Aircraft noise in National City (91950)
On a typical day, about 23 aircraft pass over National City — mostly military and general-aviation aircraft, below 3,000 ft. San Diego International Airport traffic adds another 3 overflights a day. Estimated peak ground noise reaches 81–85 dB — enough to interrupt conversation outdoors. It ranks #29 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 National City · updated monthly
Where the noise comes from
National City hears traffic from 2 distinct sources:
Military & general aviation (Montgomery-Gibbs, Miramar, North Island)
20 overflights/day (88%) · typically 1,300 ft
Around 20 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 →3 overflights/day (12%) · typically 5,100 ft
Traffic from San Diego International Airport is departures, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Terraces | 300 | #2 |
| Valencia Park | 298 | #3 |
| Lincoln Park | 120 | #17 |
| Coronado | 72 | #21 |
| National City | 23 | #29 |
Common questions
- Is National City under a flight path?
- Yes — National City is directly under the area's flight paths, with around 23 overflights on a typical day, mostly arrivals.
- Which airport's aircraft fly over National City?
- More than one source: other low-flying aircraft (~20/day), San Diego International Airport (~3/day). The breakdown above shows each source's pattern.
- What time do planes start over National City?
- The first movements typically pass over National City around 6:03am, building through the morning peak.
- Is it quieter in National City on weekends?
- Slightly — weekends average about 41% fewer overflights than weekdays (16 vs 26 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 National City.
