John Wayne Airport to Santa Ana: Practical Arrival Guide

John Wayne Airport is in Orange County and serves Santa Ana as well as the surrounding area. You can reach it by the San Diego (I-405) Freeway, the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway, or the Corona Del Mar Freeway/San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Toll Road (SR-73).

OCTA routes and road connections are part of getting around Santa Ana after landing.

Taxi, rideshare and rental cars are available at designated airport pickup areas, so follow the signs for your chosen service rather than heading to an arbitrary curb.

Taxi

Cabco Yellow, Inc. taxis are available in the Ground Transportation Center on the Arrival (lower) Level between Terminals A and B, and near Column 14 in Terminal C. If you plan to arrange a taxi by phone, confirm the contact details with the airport before you travel.

Rideshare

Uber, Lyft and Wingz pickups are in specific parking-structure locations: the upper levels of structures A2 and B2, and the upper level beside the ticketing area in the Terminal C parking structure. Check the airport’s current directions and your app before heading to the pickup point.

Rental car

On-site rental-car counters are on the Arrival (lower) Level between Terminals A and B, across from the John Wayne statue. Rental-car pickup and return are on Level 0 of Parking Structures A2 and B2. On-site companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt and Thrifty.

Licensed off-site rental companies pick up passengers at the Ground Transportation Center and shuttle them to their locations. If you have a booking, check whether it is on-site or off-site so you know which pickup arrangement to follow.

OCTA Route 76 runs between Huntington Beach and John Wayne Airport via Talbert Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard, with stops and destinations identified in Santa Ana. Check the current OCTA route information for stops and service details before relying on it for your trip.

Route 150 runs between Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, and Route 151 runs from Santa Ana to Costa Mesa on a counter-clockwise route. The route information alone does not establish how to connect between services, so check the current maps and schedules to plan any transfer.

Road travel can use I-405, SR-55 or SR-73. Allow extra time for traffic conditions on your travel day.

Rental-car pickup and return hours are 5:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m. If your flight arrives outside that window, confirm arrangements with your rental company before you travel. For buses, use OCTA’s current service information to check the schedule that applies to your day.

Check your transport provider’s current pickup instructions, operating details and any reservation requirements before leaving for the airport. Taxi and rideshare locations, rental-car arrangements, shuttle availability and bus service can all affect how you plan the next leg.

John Wayne Airport says elevators are available in all parking structures and in the Ground Transportation Center. It also says shuttle and taxi companies offer wheelchair-accessible vans; contact the provider to confirm arrangements for your journey. For current airport and bus details, check information from John Wayne Airport and OCTA.