San Diego, California · field elev 17 ft
Density Altitude at San Diego International (KSAN)
San Diego International sits at 17 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (77 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,219 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58.4 | −0 ft | 66.4 | 522 ft |
| February | 59.0 | 39 ft | 66.2 | 509 ft |
| March | 60.7 | 151 ft | 67.0 | 561 ft |
| April | 62.9 | 295 ft | 68.8 | 677 ft |
| May | 64.8 | 418 ft | 69.5 | 722 ft |
| June | 67.2 | 574 ft | 71.7 | 863 ft |
| July | 70.7 | 799 ft | 75.3 | 1,092 ft |
| August | 72.4 | 908 ft | 77.3 | 1,219 ft |
| September | 71.7 | 863 ft | 77.2 | 1,212 ft |
| October | 68.1 | 632 ft | 74.6 | 1,048 ft |
| November | 62.7 | 282 ft | 70.7 | 799 ft |
| December | 57.9 | −33 ft | 66.0 | 496 ft |
▲ above 5,000 ft · ⚠ above 8,000 ft. These are planning references at standard pressure and dry air — afternoon humidity and low pressure both push the real number higher. Run today's values below.
Run today’s numbers for KSAN
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 17 ft — the air behaves like 1,200 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 18 ft
- ISA DEVIATION
- —
- RULE-OF-THUMB DA
- —
- AIR DENSITY INDEX
- —
- AIR DENSITY
- —
- WATER · GRAINS/LB
- —
For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment
Nearby California fields
- KMYF — Montgomery-Gibbs Exec
San Diego · elev 427 ft
- KSEE — Gillespie Field
San Diego/El Cajon · elev 388 ft
- KSDM — Brown Field Municipal
San Diego · elev 526 ft
- KRNM — Ramona
Ramona · elev 1,395 ft
- KCRQ — Mc Clellan-Palomar
Carlsbad · elev 331 ft
- KOKB — Bob Maxwell Meml Airfield
Oceanside · elev 28 ft
- L18 — Fallbrook Community Airpark
Fallbrook · elev 711 ft
- F70 — French Valley
Murrieta/Temecula · elev 1,350 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSAN in summer?
On a typical August afternoon — around 77 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at San Diego International reaches roughly 1,219 ft at standard pressure. Hotter-than-normal days, low pressure, and humidity all push it higher, so run the day's actual numbers before flying.
What is the density altitude at KSAN on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −33 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 908 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 17 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of San Diego International?
17 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSAN (ICAO) / SAN (FAA), in San Diego, California.