Jack McNamara Field – CEC

I love our tiny airport. I remember when the «baggage area» was a 4×3 metal box on the side wall in the terminal. Now we have a dutch door. Progress I guess. Also we now have a new airline company here called PenAir… they have two flights a day in and two out and they fly to Portland Oregon. Then from Portland you can fly anywhere you wish using Alaska or any other airline. They, I hope will grow with Crescent CIty. We are happy they are here.

Easily the tiniest airport I’ve ever been to. For our southern Oregon vacation we took a puddle jumper from SFO here and I drove where we needed to be. Super easy, and super small. The lobby was barely big enough to fit the dozen or two people on our flight. Not a fan of the fog around the area and the nail biting experience of landing through it. Hertz is the only rental place here, so bolt like OJ to get there before the inevitable line forms.

Make sure to book way I’m advance if possible. That way you save. Free parking and WiFi. United/​skywest is the only airline that fly out and hertz is the rental car company, high rate. One more car rental company, But it’s also pricey. The airport is SMALL, you can get there 20 – 30 min before your flight and be fine.

Unbelievably tiny airport with a lobby that has the feel of a 1960s bowling alley. Super strong free wifi make any wait bearable and the staff are not only efficient, but funny and entertaining.
While waiting for a flight a few weeks ago, an arriving passenger’s crutches got misplaced. The local cab driver was able to deliver a set, but if they hadn’t, the airport staff were going to let them take one of the wheelchairs home.
Everyone is small town friendly and the views of the coast (when not hidden by the frequent marine layer) are breath taking.
Up and back from SMF in one day is awesome.

I’m not really sure if the problem here is Jack McNamara Field or United/​SkyWest airlines, but there is a problem.
As a local who has traveled all over the world let me level with you…
Just don’t!
Drive to Medford!
Flights are ALWAYS delayed and there is only one place to go… that’s SFO… they can’t re-​route you to another city to catch your connection. And running through SFO to try and catch you flight that you originally had a 3 hour layover with and now have about 15 minutes is no fun!
My last flight out they brought us through security, put us on the plane and there we sat, on the plane for 90 minutes. We then deboarded the plane and sat in a secured area (TSA went home for the day… that’s right, went home for the day) without food or water for another 90 minutes! Couldn’t have anything brought to us because TSA couldn’t clear it. The staff is pretty unprofessional… upon my last return my bags were lost for 4 days. They did nothing to help me. I would call, they would tell me they were on the next flight, I’d show up at the airport and no bags…
Like I said I’m not sure if the problem is the airport or United, but either way traveling can be stressful enough, so if you can help it just drive to Medford and save yourself the headache.

AR! AR! AR!
What a great little place to land. Beautiful sweeping vistas of the rugged California coast, views of Mt. Shasta in the distance, crisp clean air, and best of all the sound of barking seals heralding your arrival.
To be sure, CEC is a tiny place, but that’s part of the charm I’m quite convinced only two people run the entire airport. I’ll take this place over LAX any day.

Don’t expect a big airport. This isn’t LaGuardia. There is talk of a remodel and expansion, so hopefully that will take this airport to the next level. As it is now, it’s perfect for getting to the CA or OR coast at a decent price.
I’ve now got a new alternative to flying into MFR and driving 2.5 hours, spending $ 300 on a rental car and wishing that I could fly back home just a little bit closer to home.