Appleton International (KATW), Wisconsin
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Appleton International (KATW) is a towered, public-use airport in Appleton, Wisconsin, roughly 63 nautical miles from its nearest major metro area. The field offers two concrete runways, 100LL and Jet A fuel, and on-site CBP inspection services paired with a USDA compliance agreement, making it a functional entry point for cross-border business traffic in northeastern Wisconsin.
Runways
Appleton International has two paved runways. The longest, 03/21, is 8,003 ft long and 150 ft wide, with a concrete surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Appleton International has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Appleton International has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals. A USDA compliance agreement is in place.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Appleton International recorded 6,839 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July. Business aviation traffic at KATW concentrates heavily in July, which sees more than double the operations of most other months.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 1,237 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Appleton International averages 2.8 days above 90°F in July, 30.3 freeze days in January and 3.9 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81.5°F, and January the coldest, at 25.4°F.
Weather station is 3.7 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Appleton International has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
US Customs and Border Protection service is available. Prior permission is required for US Customs service, Monday through Friday, 1300-2100Z (0800-1600 local).
When the control tower is closed, contact Green Bay Approach on frequency for clearance delivery; if unable to contact, use Minneapolis ARTCC.
When the control tower is closed, the HIRL on runway 03/21 is preset to low intensity. To increase intensity and activate the MALSR on runways 03 and 30, the REIL on runways 12 and 21, the PAPI on runway 12, and the HIRL on 03/21 and 12/30, use CTAF.
Birds and migratory waterfowl are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 1000/R/C/W/T
PCR VALUE: 730/R/C/W/T
Operates continuously.
Operates continuously. PAPI guidance is restricted beyond 8.5 degrees right of course.
Snow removal operations take place during winter months. Vehicle operators will be monitoring CTAF; aircraft landing at or departing Appleton should use CTAF when the control tower is closed.
Periodic live-fire training takes place on the south side of the airport.
Commercial ramp deicing pads are available for live engine run operations during deicing.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Appleton International has five airfields within 30 NM. The closest is Wittman Regional (KOSH), 16.52 NM south.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KATW
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$2,400.00 catering order at KATW.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Does KATW have on-site customs clearance for international arrivals?
Appleton International (KATW) has on-site CBP inspection services along with a USDA compliance agreement, so arriving flights do not need to divert to a nearby customs airport. CBP service requires prior permission and operates Monday through Friday from 1300 to 2100Z, which is 0800 to 1600 local time. Flights arriving outside that window need to plan around the service hours rather than expect coverage. Crews should request clearance ahead of arrival rather than assume walk-up availability. This arrangement makes KATW a workable border-crossing point for business traffic within the posted hours.
What is the longest runway at Appleton International, and what surface is it?
Appleton International's longest runway is 03/21, a concrete surface measuring 8,003 feet long and 150 feet wide. The airport's second runway, 12/30, is also concrete and runs 6,502 feet long at the same 150-foot width. Both runways are paved, giving KATW two full-length concrete surfaces suitable for a wide range of business and commercial aircraft. The 8,003-foot length on 03/21 matches the airport's published maximum paved runway length. This gives operators planning into KATW two usable concrete runways regardless of wind orientation.
How does traffic at KATW change through the year?
Business aviation traffic at Appleton International shows a sharp spike in July, when operations reach 1,237, well above every other month of the year. The next busiest months, August and September, sit at 587 and 583 respectively, roughly half the July figure. Winter months run lower, with February at 379 operations marking the quietest point in the annual cycle. This pattern means dispatchers planning summer trips into KATW should expect materially higher ramp and airspace activity in July compared to the rest of the year. The FAA TFMSC data behind these figures reflects year 2025 traffic.
What lighting is available at KATW when the tower is closed?
When the control tower at Appleton International is closed, the high-intensity runway lights on 03/21 are preset to low intensity by default. Pilots can increase intensity and activate the MALSR on runways 03 and 30, the REIL on runways 12 and 21, the PAPI on runway 12, and the HIRL on both 03/21 and 12/30, all through CTAF. This means arriving or departing aircraft control their own lighting setup outside tower hours. Vehicle operators conducting snow removal during winter months also monitor CTAF, so pilots landing or departing KATW during tower-closed periods should expect to share that frequency with ground crews.
Are there any airspace or ground hazards to know about at Appleton International?
Appleton International (KATW) reports birds and migratory waterfowl on and in the vicinity of the airport, a standing wildlife hazard for arriving and departing traffic. The airport also notes periodic live-fire training conducted on the south side of the field. Neither remark specifies a schedule, so both should be treated as ongoing considerations rather than one-time events. Crews operating into KATW should factor both the wildlife presence and the training activity into their situational awareness during approach and departure phases.