Aircraft noise in Kearny Mesa (92111, 92123)
On a typical day, about 270 aircraft pass over Kearny Mesa — mostly military and general-aviation aircraft, below 3,000 ft. San Diego International Airport traffic adds another 44 overflights a day. Estimated peak ground noise reaches 70–75 dB — enough to interrupt conversation outdoors. It ranks #5 of 30 San Diego neighborhoods for aircraft noise exposure. (Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 90 days to 2026-09-25.)
Data: 90 days to 2026-09-25 · all tracked aircraft over Kearny Mesa · updated monthly
Where the noise comes from
Kearny Mesa hears traffic from 2 distinct sources:
Military & general aviation (Montgomery-Gibbs, Miramar, North Island)
227 overflights/day (84%) · typically 800 ft
Around 227 low overflights a day come from military and general-aviation traffic that isn't using San Diego International — mainly Montgomery-Gibbs Executive, MCAS Miramar, NAS North Island and Gillespie Field. Light-aircraft counts are tracked overflights only — many training and private aircraft carry no ADS-B transponder, so true numbers are higher.
San Diego International Airport
live map →44 overflights/day (16%) · typically 6,900 ft
San Diego International Airport contributes arrivals over Kearny Mesa, typically mostly above 5,000 ft.
Light-aircraft counts are tracked overflights only — many training and private aircraft carry no ADS-B transponder, so true numbers are higher.
How nearby neighborhoods compare
| Neighborhood | Overflights / day | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Kearny Mesa | 270 | #5 |
| Serra Mesa | 227 | #6 |
| Clairemont Mesa East | 171 | #10 |
| Clairemont Mesa West | 134 | #15 |
| North Clairemont | 106 | #20 |
Common questions
- Is Kearny Mesa under a flight path?
- Yes — Kearny Mesa is directly under the area's flight paths, with around 270 overflights on a typical day, mostly arrivals.
- Which airport's aircraft fly over Kearny Mesa?
- More than one source: other low-flying aircraft (~227/day), San Diego International Airport (~44/day). The breakdown above shows each source's pattern.
- What time do planes start over Kearny Mesa?
- The first movements typically pass over Kearny Mesa around 1:07am, building through the morning peak.
- Is it quieter in Kearny Mesa on weekends?
- Not much — weekday and weekend traffic over Kearny Mesa is similar (274 vs 262 overflights a day).
Checking a specific address?
This page shows neighborhood-wide averages. An address report gives you the exact overflight count, altitudes, hourly pattern and noise estimate for one property. Leave your email and we'll let you know when reports are ready for Kearny Mesa.
