Airports Near Napa Valley: A Traveler’s Guide

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  • by WINECOUNTRY COLLECTIVE
  • on FEBRUARY 20, 2023
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Guides

Airports Near Napa Valley: A Traveler’s Guide

By WineCountry Collective February 20, 2023

You’ve booked your much-needed vacation to Napa Valley, but now you’ve got to figure out how you’ll get there. With five airports nearby, each with its unique benefits, visiting Wine Country has never been easier. From rental cars to restaurants, our guide breaks down what you need to know about each airport for your best travel experience. Air travel can be stressful, but with our traveler’s guide, the vacation will start on the tarmac.

About: Fly directly to Wine Country! The Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS) wins for convenience as it’s the closest airport to Napa Valley and is serviced by top carriers including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Avelo Airlines.

Insider Tip: Passengers flying on Alaska Airlines from Charles M. Schulz are permitted to check up to one case of wine for no additional charge through the Alaska Airlines Wine Flies Free program!

Distance to downtown Napa: 47.3 miles

Drive time to downtown Napa: Approximately 1 hour (without traffic)

Airlines:

  • Alaska Airlines: Non-stop flights to/from Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Burbank, Orange County, and San Diego.
  • American Airlines: Non-stop flights to/from Phoenix, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
  • Avelo Airlines: Non-stop flights to/from Burbank and Las Vegas.

Wi-Fi: Free

Food: Tap & Pour is the airport’s only onsite restaurant open from 9:00 am to the last flight. In addition to Tap & Pour, Sky Lounge offers a full breakfast menu in the morning and a full bar for afternoon or evening cocktails. STS also has a food kiosk next to the terminal with grab-and-go items including coffee, sandwiches, and baked goods.

Car rental agencies: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Hertz, and Ace Rent-a-car

Ridesharing: Lyft, Uber, and Ziro.

Limousine & Black Car Services:

(note: each car service below offers transportation services from all five airports)

Taxi and Shuttle Service:

  • Wings Taxi: (707) 235-7076
  • Asmara Taxi: (707) 703-8795
  • Freedom Cab: (707) 477-3129
  • Bob’s Taxi: (707) 755-7555
  • Raz Taxi: (707) 666-1101
  • #1 Taxi: (707) 591-1859
  • #2 Silver Taxi: (707) 540-3449

Bus & Transit:

Insider Tip: Check out the larger-than-life full-color Peanuts character statues located around the airport, an homage to Charles M. Schulz, the famous cartoonist who spent nearly 40 years of his life in the area.

San Francisco International Airport
Photo Courtesy of Courtesy of Facebook: San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

About: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the bustling nerve center of domestic and international travel for Northern California. The airport is open 24 hours a day, with direct flights to and from many corners of the world.

Distance to downtown Napa: 58.6 miles

Drive time to downtown Napa: Approximately 1 hour, 10 minutes (without traffic). Peak traffic is from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm and can add an hour to the drive. Pro Tip: Use the diamond carpool lanes (2 or more riders) during peak traffic (4-7pm) to cruise past the high-traffic areas.

Wi-Fi: Free

Airlines: SFO services over 50 airlines, including many international. SFO is a hub for United Airlines and United Express, with daily direct flights from places like Newark, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Chicago (O’Hare), and Seattle.

Food: The airport houses over 80 restaurants and eateries, many open as late as 11:00 pm or midnight. If you just can’t wait until Napa to taste wine, you can get an early start at the wine bar Vino Volo, located at Terminal 2 Boarding Area D, post-security.

Car rental: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, National, Sixt, and Thrifty are located on the fourth floor of the SFO Rental Car Center. Hertz is located on the first floor of the Rental Car Center. Additional car rental agencies are available off-site.

Ferry: The San Francisco/Vallejo Bay Ferry provides a scenic route to Napa Valley traveling across San Francisco Bay. The Ferry Building, located at the Embarcadero waterfront in downtown San Francisco, is accessible by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) from SFO. The Vallejo Ferry Terminal is just a block away from the Vallejo Transit Center, where you can catch the connecting bus service, The Vine, to the Napa area. Taxis and private car services are also options to travel from the Vallejo Ferry Terminal.

Oakland International Airport
Photo Courtesy of Facebook: Oakland International Airport

Oakland International Airport (OAK)

About: Although a busy international travel hub, Oakland International Airport (OAK) is slightly smaller (and therefore less crowded) than its cousin across the bay, SFO.

Distance to downtown Napa: 50 miles

Drive time to downtown Napa: Approximately 1 hour (without traffic). Pro Tip: Use the diamond carpool lanes (2 or more riders) during peak traffic (4-7pm) to cruise past the high-traffic areas.

Wi-Fi: Free

Airlines: Most major airlines, including direct flights on Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest, Frontier, Spirit, and Volaris.

Food: Enjoy a meal or a snack at one of the 17 Oakland Airport restaurants, coffee shops, or fast food counters. Both terminals feature a Peet’s Coffee (so you’ll always be able to fuel up on caffeine) as well as taprooms for a pre-flight libation or two.

Car rental: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, and Thrifty.

Sacramento International Airport
Photo Courtesy of Facebook: Sacramento International Airport

Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

About: Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is smaller than Oakland or SFO, making it easier to navigate. This airport’s redesigned terminal includes an elevated people mover and concourse.

Distance to downtown Napa: 63 miles

Drive time to downtown Napa: Approximately 1 hour (without traffic)

Wi-Fi: Free

Airlines: American, Delta, JetBlue, United, Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Horizon, Southwest, Volaris. Non-stop flights from 30 cities include Atlanta, Denver, Portland, Seattle, and San Diego.

Food: Sacramento Airport has nearly two dozen restaurants and coffee shops that offer food, with most restaurants open until 9:00 pm.

Car rental: Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, E-Z Rent-a-car, Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty, and Zipcar. The car rental shuttle offers pick-up approximately every ten minutes to transport visitors to the on-airport rental car terminal. Additional car rental companies are available off-site.

Napa County Airport (APC)

About: Napa County Airport, “The Skyport to Wine Country,” is a very small local landing strip that services charter flights and private aircraft only. Originally built by the United States Army Air Forces in 1942, the airport recently completed a runway rehabilitation project. You can now fly directly to this airport on your own chartered plane or, if you’re a licensed pilot, by flying yourself. Of course, flying private comes at a cost; prices range from $9k – $25k+. To charter your own plane to or from Napa, contact Napa Jet Center.

Distance to downtown Napa: 9 miles

Drive time to downtown Napa: 18 minutes (without traffic)

Wi-Fi: Free

Car rental: None

Limousine & Black Car Services:

Insider Tip: Napa County Airport is conveniently located only a few minutes from wineries, hotels, and golf, so flying in here means you can get your Wine Country vacation started much faster than flying commercially.

Additional Pro Tips:

WineCountry Experiences: Discover and book our marketplace of curated unique experiences in Napa Valley.

Covet Pass: A unique membership offering complimentary wine experiences, hotel and travel discounts, access to events, and additional fun perks.

Lodging Deals: We have partnered with the leading hotels and resorts in Napa Valley to offer our users exclusive perks such as complimentary bottles of wine at check-in, resort credits, and wine tasting passes.

Happy travels!