Signature Aviation & APP Jet Center — East Bay Executive Hub
Hayward Executive Airport is a growing hub for Bay Area private aviation. With lower fees, zero commercial traffic, and a 5,694-foot runway that handles light through select heavy jets, HWD offers a fast and easy alternative to SFO and OAK. Two FBOs — Signature Aviation and the IS-BAH certified APP Jet Center — provide full executive services.
Runways
5,694 ft runway
Aircraft
Light through select heavy jets
Best For
East Bay clients
Address: 1 Tuskegee Airmen Drive, Hayward, CA 94545
Phone: Contact for details
Hours: Business hours
Full FBO services including fueling, hangar, and ground support.
Address: 19990 Skywest Drive, Hayward, CA 94541
Phone: Contact for details
Hours: Business hours
IS-BAH Stage 2 certified. Modern facility with executive lounge, crew amenities, and full ramp services.
Central East Bay location provides reasonable access to all Bay Area destinations. I-880 congestion during rush hour can affect SF and San Jose travel times.
| Destination | Distance | Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown San Francisco | 28 mi | 30-45 min |
| Silicon Valley (Palo Alto) | 18 mi | 25-35 min |
| San Jose | 18 mi | 20-30 min |
| Oakland (Downtown) | 18 mi | 20-30 min |
| Napa Valley | 60 mi | 65-95 min |
No commercial traffic — chauffeurs drive directly to the FBO terminal. Fast, easy access with no security checkpoints or airport congestion. Both FBOs on the east side of the field.
Operational details specific to Hayward Executive Airport.
HWD's two FBOs sit on opposite sides of the field with different hours, so confirming the operator before dispatch is mandatory. Signature Aviation at 1 Tuskegee Airmen Drive in 94545 runs 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily and was formerly known as Meridian Hayward — older signage and bookings may still reference Meridian. APP Jet Center at 21889 Skywest Drive in 94541 runs 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily, with the tower open 7 AM to 9 PM. Chauffeurs arrive 10 to 15 minutes before block-in at the confirmed FBO. There are no commercial ground transportation permits required at HWD, which makes it the easiest Bay Area FBO airport to dispatch alongside SQL and PAO.
HWD's primary 5,694-foot runway handles light jets like the Citation CJ and Learjet 31, midsize jets like the Citation XLS and Hawker 800XP, and select heavy jets including the Gulfstream IV, Challenger 601, and Falcon 2000. The aircraft mix means most pickups are one to four executives. The Cadillac Escalade is the default for a solo or paired executive off a Citation or Learjet. The Chevy Suburban Premier covers three to four passengers with overnight bags off a midsize or heavy jet. Crew movements off the larger Gulfstream IV or Challenger 601 are possible but less common; when they appear, a Suburban typically handles the manifest without needing to upsize.
Three runs anchor HWD. Downtown Oakland at 18 miles and 20 to 30 minutes is the closest major-city transfer, single Escalade or Suburban depending on luggage. San Jose at 18 miles and 20 to 30 minutes is the southern alternative — same drive time, different direction, useful for Silicon Valley executives who prefer HWD's lower fees and zero commercial traffic over SJC. Downtown San Francisco at 28 miles and 30 to 45 minutes is the longest of the three primary runs, where I-880 north and Bay Bridge timing decide whether we leave on the early end of the window. Silicon Valley at 18 miles is the cross-bay tech run.
HWD is 25 miles southeast of downtown SF, 14 miles south of Oakland, and sits just off I-880, so all major runs touch the I-880 corridor. Mornings 7 to 9 AM clog I-880 northbound toward Oakland and the Bay Bridge — the SF run stretches toward the upper end of the 30 to 45 minute window. Evenings 4 to 7 PM mirror that pattern in both directions and also affect the San Jose pull southbound. The Napa run at 60 miles is the long outlier and we pad heavily during commute windows. Mid-day pickups across all three primary destinations typically run at or near off-peak estimates because HWD avoids the SFO and OAK terminal-area congestion entirely.
HWD is a dedicated general aviation airport with no commercial airline traffic, so there is no terminal congestion in either direction. Signature Aviation, formerly Meridian Hayward, operates the 94545 side with full executive FBO services from 6 AM to 10 PM. APP Jet Center on the 94541 side runs an IS-BAH certified facility with a pilot lounge and snooze room, private meeting rooms with shower facilities, direct ramp access from aircraft to vehicle, on-site maintenance and ground handling, and overnight and long-term hangar storage. Both sides offer curbside FBO pickup with no commercial ground transportation permits required, which makes HWD the easiest dispatch in our airport set.
Call us or book online. Available 24/7 for private aviation clients.