Airport Overview
Palo Alto Airport (KPAO) is a busy single-runway general-aviation field at the southern edge of San Francisco Bay, about 3 miles from downtown Palo Alto and Stanford University and immediately off U.S. Route 101. Owned and operated by the City of Palo Alto since 2015 (previously managed by Santa Clara County), it is one of the busiest light-GA airports in the Bay Area, logging well over 50,000 operations a year with roughly 185 based aircraft — overwhelmingly piston singles, light twins, and trainers.
Runway Capability
The field has one runway, 13/31, just 2,443 ft of asphalt. This is a short-field environment suited to piston aircraft, gliders, and a few short-field-capable turboprops. It is too short for business jets of any category. Operations are visual-only with no published instrument approaches, so reliable IFR access for turbine charter is not available here.
Charter Considerations
Because KPAO cannot accept jets, charter clients bound for Palo Alto, Stanford, or the mid-Peninsula should fly into a jet-capable field instead. San Jose International (SJC) offers full FBO service and is roughly a 20-minute drive; Hayward Executive (HWD) across the bay is another option. San Carlos (SQL) is closer but is also a short light-GA field, and Moffett (NUQ) is federal/restricted. The Jet Finder can position the right aircraft at the best nearby airport for your routing.
Tower, Customs & Fuel
KPAO has a part-time control tower (Palo Alto Tower, 118.6) operating 0700-2100 local; outside those hours pilots self-announce on 118.6. There is no U.S. Customs on the field — the nearest CBP clearance is at SFO or SJC. Both 100LL avgas and Jet-A are available on field (Chevron full-serve plus 24/7 self-serve 100LL), though Jet-A demand here is limited to the occasional turboprop.
Safety & Planning
The short runway, surrounding terrain, and proximity to Bay Area Class B and C airspace make KPAO a demanding light-GA environment. Marine fog frequently lowers visibility on summer and fall mornings, and the bayshore setting can produce gusty crosswinds in the afternoon. Pilots should confirm tower hours, density-altitude performance, and current NOTAMs before operating, and budget for visual-only conditions with no instrument backup.
Regional Context
Palo Alto sits in the heart of Silicon Valley, surrounded by one of the densest concentrations of corporate and venture wealth in the country. That demand is served almost entirely by larger jet-capable fields — San Jose, San Francisco, Hayward, and the corporate hub at San Carlos's larger neighbors — rather than by KPAO itself, which remains a community light-GA airport. For private-jet travel to the Peninsula, KPAO is best understood as a landmark, not a destination airport.