Los Cabos is the go-to warm-weather escape for Los Angeles, close enough for a long weekend at a resort or a private villa between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Private flights land at Los Cabos International (SJD) in San Jose del Cabo, which handles business jets. From Van Nuys the route is well within light and midsize jet range. It is popular for birthdays, golf trips and family holidays, and many travelers fly down on Thursday or Friday and return on Sunday.
| Airport | IATA / ICAO | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Nuys | VNY / KVNY | departure · 1,496 km to SJD | One of the busiest general aviation airports in the country, in the San Fernando Valley; no scheduled airline traffic, suits Beverly Hills, Bel Air and the Valley. |
| Los Angeles International | LAX / KLAX | departure · 1,468 km to SJD | Alternative. |
| Los Cabos International | SJD / MMSD | arrival | Main airport for Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo at the tip of Baja California; mixed traffic with private terminals. |
Source: OurAirports, great-circle.
| Class | Example (published range) | Verdict for 1,496 km | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light jet | Phenom 300 (3,650 km) | Non-stop | 2 h 25 |
| Midsize jet | Citation XLS+ (3,889 km) | Non-stop | 2 h 15 |
| Ultra-long-range jet | Global 6000, Falcon 8X, Gulfstream G650 (11,112 km) | Non-stop | 2 h 00 |
Rule: non-stop needs 15% range margin. Times are estimates.
6-8 passengers, 3,650 km of published range: 2.4 times this route.
See the aircraft ›13-19 passengers, 13,890 km of published range: 9.3 times this route.
See the aircraft ›From $22,000 one way, whole aircraft, on a light jet. That is the lowest figure we found published by a charter broker for this route: a market reference, not our quote. Every quote we send is in US dollars, for the whole aircraft, and the price includes our service fee.
| When | What happens | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| November to April | Peak season in Los Cabos, with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's the busiest weeks. | Book holiday weekends early. |
| Summer and early fall | Hot, quieter, and the eastern Pacific hurricane season. | Watch the forecast for late-summer trips. |
Your dates and group size for Cabo San Lucas.