TL;DR: The closest airport to Napa Valley is Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport (STS). Located only 47 miles from Napa, it offers the shortest drive time into wine country with direct flights from several West Coast cities on Alaska and American Airlines. For larger airports with more flight options, the closest options are Sacramento International Airport and Oakland International Airport.
There are so many reasons to visit Napa Valley in Northern California.
You can hop on the famous Napa Valley wine train, tour Napa Valley wineries, stay in a luxury resort, or even take to the skies for a romantic hot air balloon ride over the grape fields.
If you’re planning a weekend in wine country, you’re probably looking for the closest airport to Napa Valley to start your trip.
Fortunately, there are several airports near Napa Valley, from small airfields to huge international airports with multiple terminals.
The best Napa Valley airport is the one that best suits you and your travel needs.
Whether you’re prioritizing a direct flight, a speedy transit through security, or simply the closest airport to Napa Valley wineries, this guide will help you decide where to fly into for Napa Valley.
Map of the Closest Airports to Napa Valley
What is the Closest Airport to Napa?
Sonoma County Airport – Charles M. Schultz (STS)
Distance from Napa: 47 miles northwest of downtown Napa Valley. It takes about one hour to drive from the airport to Napa’s downtown.
Why it’s worth flying into: Fly directly into California’s wine country, landing in the closest airport to Napa Valley.
Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport is named for the creator of the beloved comic strip Peanuts. Schultz lived in nearby Santa Rosa for 30 years.
If you can fly into this regional airport, I would highly recommend doing so.
Not only is the location of this Napa Valley airport perfect, but the Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport is actually enjoyable to transit through as well.
Small enough to get through quickly, but large enough for good flight options, Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport is ideal for a weekend trip to visit Napa Valley.
Direct flights are available via Alaska Airlines from the West Coast cities of Burbank, Los Angeles, Orange County, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle.
Low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines flies from Burbank, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs, while American Airlines connects travelers to the southwest cities of Dallas and Phoenix.
Although Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport is not an international airport, you could connect to Alaska Airlines’ hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
You can also connect to American Airlines’ hubs in Phoenix or Dallas, or one of the many airlines that flies into Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.
If you’re looking for rental cars, Ace, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and National all operate out of Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport.
No need to take a shuttle, all the car rental agencies are located on-site.
Book a flight through this Napa Valley airport if you’re flying from one of the destinations serviced above, and you want the closest airport to Napa Valley wineries.
If you want a direct flight from another city, consider one of the bigger airports near Napa Valley with more routes.
How to Get From Sonoma County Airport to Napa Valley
Public transport is available from Mendocino Transit Authority on the 65 bus, which will get you into the nearby city of Santa Rosa.
You can connect to Napa on an Amtrak bus from there. This route will take approximately one hour and 45 minutes.
Ride shares are also available from the airport, and because this is California wine country, limos too.
With that said, the best option is to rent a car.
Renting a car and driving to Napa gives you the freedom to explore the city and visit Napa Valley wineries at your leisure.
The drive from Sonoma County Airport takes about one hour on Highway 101, taking you through Rohnert Park and Petaluma.
An alternate route takes you through beautiful Napa Valley on Highway 12.
Or you can go via Highway 29 to see the spa town of Calistoga and Yountville, of French Laundry fame.
What is the Closest International Airport to Napa?
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Distance from Napa: Oakland International Airport is 53 miles south of downtown Napa Valley, which takes about one hour and 20 minutes to drive.
Why it’s worth flying into: At just over an hour’s drive away, Oakland International Airport is the best choice if you’re traveling into Napa Valley from further away.
Oakland International Airport (OAK) is California’s fourth-largest airport.
Although not the biggest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, it’s a good airport to fly into for Napa Valley since it allows you to bypass the worst of San Francisco traffic.
Flights originating from OAK can also sometimes be cheaper than SFO, so always check routes from both for potential savings.
You can find direct flights from several major airlines at Oakland airport, including Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Azores Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier, Hawaiian Airlines, JSX, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.
As an international airport, you can fly into Oakland International Airport direct from several airports in Mexico, as well as destinations across the US.
The car rental center is less than a 10-minute shuttle bus ride from the main terminals.
You’ll find Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar Rent a Car, Enterprise, Fox Rent a Car, Hertz, National Car Rental, Payless Car Rental, and Thrifty at the car rental center.
Oakland International Airport is a great alternative to the bigger airport across the Bay, San Francisco International.
Not only is it slightly closer to downtown Napa and wine country, but flights into Oakland are sometimes cheaper and suffer fewer delays.
Also, if you’re a fan of Southwest Airlines, this is the closest Southwest Airlines airport to Napa Valley.
How to Get From Oakland International Airport to Napa Valley
From Oakland International Airport, take Highway 80 or 680 north. It’s just over an hour’s drive to reach downtown Napa Valley.
You’ll drive through the Northern California cities of Berkeley and Richmond before crossing over the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge into Vallejo, then into Napa Valley.
There’s no direct route to Napa Valley via public transit form Oakland, but you can find a way via BART and local buses from the airport.
Just keep in mind that it’s about two and a half to three hours to reach Napa Valley this way.
Otherwise, for an airport shuttle service, check with these providers.
Or you can start your trip to Napa Valley with a luxury ride from Oakland International Airport in a limo with a bottle of sparkling wine included.
What is the Most Common Airport to Fly Into Near Napa?
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Distance from Napa: The distance from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Napa Valley is 62 miles, which takes about an hour and 30 minutes to drive.
Why it’s worth flying into: San Francisco International Airport is the biggest Bay Area airport, with non-stop flights to countries across the world.
Although San Francisco International wouldn’t be my first choice of airport, it’s often the only choice if you want a direct flight.
The Bay Area’s biggest airport has 50 airlines flying to hundreds of destinations across the world and is located 12 miles south of downtown San Francisco.
I have no complaints about the overall experience at San Francisco International Airport, with plenty of great places to eat, shopping, and comfortable seating areas.
My only gripe is how long it takes to get from the entrance to the gate, due to the airport’s sheer size as the Bay Area’s major gateway to the world.
On the plus side, San Francisco Airport is home to the SFO Museum.
This is the world’s only accredited airport museum, which is a more interesting way to while away your time than shopping.
The rest of the airport is a pleasant place to spend time in too, thanks to the huge, colorful artwork provided by the San Francisco Arts Commission.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to car rental agencies at SFO. You’ll find Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Sixt, Hertz, National, and Thrifty within the rental car center.
Alternatively, you can take a shuttle to Airport Van Car Rental, NU Car Rentals, Payless Car Rental, or Fox, and likely save money on your car rental to Napa Valley.
Although I prefer the smaller airport experience, you can’t beat the sheer number of routes offered by San Francisco airport.
Wherever you’re flying from, chances are you’ll be able to find a flight to this airport on your preferred date and at a convenient time.
SFO is not the closest airport to downtown Napa, but it’s the best when it comes to the amount of flight options.
You’ll also get a very pretty view of the San Francisco Bay Area as you descend!
How to Get From San Francisco International Airport to Napa Valley
If you’re driving from San Francisco International, take Highway 101 north to the Bay Bridge, where you’ll cross into Oakland.
From here, drive north on Highway 580, then Highway 80 to downtown Napa.
The drive will take you through San Francisco, Oakland, and the East Bay cities of Richmond and Berkeley.
In terms of public transit, there’s no simple route, but you can take the BART north, before switching to the bus service. Expect to spend around three hours making this trip.
Alternatively, a very scenic route from San Francisco is to take the Vallejo Bay Ferry from the Ferry Building.
Once across the bay, the Vallejo Ferry Terminal is a short walk from the Vallejo Transit Center, where you can take a connecting bus service to Napa Valley.
Private shuttle services are also available from these providers. Or, for a more luxurious ride, you can take a limo from the airport straight to Napa Valley.
Want more detailed directions? We wrote a whole article on getting from San Francisco to Napa Valley!
Other Airports Close to Napa Valley
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Distance from Napa: It’s 66 miles from Sacramento International Airport to downtown Napa, which takes about one hour and 10 minutes to drive.
Why it’s worth flying into: Sacramento International Airport is a top airport for reliability, convenience, and ticket prices.
In a ranking of US airports by the Wall Street Journal in 2022, Sacramento International Airport was named the best midsize airport in the nation.
The poll ranked airports in terms of flight delays, security waits, and ticket prices, and Sacramento scored highly on all counts.
Despite being smaller than San Francisco International Airport, Sacramento Airport has a lot of choices when it comes to airlines.
Non-stop flights are available from destinations across the US, plus Vancouver, Canada and several cities in Mexico.
Flights are available with American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, Air Canada, Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Hawaiian Airlines, Horizon, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit, and Volaris.
If you’re looking to pick up a car rental from Sacramento to travel into Napa Valley, you’ll find Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless Car Rental, Thrifty, and Zipcar on-site, plus the off-airport Airport Van Rental.
Don’t overlook Sacramento International Airport when you’re planning a trip to Napa Valley.
This easy-to-navigate facility is almost as close to Napa Valley as Sonoma County Airport, with the advantage of more routes to choose from.
It’s a great airport overall, combining the efficiencies of a smaller airport with the route map of a larger hub.
How to Get From Sacramento International Airport to Napa Valley
From the airport, head east on Highway 5 before joining Highway 80 and going southwest.
You’ll drive by the sprawling University of California, Davis campus, then through the rural towns of Dixon and Vacaville before getting into wine country.
Although it’s possible to take several buses to visit Napa Valley on public transport from Sacramento, it will take over three hours.
I recommend just picking up a rental car from the airport or organizing a private transfer by taxi to downtown Napa.
Alternatively, check out a shuttle service for a convenient transfer from the airport.
San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Distance from Napa: The drive between Napa Valley and San Jose is 86 miles, which takes a little under two hours.
Why it’s worth flying into: San Jose airport is smaller compared to SFO, but as Silicon Valley’s airport, it has plenty of routes both within the US and overseas.
Located just five miles north of downtown San Jose, San Jose International Airport is a true city airport. Unlike larger airports, you can go from parking to boarding in an hour.
Similar to Sacramento, San Jose has fewer delays than SFO, security wait times are lower and you can sometimes find cheaper flights.
Although one of the furthest airports from downtown Napa, I still like it for its short security wait times and the short distance to the gates from security.
Flights are available via Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, United Airlines, Volaris, and Zipair from destinations around the globe.
It’s easy to find car rental agencies at SJC, with Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless Car Rentals, Sixt, and Thrifty available on-site.
As I mentioned above, San Jose International Airport is one of the furthest airports from Napa Valley, so it’s not as convenient as others on this list.
However, if you want to make a San Francisco Bay Area road trip out of your drive to Napa Valley, you can check out San Jose, the cities of Silicon Valley, and San Francisco along the way.
I always think it’s good to compare flight prices from San Jose, as it’s often favorable compared to San Francisco.
Just be sure you’re selecting the right San Jose (SJC) when booking, as there’s another San Jose in Costa Rica!
How to Get From San Jose International Airport to Napa Valley
The fastest route to downtown Napa is north on Highway 680 through the East Bay, which takes just under two hours to drive.
If you want to go over the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s a little longer on Highway 101 at more like two hours and 20 minutes to wine country.
Public transit to Napa Valley involves getting a bus to North San Jose, two light rail trains, and another bus, which takes around four hours in total.
A private transfer would be a better way to get up to Napa Valley from San Jose International Airport if you don’t want to drive.
Napa County Airport (APC)
Distance from Napa: At only seven miles away from downtown Napa, Napa County Airport is only a 20-minute from Napa Valley.
Why it’s worth flying into: If you can arrange a private flight, Napa County Airport is the closest airport to Napa Valley and wine country.
Napa County Airport is a small airfield in Napa Valley.
Also popularly known as Napa Valley Airport, Napa County Airport brands itself as the “Skyport to Wine Country”, as it’s located in the heart of Napa Valley and close to downtown Napa.
This Napa airport primarily services charter flights and medical air transportation services, as well as offering aircraft storage facilities to private aircraft owners.
There’s no commercial airline service at Napa County Airport.
This means you’d need your own airplane or charter plane with a private jet company to visit Napa Valley from this small airport.
Although private jets are usually within the domain of the super-rich, chartering a flight from Las Vegas or Palm Springs for a quick jaunt to Napa Valley wineries is not as crazy as it sounds.
Check out Monarch Air Group, Mercury Jets, or Paramount Business Jets if this is an option that interests you.
One downside to flying into Napa Valley Airport is there are no rental car agencies, so you’ll have to go outside the airport to find rental cars.
For most people, Napa County Airport won’t be a viable option, despite its convenient location, since there isn’t a commercial airline service here.
However, if chartering a flight is a realistic option for you, this Napa Valley airport is the best place to touch down.
How to Get From Napa County Airport to Napa Valley
It’s best to book a private transfer from the Napa Valley Airport to your hotel, then organize a rental car from there since there are no rental car companies at the airport.
Buchanan Field Airport (CCR)
Distance from Napa: Buchanan Field Airport is 30 miles from Napa Valley, which takes about 40 minutes by car.
Why it’s worth flying into: Buchanan Field Aiport is another one of the airports near Napa Valley servicing private aircraft, giving those with their own aircraft an alternative to Napa County Airport.
Although Buchanan Field Airport is not the nearest airport to downtown Napa, it’s another nearby airfield that services charter flights and allows people with their own aircraft to take off and land.
The small airport is also conveniently located halfway between San Francisco and Napa Valley, which is ideal if you plan on visiting both cities.
Although there are no commercial airline services to this airport, the recently renovated runway makes it an attractive option to private aircraft owners visiting Napa Valley.
If you want to pick up a rental car, head to Hertz or Enterprise, two agencies offering rental cars on-site at Buchanan Field Airport.
Or head into Napa Valley in style by booking a private car. Contact a private transportation service in advance for your private transfer to wine country.
How to Get From Buchanan Field Airport to Napa Valley
The quickest route by car is to head north on Highway 680. There are buses that will get you from the airport into Napa Valley, but the journey will take about two hours.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah McDonald
Sarah McDonald is a travel writer based in the Bay Area. She writes for the national parenting website Red Tricycle and on her own family travel blog, Tiny Trailblazers. She loves exploring California’s outdoors and has a weakness for a national park gift shop.
Sarah enjoys sharing her Bay Area expertise with readers curious to try popular restaurants and off-the-beaten-path adventures in California. When she’s not writing reviews and travel guides, you’ll likely find her trying to keep up with her kids on a hiking trail or deciphering the menu at a new restaurant.
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