When you explore the five Channel Islands located off the coast of southern California, then untamed natural beauty and an abundance of wildlife await. The first stage in planning your trip is to think about getting to Channel Islands National Park, and often the initial step is researching flights to the Channel Islands.
This guide to visiting Channel Islands National Park is all about how you’re going to get there. If you have questions such as can you fly to the Channel Islands and regarding which airports are the nearest, then it’s covered right here. This should make planning your trip much simpler.
Included in this article are things to bear in mind when deciding where to fly into, full details of the seven closest airports to the Channel Islands National Park Ventura CA, and frequently asked questions about the subject. Read on so you can start your national park trip planning!
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This guide outlines a range of convenient airports that you could be the best for your trip. However, the nearest airport with commercial flights to Channel Islands National Park is Santa Barbara Municipal Airport and the nearest MAJOR airport to Channel Islands National Park is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Planning Your Trip to Channel Islands
The basic things you’ll need to do when planning your trip to Channel Islands National Park include:
- First up, think about what you’d like to do and/ or see so you can decide which island(s) to visit.
- Then you’ll need to decide when to go.
- You’ll also need to decide how long to go for.
- Then, you’ll need to decide where to stay. There is very basic camping on the islands, but if you visit the islands as a day trip, you’re best off finding accommodations near the harbor.
- Now that you have decided where to stay, the next thing is to decide the best way to get to Channel Islands.
If you’re taking a road trip, you’ll need to rent a car and plan out your route. Book a car through Discover Cars – you enter your destination and they scan all of the available cars in all the agencies to find the best price for the type of car you want. You can also read my Guide to Finding the Cheapest Rental Car for handy tips. Check my Road Trip Packing List to make sure you have everything you need for your trip. - If you’re going to fly, read on to find an airport close to Channel Islands National Park. That’s what this guide is to help you do!
- Then you’ll need to book a flight. I recommend using Skyscanner to search through all available flights to find the cheapest.
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Closest Airports to Channel Islands National Park
How to Decide Your Flights to Channel Islands National Park
Before working out where you should fly to when visiting the Channel Islands National Park, there are various factors to consider. These include whether or not you’re going anywhere else, where you’ll stay, your timings, where you’re coming from, your budget and more.
- Where else are you planning to go on your trip? If you’re hoping to explore more of California – such as Orange County or LA – then you need to factor those locations into your decision.
- When are you going? Sometimes, flights to and from cities can be seasonal services.
- Where are you staying? The distance from the airport to where you’re staying will be a big deciding factor. For the Channel Islands National Park, most people stay in Ventura, Santa Barbara or Los Angeles.
- How much time do you have? Your travel time to and from the airport will of course eat into your total trip time.
- Where are you flying from? A larger airport is more likely to offer directs flights to and from the destination of your choice, but sometimes you can strike it lucky with a smaller airport.
- What’s your budget? Flight prices can vary very widely. You may pay more for convenience, or when there isn’t so much competition.
- Do you have a frequent flyer program with your favorite airline? If so this might come into things when you’re picking between the available Channel Islands airlines and airports.
- What type of car do you want to rent when you arrive? Not all types of cars are available at all rental agencies, so if you have a particular type of car in mind, it’s worth checking at the car rental agencies for each airport to make sure they have the car you want.
What are the best airports near Channel Islands National Park?
The airports near Channel Islands are:
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)
- Camarillo Airport (CMA)
- Oxnard Airport (OXR)
- Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
- Santa Ana/John Wayne Airport (SNA)
- Ontario International Airport (ONT)
If the idea of having a choice between seven airports seems daunting, don’t despair! Read on for all you need to know so you can choose the right entry point for visiting the Channel Islands National Park.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
The biggest airport serving the Channel Islands National Park is Los Angeles – or LAX. This vast international hub offers an unparalleled choice of flights and of course a wide range of car rental options.
Location: Los Angeles International Airport is around 18 miles southwest of downtown, in the Westchester neighborhood.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 72 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 1 hour and 10 minutes
What airlines fly out of Channel Islands Airport? Which airports connect to there?
You can fly into LAX from cities all over the US and beyond. International and domestic carriers use Los Angeles as a hub, so you can fly with Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, El Al Israel, Iberia and many more in addition to the likes of American, Delta and United.
You can then reach the mainland towns close to the Channel Islands National Park in a little over an hour. The distance is a little over 70 miles.
Rental car options (all offsite):
- Rental car shuttles: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Sixt, Thrifty, Zipcar
- Remote Rental Car Depot: Allied, Ace, Airport Van Rental, Green Motion, Midway, Next Car, NU, Priceless, State Van Rental, U-Save
Getting to Channel Islands National Park – Los Angeles International Airport:
- LAX FlyAway shuttles
- Scheduled buses
- Public transport
- Ride shares
- Car rental
- Taxis
Pros:
- Major US gateway
- Lots of ground transportation options
- Many international and domestic flights
Cons:
- Busy and congested hub
- All rental car outlets are offsite
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you want the widest choice of carriers and destinations
- When you’d like to see more of LA and/or California
Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is a much smaller airport than bustling LAX. 20 flights per day to 10 destinations operate from this regional airport. The carriers you can use are American, Alaska, Southwest and United Airlines.
Once you’re armed with directions to Santa Barbara, you can collect a rental car here, as there are seven on-site companies to choose from. The airport is just around 40 minutes’ drive from Ventura, for ferries to the national park.
Location: Santa Barbara Airport is around 7 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 41 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 40 minutes
What airlines fly out of Channel Islands Airport? Which airports connect to there?
- Alaska: Direct flights to Portland and Seattle
- American: Direct flights to Dallas and Phoenix
- Southwest: Direct flights to Denver, Las Vegas, Oakland and Sacramento
- United: Direct flights to Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco
Rental car options:
- Onsite: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National
- Offsite: Thrifty
Getting from Santa Barbara – Channel Islands National Park:
- Uber and Lyft ride shares
- Local shuttle services
- Public transport
- Car rental
- Taxis
Pros:
- Closest major airport to Channel Islands National Park
- 8 car rental options on and off the airport
- Just 7 miles from Santa Barbara
Cons:
- Limited airlines
- Only 10 destinations
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you want a fast journey time from the airport to the national park
- When you live in or near one of the cities served by the airport
Camarillo Airport (CMA)
Operated by the county of Ventura, Camarillo Airport is very close to the Channel Islands National Park. However, it offers only private services.
Location: Camarillo Airport is 3 miles west of downtown Camarillo in Ventura County, California.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 15 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 20 minutes
What airlines fly out of Channel Islands Airport? Which airports connect to there?
- Private airplanes only
Rental car options:
- Downtown: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz
Getting from Camarillo Airport to Channel Islands National Park:
- Private flights
Pros:
- Close to the Channel Islands
- Fly direct from Camarillo to the Channel Islands
Cons:
- Private flights and experiences only at this airport
- No on site rental cars
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you have your own plane (which most of us don’t!)
Oxnard Airport (OXR)
Like Camarillo, Oxnard Airport is also operated by the county of Ventura. Though it’s close to the national park, it hasn’t offered scheduled flights since mid 2010.
Location: Oxnard Airport is in Ventura County, around a mile west of downtown.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 4 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 10 minutes
What airlines fly out of Channel Islands Airport? Which airports connect to there?
- Only private flights operate out of Oxnard Airport
Rental car options:
- Onsite: Budget
Getting from Oxnard Airport to Channel Islands National Park:
- Car rental
Pros:
- Very close to the Channel Islands and ferry services
- Budget car rental on site
Cons:
- Private flights only
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you book a private flight/ have your own plane
Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
Hollywood Burbank Airport can be found to the northwest of Los Angeles. Eight US airlines operate out of this airport, and there is the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC) on site, offering car rental services.
You can fly to destinations all over the US from Hollywood Burbank. The drive to the Channel Islands area from the airport takes around an hour and 10 minutes (with good traffic).
Location: Hollywood Burbank Airport in Los Angeles County is about 3 miles northwest of downtown Burbank.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 68 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 1 hour and 10 minutes
What airlines fly out of Channel Islands Airport? Which airports connect to there?
- Alaska: Non-stop flights to Boise, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Santa Rosa
- American: Non-stop flights to Dallas and Phoenix
- Avelo: Non-stop flights to Arcata-Eureka, Bend-Redmond, Boise, Bozeman, Brownsville, Colorado Springs, Eugene, Kalispell, Medford, Pasco, Redding, Salem, Santa Rosa
- Delta: Non-stop flights to Salt Lake City
- JetBlue: Non-stop flights to New York (JFK)
- Southwest: Non-stop flights to Albuquerque, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Eugene, Las Vegas, Nashville, Oakland, Phoenix, Reno, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Jose
- Spirit: Non-stop flights to Las Vegas
- United: Non-stop flights to Denver and San Francisco
Rental car options:
- Onsite: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty
Getting from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Channel Islands National Park:
- Metro Bus and BurbankBus
- Local shuttle services
- Ridesharing
- Car rental
- Metrolink
- Taxis
Pros:
- Impressive car rental center
- Great public transport options
- Flights to numerous US cities
Cons:
- Many destinations served are fairly minor
- No international flights
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you want to reach it by Amtrak train
- When you want to fly to regional US destinations
- If you want avoid a large airport like LAX
Santa Ana/John Wayne Airport (SNA)
John Wayne | Santa Ana Airport is located in Orange County, California. It’s operated by the county, is classed as a large airport, and is consistently highly ranked for service.
Location: John Wayne Airport is situated in Orange County, south of Santa Ana and east of Huntington Beach.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 108 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 2 hours and 35 minutes
What airlines fly out of Channel Islands Airport? Which airports connect to there?
- Around a dozen airlines operate out of Channel Islands airport. These include Air Canada as well as a range of US airlines. Non-stop destinations served by the airport include Mexican and Canadian cities in addition to places in the US.
Rental car options:
- Onsite: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Thrifty
- Offsite: Fox/Payless, Go, Los Angeles van rentals, Orange County van rental, SNA, Stop-n-Go, U-Save, United
Getting from John Wayne Airport to Channel Islands National Park:
- Lyft, Uber and Wingz rideshare services
- Local shuttle services
- Public transport
- Car rental
- Taxis
Pros:
- Highly rated passenger airport
- Many car rental services to choose from
- International flights to Canada and Mexico
Cons:
- Over two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Channel Islands National Park
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you want to explore Orange County and areas south of Los Angeles while visiting California
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Ontario International Airport is in southern California, west of San Bernardino and east of LA. The airport operates domestic and International flights, and offers a shuttle service to and from its rental car center.
Location: Ontario International Airport in San Bernardino County, California is around 2 miles east of downtown Ontario.
Distance to Channel Islands National Park: 105 miles
Travel time to Channel Islands National Park: 2 hours and 35 minutes
What airlines fly out of Ontario International Airport? Which airports connect to there?
- Around a dozen carriers operate from Ontario International Airport. These include Avianca, China Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines as well as various mainland US carriers. This means you can reach international destinations as well as domestic cities.
Rental car options:
- Rental Car Center (via shuttle): Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty
Getting from Ontario International Airport to Channel Islands National Park:
- Local shuttle services
- Rideshare services
- Public transport
- Car rental
- Taxis
Pros:
- Some international destinations served
- Free shuttle to rental car center with 10 brands
Cons:
- More than 2.5 hours by car from Channel Islands National Park
This is the best airport for Channel Islands National Park …
- If you’re also planning to visit areas east of Los Angeles like Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park
FAQs About the Closest Airport to Channel Islands National Park
What is the closest airport to Channel Islands National Park?
Santa Barbara is the nearest commercial airport to the Channel Islands National Park. This is around 40 miles away, and offers a choice of airlines and destinations. For more options, LAX is about 70 miles from the park, and operates flights all over the planet including North America.
What is the closest city to Channel Islands National Park?
The closest sizeable city to Channel Islands National Park is Santa Barbara, which in fact is the same name as one of the islands.
For traveling to the islands by boat, however, Ventura or Oxnard are the closest places, as ferries operate from here. The islands have visitor centers in both Santa Barbara and Ventura.
Los Angeles is the nearest major city.
How to get to the Channel Islands from Los Angeles?
You can reach Ventura from Los Angeles by car in around an hour-and-a-half. The fastest route to take is via US-101 N, and the distance is about 68 miles.
Alternatively, take a Flixbus service from LA to Ventura, which takes just under two hours. Or you could travel via Amtrak train from LA to Ventura, on the Pacific Surfliner route.
From Ventura, you can then take a ferry to reach the Channel Islands.
What is the best way to get to the Channel Islands?
Once you arrive in the Santa Barbara or Ventura areas, you can take a ferry to the Channel Islands. These depart from Ventura and Oxnard Harbors. This is the best way to reach the islands on foot. No cars or even bikes are allowed on the islands, so you can only explore by walking or by boat after arrival.
How far is Ventura from Santa Barbara?
Ventura and Santa Barbara are around 27 miles apart. The drive between them takes around half an hour, and you can travel along the southern Californian coastline en route.
Map of Airports Near Channel Islands National Park
Travel Insurance for Channel Islands National Park
A final thought. When you’re planning to fly to Channel Islands National Park, consider getting travel insurance too. Make sure it includes trip cancellation, in case you need to cancel your flight before your travel, so that you can get a refund.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can choose the best travel insurance plan for your trip here or get a quote right now:
Have a great trip to Channel Islands National Park! I hope this guide has helped you decide your flights to the Channel Islands.
Subscribe to regular updates with tips for planning, travel inspiration and trip ideas and get instant access to the free PDF of this guide to the
Closest Airports to Channel Islands National Park
Which of the airports near Channel Islands did you choose? I’d love to know. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and all of the main national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for most of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, comprehensive camping and hiking gear reviews and buying guides, and helpful packing lists and gift guides will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
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