMO?
Santa Monica Municipal Airport has 1 runway; the longest is 3,500 ft. See the Runways tab for headings, surface, and lighting.
Where is KSMO?
Santa Monica Municipal Airport is in Santa Monica, CA, at an elevation of 170 ft MSL. Coordinates: 34.0158, -118.4510.
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