34 California Airports Appear On FAA Hot Spot List

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its latest Airport Hot Spot list for the Southwest region, highlighting 34 California airports as locations where pilots should use extra caution.

Hot spots are defined by the FAA as specific areas on taxiways or runways with a history of confusion or elevated risk, often due to complex layouts, signage, or operational challenges. These areas are charted on airport diagrams to help pilots plan taxi routes and reduce the risk of surface incidents.

The Southwest hot spot list, covering data from November 2025 through January 2026, includes dozens of airports across Arizona, California, Colorado, and other states.

Among California’s airports, San Francisco International tops the list with four hot spots, where pilots can occasionally miss taxiway turns, cross onto runways by mistake, or misidentify hold-short lines. Los Angeles International also features multiple hot spots, including areas with short distances between parallel runways and complex taxiway intersections, where pilots have sometimes entered runways without clearance, according to the New York Post.

Sacramento, San Jose, and San Diego International were also listed — often involving high-traffic taxiways, pushback conflicts, or short distances from run-up areas to active runways.

Nationwide, the FAA has identified more than 150 airports with hot spots.