
Sacramento Metropolitan was the first purpose-built public-use airport west of the Mississippi when it opened in 1967.

Previously, air service to Sacramento was handled by Sacramento Municipal Airport (SAC), now known as Sacramento Executive Airport.

The initial runway was on the west side of the airfield and is now named to the headings of 17R/35L. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) opened on October 21, 1967, as Sacramento Metropolitan Airport (the airfield itself was Sacramento Metropolitan Field), with one 8600-foot runway. The airport is also a gateway to some attractions and adventures in Northern and Central California such as Heavenly Mountain Resort, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Old Sacramento State Historic Park history of gold rush, underground tunnels, floods, and fire, etc., Wine Country, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Cosumnes River Preserve, Hawver Cave, Sutter's Mill and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park and Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. The airport is the main gateway to the California State Capitol.

It serves the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, and it is run by the Sacramento County Airport System. Sacramento International Airport ( IATA: SMF, ICAO: KSMF, FAA LID: SMF) is located 10.5 miles (16.9 km) northwest of Downtown Sacramento in Sacramento County, California, United States and covers 6,000 acres (2,400 ha).
