Peninsula's Private Airfield — Turboprop Executive Service
San Carlos Airport is the Bay Area's boutique Peninsula airfield, favored by residents of Atherton, Woodside, Menlo Park, and Hillsborough. With a single 2,621-foot runway and a 12,500 lb weight restriction, SQL serves turboprop aircraft like the King Air, Pilatus PC-12, and TBM series. No jets — just quiet, efficient executive travel for the Peninsula's most discerning travelers.
Runways
Single runway 12/30, 2,621 ft x 75 ft
Aircraft
Light piston aircraft and turboprops only (King Air 90/200, Pilatus PC-12, TBM series)
Best For
Peninsula elite — Atherton
Address: 620 Airport Way, Suite 1, San Carlos, CA 94070
Phone: (650) 716-6579
Hours: 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM daily
Primary fuel and services provider. Over 30 years at SQL. Full-service 100LL and Jet-A fuels. San Mateo County operates the terminal building.
Located just off US-101, SQL is ideal for Peninsula destinations. Minimal traffic impact for local Atherton/Woodside/Menlo Park pickups.
| Destination | Distance | Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown San Francisco | 25 mi | 30-40 min |
| Silicon Valley (Palo Alto) | 8 mi | 10-15 min |
| San Jose | 22 mi | 25-30 min |
| Atherton / Woodside | 5 mi | 8-12 min |
| Napa Valley | 70 mi | 75-100 min |
San Carlos is a small, single-runway GA airport with no commercial terminal security. Chauffeurs drive directly to the terminal area. Simple curbside pickup — pull up, load passengers and luggage, depart. No security gates or airport permits required.
Operational details specific to San Carlos Airport.
Rabbit Aviation Services runs 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily, which is the practical pickup window at SQL — late-night arrivals are uncommon because the field's 12,500 lb weight limit rules out jets and most operators schedule turboprop legs inside Rabbit's hours. Chauffeurs arrive 10 to 15 minutes before block-in. There are no security gates, no badges, and no commercial terminal to navigate, so staging is simple curbside at the terminal area operated by San Mateo County. We confirm with the passenger that pickup is at the SQL FBO ramp rather than one of the other on-field operators like San Carlos Flight Center or JATO Aviation, which share the field but are not Rabbit.
SQL's single 2,621-foot runway and 12,500 lb gross weight limit rule out every jet — pickups here are exclusively light piston and turboprop, with the King Air 90 and 200, Pilatus PC-12, and TBM series being the typical aircraft. Group sizes are small by design: one to two passengers off a TBM or PC-12, sometimes three to four off a King Air 200. The Cadillac Escalade handles a solo or paired Peninsula executive cleanly. The Cadillac Vistiq covers the same one to four passenger range with a slightly different cabin feel for clients who prefer it. There is no use case for a Sprinter at SQL — the aircraft do not bring enough passengers to justify it.
Three runs cover most SQL pickups. Atherton and Woodside at 5 miles and 8 to 12 minutes is the core use case — Peninsula residents returning home from a turboprop shuttle, single Escalade or Vistiq. Silicon Valley via Palo Alto at 8 miles and 10 to 15 minutes serves Sand Hill Road meetings and Stanford-area destinations, where SQL is the closest jet-capable alternative to PAO. Downtown San Francisco at 25 miles and 30 to 40 minutes is the long pull, usually a hotel or Financial District transfer where US-101 timing decides the window. San Jose at 22 miles is the southern alternative.
SQL sits directly off US-101 on the Peninsula, so traffic exposure tracks the US-101 corridor. Mornings 7 to 9 AM clog US-101 northbound toward San Francisco — Downtown SF runs slide toward the upper end of the 30 to 40 minute window. Evenings 4 to 7 PM mirror that pattern southbound. Local Atherton, Woodside, Menlo Park, and Hillsborough pickups stay close to off-peak times because they hug surface streets and short freeway segments. The San Jose run on US-101 south is the other rush-hour exposure. Mid-day and late-evening pickups inside Rabbit's 7 AM to 8 PM operating window typically run at or near off-peak estimates.
SQL is a single-runway general aviation airport with no commercial terminal security to navigate. The terminal building is operated by San Mateo County rather than Rabbit, which is a quirk worth knowing — passengers walk through the county-run terminal, while Rabbit handles fueling, ramp services, and the 100LL plus Jet-A with FSII additive option. Rabbit has been at the field over 30 years and is the primary fuel and services provider. Other on-field operators include San Carlos Flight Center, JATO Aviation, West Valley Flying Club, Diamond Aviation Charter, Bay Aerial Helicopter Service, and FlyBayArea, but our pickups concentrate at the Rabbit ramp area. Curbside loading takes under two minutes.
Call us or book online. Available 24/7 for private aviation clients.