Sonoma County Airport

What Sonoma County Airport does

Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) is a regional, county-owned public airport located in Santa Rosa, California, approximately 55 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Operated by the County of Sonoma's Department of Transportation and Public Works, the airport runs two runways (14/32 at 6,000 feet and 2/20 at 5,202 feet), an FAA Air Traffic Control Tower (0700–2000 PST), and serves approximately 640,000 passengers annually across 12 nonstop destinations. It functions as both a commercial passenger facility and a general aviation hub, with two fixed-base operators (KaiserAir and Sonoma Jet Center) supporting private aviation, charter, medical transport, and flight training.

The airport's commercial service is anchored by Alaska Airlines as the primary carrier — operating up to nine daily flights to five West Coast destinations on Bombardier Q400 aircraft and offering the unique "Wine Flies Free" program — with American Airlines (Phoenix) and United Airlines (San Francisco) as secondary scheduled carriers, plus Southwest and seasonal Sun Country service. Ground transportation integrates nine on-site car rental brands, Uber/Lyft rideshare, Pingo microtransit, Groome Transportation shuttles to SFO and OAK, and the SMART Train connection one mile away. On-site amenities include Tesla Superchargers, ChargePoint EV stations, and concessions such as Sky Lounge Steakhouse, Crush Wine Bar, Costeaux French Bakery, and Flying Ace.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of regulated and commercial streams: a $4.50 Passenger Facility Charge per enplaned passenger (FAA-authorized through 2049), a $5.80/day Consolidated Facility Charge on car rentals (effective April 2022), terminal advertising, fixed-base operator and concessionaire rentals, parking managed by Metropolis/SP+, and federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) capital grants — most recently supporting the $25 million Terminal Expansion Project No. 10. The airport is governed as a public utility with no external equity investors and is led by Airport Manager Jon G. Stout, Assistant Airport Manager Samonae Carter, and ADA/Title VI Coordinator Renee Aivaliklis.

Name

Sonoma County Airport

Legal name

Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport

Website

https://sonomacountyairport.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) is a county-owned regional airport in Santa Rosa, California, serving approximately 640,000 annual passengers with nonstop commercial service to 12 destinations, anchored by Alaska Airlines, plus general aviation and on-site ground transportation and EV amenities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Airport Operations

NAICS

Airport Operations (48811), Other Airport Operations (488119)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation Infrastructure Agencies (Public Airports, Airfield Ops, Ground Access) (BPAIALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Airport Car Rental (On-Airport Concessions) (THADAAAA), Airport Ground Transport Terminals (Rail/Bus/Coach) (THAIALAG)

Keywords

• Commercial airport services
• Regional passenger aviation
• General aviation facilities
• Airport ground transportation
• Terminal concession operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Passenger Facility Charges: The airport imposes a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) of $4.50 per enplaned passenger. Revenue supports terminal expansion projects including holdroom, checkpoint, and baggage makeup expansion. Estimated total PFC revenue is $1,750,000 for the current application period through 2049.
2. Car Rental Consolidated Facility Charge: The airport collects a Consolidated Facility Charge (CFC) of $5.80 per day (maximum five days) from car rental companies operating at the airport. Revenue supports ConRAC (Consolidated Rental Car Facility) design, construction, and debt service.
3. Terminal Advertising: The airport generates revenue through advertising partnerships with various businesses including tourism organizations, wineries, and local businesses. Advertising options include terminal space with approximately 640,000 annual passengers.
4. Tenant and Concessionaire Rentals: The airport generates revenue from fixed-base operators (FBOs), concessionaires, restaurants, and other businesses operating on airport property. Businesses include Apple Spice, Crush Wine Bar, Costeaux French Bakery, Flying Ace, and various FBOs including KaiserAir and Sonoma Jet Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) operates as a regional commercial and general aviation airport providing scheduled passenger air service to 12+ nonstop destinations via partnerships with Alaska Airlines (primary carrier), American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and seasonal Sun Country Airlines. The airport also supports general aviation operations through fixed-base operators (KaiserAir, Sonoma Jet Center), offers on-site parking, EV charging, terminal concessions, car rental facilities, and ground transportation coordination. Approximately 640,000 passengers are processed annually across the facility's two runways.

Product overview

Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport (STS) is a regional commercial and general aviation airport offering a unified set of passenger and operational services. The airport serves as a hub for multiple airline partners including Alaska Airlines (primary carrier with Wine Flies Free program), American Airlines, United Airlines, and seasonal Sun Country service. Ground transportation integrations with Uber, Lyft, and Pingo provide passenger connectivity, while on-site amenities include EV charging (ChargePoint and Tesla), multiple car rental agencies, and SMART Train connection. Security services include SIDA/AOA badge programs managed via AirBadge. Community programs encompass noise management and DBE/ACDBE business enterprise programs. The airport processes approximately 640,000 passengers annually across 12 nonstop destinations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airport Parking Services
• Tesla Supercharger EV Charging
• ChargePoint EV Charging
• SIDA/Sterile Badge Program
• AOA Badge Program
• Terminal Advertising Space
• Terminal Expansion Project No. 10

Quantifiable outcome

• ~2.25 million passengers carried by Alaska Airlines in first 10 years (2007-2017)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, primary and core.

• Sun Country AirlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 August 2017Seasonal service from Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) from August 24 to December 3, 2017. Operated 737-800 aircraft with 12 first class and 150 coach seats.
• United AirlinesprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 June 2017Three nonstop daily flights to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) starting June 8, 2017. Operates 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft.
• American AirlinesprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 February 2017Third carrier at STS since February 2017. Provides daily nonstop service to Phoenix-Sky Harbor (PHX) on 70-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft. Second daily flight added July 2017.
• Alaska AirlinesprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary airline partner providing daily flights to five West Coast destinations (LAX, PDX, SAN, SEA, SNA) using 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Averaging nine flights daily. Celebrated 10th anniversary of service in 2017 with nearly 2.25 million passengers carried.
• Southwest AirlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirline partner providing additional domestic connectivity to the STS market.
• KaiserAircoreTechnology or IntegrationFull-service fixed-base operator (FBO) at the airport. FAA Part 121 and 135 certified. Offers first class airline and jet service, aircraft management, on-site maintenance, aviation fueling, hangar space for larger aircraft, and concierge services.
• Sonoma Jet CentercoreTechnology or IntegrationFull-service fixed-base operator featuring flight support, maintenance, concierge services, and general aviation maintenance.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at STS. Responsible for safety of civil aviation, regulating civil aviation, developing air traffic control systems, and researching National Airspace System.
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEV charging stations at STS were partially funded through BAAQMD Charge! Program which provides funding to expand plug-in electric vehicle charging networks at workplaces, multifamily dwellings, and public locations.
• Alaska Airlines (Wine Flies Free Program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSonoma Wine Flies Free program allows passengers booking through Alaska Airlines to check up to a case of wine for free as part of their free luggage allowance on flights originating from STS. Requires Mileage Plan number in reservation.
• Groome TransportationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFounded in 1980. Premier transfer service between SFO, Oakland Airport, and Wine Country. Employees provide ground transportation connecting travelers to/from STS.
• Airport InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide comprehensive training to airport employees to effectively identify and report human trafficking in terminals, enabling potential victims to receive help.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eugene Airport (EUG): Small Pacific Northwest regional airport with a tourism-anchored catchment and a similar mainline-partner carrier mix. Useful comparable for PFC/CFC revenue scale and terminal expansion capex cycles.
• Santa Barbara Airport (SBA): California coastal regional airport serving tourism and business travelers with multiple mainline carriers. Similar passenger base, similar concession economics, and a comparable terminal upgrade cycle — useful benchmark for STS's planned expansion.
• Monterey Regional Airport (MRY): Another small California regional airport with a similarly tourism-driven leisure mix (Monterey/Carmel tourism). Comparable in passenger scale, runway length constraints, and dependence on a small number of regional mainline partners.
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF): The closest comparable Northern California regional airport, also serving Wine Country and Northern California catchment. Competes directly with STS for regional traffic to SF Bay Area destinations and provides a benchmark for terminal concession economics and PFC-funded expansion.

Broad incumbents

• Burbank Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): Mid-sized regional airport serving leisure travelers from a metro catchment. Comparable to STS on airport-concession economics and PFC-funded capital programs; offers a closer analog for short-runway mainline service.
• San Jose International Airport (SJC): Larger Bay Area regional airport that competes with STS for Northern California catchment. Broader route network and service by all major U.S. carriers provide a comparison point for carrier-mix and concession strategy.

Others

• KaiserAir: Full-service FBO operator at STS with fuel, hangar, charter, and concierge services. Comparable as a peer in general aviation service mix and corporate flight activity at other Northern California airports.
• Alaska Airlines: Primary carrier partner at STS operating the bulk of scheduled service and the Wine Flies Free program. While a customer rather than a peer in the airport-operator sense, Alaska's network decisions drive STS revenue and route economics more than any other entity.

Regional players

• Napa County Airport (APC): Adjacent Wine Country general aviation airport; not a scheduled-service competitor but competes for FBO business and private/corporate aviation traffic in the same catchment.
• Redding Municipal Airport (RDD): Small Northern California airport with similar FBO ecosystem and a tourism/regional traffic base. Comparable on general aviation infrastructure economics and the limitations of constrained runway capacity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Fly_STS
• Facebookfacebook.com/STSAirport
• Instagraminstagram.com/sonoma_county_airport

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sonoma County Airport