The Southern California airport that once served as a gateway to Asia

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Long before it became a major cargo hub for FedEx and UPS, Ontario International Airport was a vital link to the Pacific. In the late 1940s, it served as the primary departure point for flights connecting the United States to cities like Shanghai and Manila.

The airport's international significance emerged in 1946 when Industrial Air Transport—later renamed Pacific Overseas Airlines (POA)—established its headquarters there. Leveraging the superior runway capabilities of the time, POA utilized Douglas C-54 aircraft to fly across the Pacific to Japan and later to Manila and Shanghai. This era transformed the Inland Empire into a diplomatic corridor, as various Asian ambassadors and VIPs entered the U.S. through Ontario.

The airline's legacy even reached Southeast Asia; a 1947 joint venture involving shareholders from Siam eventually helped form what is known today as Thai Airways International. However, the airline's rapid expansion was short-lived, as it ceased operations by 1948, though it remained at the airport as a maintenance provider until 1952.

The airport's history is marked by significant shifts in governance and infrastructure. Originally established in 1923 as Latimer Field, the site evolved through various iterations, including a period of ownership by the City of Los Angeles. Following a period of intense local dispute over management, ownership was transferred back to a local authority—a partnership between San Bernardino County and the City of San Bernardino—in 2016.

Today, while it remains a critical logistics center and the eighth-busiest U.S. airport for cargo, it maintains a unique operational profile. Unlike many neighboring Southern California airports that enforce strict noise limits, Ontario operates 24/7, utilizing 'Contra-Flow' procedures during late-night hours to mitigate the impact on surrounding communities.

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