Queensway Bay Heliport

Urban Redevelopment. The heliport was located on prime waterfront real estate. The City of Long Beach undertook a massive redevelopment project in the late 1990s and early 2000s to create 'The Pike at Rainbow Harbor' entertainment district and to build a new, modern cruise ship terminal. The heliport was removed to accommodate the construction of the Long Beach Cruise Terminal building and its associated parking structure.

The site of the former Queensway Bay Heliport is now the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, which is operated by Carnival Cruise Line. The exact location of the former helipad and small terminal building is now occupied by the cruise terminal's passenger drop-off area, the main terminal building, and the large multi-story parking garage. It is one of the busiest cruise terminals on the U.S. West Coast.

The Queensway Bay Heliport was historically significant as the primary base of operations for Island Express Helicopters. For many years, it was a crucial hub for regional air tourism and transportation. Its main operations included:

1. **Catalina Island Charters:** It was a primary departure point for helicopter flights to Avalon and Two Harbors on Santa Catalina Island, offering a fast alternative to the ferry.
2. **Sightseeing Tours:** Its strategic location next to major tourist attractions like the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose dome (when it was housed there) made it a popular spot for aerial tours of the Long Beach harbor, the coastline, and the Los Angeles skyline.
3. **Private Charters:** The heliport also handled private and executive charter flights in the Southern California region.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening a heliport at this specific location. The site is fully and permanently developed as a critical piece of infrastructure for the cruise industry and the City of Long Beach's tourism economy. Helicopter operations for the area were relocated a short distance southeast to the 'Long Beach/Queen Mary Heliport' (FAA ID: 3CL4), located adjacent to the Queen Mary ship, which continued to serve Catalina Island and tour routes until its primary operator, Island Express, ceased operations in 2020.