
Airport
El Centro NAF Airport (Vraciu Field) (NJK)
Naval Air Facility El Centro is a U.S. Navy military airfield serving California's Imperial Valley, about 6 miles northwest of downtown El Centro. Onward travel is mainly by private transfer, rental car or pre-arranged vehicle, with road access to Imperial, Brawley, Calexico, the U.S.-Mexico border, San Diego, Palm Springs and Yuma.
Passengers
Luggage
About El Centro NAF Airport (Vraciu Field)
Naval Air Facility El Centro is a U.S. Navy military airfield in the Imperial Valley of Southern California. The site began as a World War II-era Marine Corps Air Station, was commissioned as a Naval Air Station on May 1, 1946, and later became a Naval Air Facility; the airfield was named Vraciu Field in 2019 in honor of Navy pilot Alexander Vraciu.
The airfield supports combat flight training and readiness for Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and allied squadrons, taking advantage of the Imperial Valley's clear flying weather. It is best known as the winter training home of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and as a center for tactical aviation, not as a commercial airport.
Located about 6 miles northwest of El Centro, the facility is reached from Highway 8 and sits roughly 130 miles east of San Diego, 60 miles west of Yuma and about 15 minutes from the Mexican border. Access is controlled, and civilian aircraft require prior permission before landing.
Because there is no public passenger terminal, most travelers arrive by road through pre-arranged ground transportation. The airfield's operational infrastructure includes a control tower, multiple runways and military aviation support services rather than public airport amenities.

Terminal Overview

Terminals
Naval Air Facility El Centro does not have a public passenger terminal. It is a U.S. Navy military airfield used primarily for flight training and military air operations, and civilian flights require prior permission before landing.
Ground Transportation Services to and from El Centro NAF Airport (Vraciu Field)
Transfers
Book a private transfer from Naval Air Facility El Centro to El Centro, Imperial, Brawley, Calexico or other Imperial Valley destinations with advance coordination.
Hourly Chauffeur
Arrange an hourly chauffeur for flexible travel from NAF El Centro to business meetings, events or locations around the Imperial Valley and Southern California.
Car Rental
Rent a car in El Centro or at nearby airports for independent travel after arriving at Naval Air Facility El Centro, with Highway 8 connections to San Diego and Yuma.
Bus & Group Transfers
Organize a charter bus or group transfer for military detachments, training groups or visiting parties traveling between NAF El Centro, hotels and event venues in the region.



