Grand Central Airport: Glendale's Historic Aviation Landmark
Grand Central Airport, located in Glendale, California, holds a distinguished place in the annals of American aviation history as one of the pioneering commercial airports of the early 20th century. Opened in 1923, Grand Central Airport served as the primary commercial aviation hub for the Los Angeles region before the development of larger facilities, and it was from this Glendale field that many of the formative moments in California aviation history unfolded. The airport was used for early airmail operations, hosted celebrated aviators including Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post, and served as a production center for aircraft manufacturers including Lockheed and Vega Aircraft during the golden age of aviation. Howard Hughes used the field for some of his legendary record-setting flights and aircraft development work.
Grand Central Airport ceased commercial aviation operations in 1959 as the modern airport infrastructure at LAX, Burbank, and other facilities superseded its capabilities. The former airport site in Glendale was subsequently redeveloped, though the original 1928 terminal building — a Mission Revival structure considered one of the finest early airport terminals in the United States — survived and was later designated a historic landmark. Today the area is known as the Grand Central Business Centre, and the terminal building has been repurposed for commercial use. For aviation historians, the site remains a pilgrimage destination representing California's role in establishing commercial aviation as a viable industry during the interwar years.
Is Grand Central Airport in Glendale still operating?
No. Grand Central Airport ceased aviation operations in 1959 and the airfield was subsequently redeveloped. The former airport grounds are now part of the Grand Central Business Centre commercial development. The historic 1928 Mission Revival terminal building survives and is protected as a historic landmark, but no aircraft operations take place at the site.
What famous aviators flew from Grand Central Airport?
Grand Central Airport was used by many legendary aviators during its operational years. Amelia Earhart departed from here on various notable flights. Wiley Post, who completed the first solo around-the-world flight in 1933, used the field. Howard Hughes conducted test flights and set records operating from the Glendale airport. The field's proximity to the early California aviation manufacturing cluster made it a center of activity for the era's aviation pioneers.
What happened to the Grand Central Airport terminal building?
The original 1928 terminal building, designed in the Mission Revival style that was fashionable for California public buildings of the era, survived the airport's closure and subsequent redevelopment. The building was recognized for its architectural and historical significance and designated a City of Glendale Historic Landmark. It has been adapted for commercial office use and can be seen within the Grand Central Business Centre development.
Where should I fly in Glendale today?
The nearest general aviation airports to Glendale for current operations are Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) approximately 3 miles to the northwest and Whiteman Airport (WHP) in Pacoima approximately 8 miles to the north. Travelers seeking commercial service should use Burbank (BUR) or Los Angeles International (LAX).
Grand Central Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Glendale, California.
| Name | Grand Central Airport |
| Address | 1310 Air Way, Glendale CA 91201 Map |
| Phone | (760) 905-4436 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Grand Central Airport
Airports in near by County
Airports near Glendale
Glendale's Aviation Heritage and the Legacy of Early California Commercial Flight
The story of Grand Central Airport in Glendale is inseparable from the story of American commercial aviation's birth. In the 1920s and 1930s, when flying was still an exotic and dangerous novelty, the passengers who boarded Western Air Express or Pacific Air Transport flights from Grand Central were among the pioneers of commercial air travel. The routes they flew — Los Angeles to San Francisco, Los Angeles to Las Vegas — were the early arteries of a network that would eventually span the globe. Glendale's proximity to Hollywood meant that movie stars were among the first to embrace commercial air travel, and the airport's glamorous clientele reinforced aviation's association with speed, modernity, and star power that persists in California's culture to this day.
The Glendale area's aviation heritage is also industrial. Lockheed Aircraft's early California facility was associated with the Grand Central area, and the Vega Aircraft Company — which built the Lockheed Vega flown by Wiley Post and Amelia Earhart on their record-setting flights — operated near the airport. This cluster of manufacturers laid the groundwork for the California aerospace industry that would grow explosively during World War II and the Cold War, ultimately employing hundreds of thousands and making Southern California the aerospace capital of the world. Grand Central Airport's historic terminal building thus represents not just a moment in Glendale's history but a foundational chapter in the story of how California became a global aviation and aerospace powerhouse.