Sacramento, California – For most travelers, an airport’s future is measured in minutes: a shorter parking search, a faster walk to the gate or one more nonstop flight. At Sacramento International Airport, those everyday choices are now being placed inside a much larger question, what should SMF become over the next 20 years?
The airport is asking the public to help answer it.
Sacramento International Airport has opened a community survey as part of an update to its Airport Master Plan, a long-range guide that will shape development, investment and improvements across the airport for the next two decades. Travelers, Sacramento-area residents and other community members are being encouraged to describe what works, what does not and what they believe should receive greater attention.
The survey asks for feedback on practical parts of the passenger experience, including flight choices, terminal amenities, parking and accessibility. It takes only a few minutes to complete and will remain available through August 14, 2026. Members of the public can take the SMF Airport Master Plan survey here.
“This master plan is about more than buildings and runways. It is about understanding what our community needs from its airport for decades to come,” said Cindy Nichol, Director of Airports for Sacramento County.
“We are asking the people who fly through SMF and live in this region to tell us what matters most to them.”
That distinction is important. A master plan is not limited to a single terminal project or one construction schedule. It begins with an examination of the airport as it exists today, then looks ahead by forecasting passenger levels and aircraft activity. From there, planners study whether current facilities can meet future demand and identify where additional capacity or other changes may be needed.
The process can cover the airfield, terminals, roads, parking, cargo operations and other aviation and non-aviation uses. It also evaluates development alternatives, environmental considerations, projected capital costs and possible funding sources before a recommended strategy is assembled. Public involvement is one of the formal parts of that process, giving airport users and nearby communities an opportunity to influence the plan before major priorities are set.
Feedback collected through the survey and other outreach efforts will help guide facility recommendations, capital improvement priorities and the airport’s broader development strategy. That means a response about difficult parking, limited flight options or accessibility concerns could become part of the information planners use when weighing future investments.
The master plan will not predict every change SMF may face over the next 20 years. Passenger demand, airline service and regional needs can shift. Its purpose is to give Sacramento County a structured path for responding to that growth rather than making major decisions in isolation.
For travelers, the survey offers a rare chance to look beyond the next departure. The airport experience of the 2040s is still taking shape, and SMF is asking the people who use it to help draw the outline.
Additional details about the planning process are available through the Sacramento County Department of Airports’ Planning and Design page.