Located in an unincorporated area of Orange County surrounded by Irvine, Newport Beach, and Costa Mesa, John Wayne Airport serves Greater Los Angeles as Orange County's only commercial airport. Owned and operated by Orange County, this primary commercial service facility handles over 10 million total passengers annually. It features two parallel runways, including a short main runway that operates regularly scheduled domestic and international flights.
Passenger operations are housed within the Thomas F. Riley Terminal, which is organized into three connected terminal areas: Terminal A, Terminal B, and Terminal C. You can easily walk landside between check-in counters or airside past security lanes available in each terminal area. Major carriers serving the airport include Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines.
01 Terminals & concourses
Built in 1990 and updated with a dedicated commuter gate area in 2011, Terminal A houses gates 1 through 8. It features dining, shops, and security screening lanes with TSA PreCheck options.
Opened in 1990 alongside Terminal A, Terminal B contains gates 9 through 15 and offers various shops and eateries. Security screening adjacent to check-in provides fast-track lanes and TSA PreCheck.
Opened in November 2011, Terminal C features gates 16 through 22, dedicated commuter gate areas, and eateries. It also houses a U.S. Customs FIS facility with Global Entry kiosks for international arrivals.
Airport map
The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the whole airport — terminals, concourses, access roads and the parking garages. Zoom in for gate-level detail.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free). Official gate/terminal maps are copyrighted — we link to them.
02 Which terminal does my airline use?
Airlines are grouped by alliance and region. Always confirm the concourse printed on your boarding pass — assignments can change seasonally.
Show all airlines by terminal ›
Grouped by terminal — check the concourse on your boarding pass before you fly; assignments can change seasonally.
Lost, delayed or damaged baggage at SNA
If your checked bag doesn't turn up on the belt, act before you leave the baggage-claim area — that's where every airline keeps its Baggage Service Office.
- Go to your airline's Baggage Service Office in the baggage-claim hall of your arrival terminal.
- File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and get your file reference (WorldTracer) number. Keep your bag-tag receipt and boarding pass.
- Track it online using that reference on your airline's baggage-tracking page — most bags are located within 24–48 hours.
- Claim your essentials. On delayed bags airlines reimburse reasonable interim purchases (toiletries, clothing) — keep receipts. International trips are covered by the Montreal Convention.
- If it's truly lost (generally after 21 days) or damaged, file the claim at the same office — damage must be reported before you leave the airport.
Left something in the terminal (not a checked bag)? That's handled by the airport Lost & Found. Items left at a TSA security checkpoint are held by the TSA, not the airline.
03 Getting to & from SNA
These are the ground-transport options connecting the airport with the city. Fares and schedules change — check the operator before you travel.
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Taxi | Taxis pick up on the public transportation island across from the Terminal A and B arrivals area. |
| Bus | Buses serve the public transportation island located directly across the roadway from Terminal A and B arrivals. |
04 Lounges & amenities
You can visit the American Airlines Admirals Club in Terminal A or the United Club in Terminal B on the mezzanine level.
