Athabasca Airport (CYWM), Alberta
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Athabasca Airport, identified by the ICAO code CYWM, serves the community of Athabasca, Alberta, with a single paved runway. Business aviation traffic here is modest, reflecting the airport's role as a regional field rather than a hub for international business travel. Customs clearance is not available onsite, with the nearest facility located at CZVL, roughly 68 nautical miles away. The airport sits at an elevation of 1,971 feet, and the nearest comparable neighbor, Lac La Biche Airport, lies about 41 nautical miles to the east.
Runways
Athabasca Airport has one paved runway, 17/35, 4,000 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Athabasca Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Edmonton / Villeneuve Airport (CZVL), 68 NM away.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Athabasca Airport recorded 141 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July and October. Business aviation traffic at CYWM concentrates in certain months, with July and October showing the highest activity and March and June the lowest, according to FAA TFMSC data.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 20 movements in 2025.
FAA TFMSC records a movement outside the United States only when the flight enters US airspace. This is cross-border traffic, not total activity at the airfield.
Source: FAA TFMSC, cross-border movements, 2025.
Alternates
Athabasca Airport has one alternate within 41 NM. The nearest alternate is Lac la Biche Airport (CYLB), 40.67 NM east.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYWM
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.
$1,200.00 catering order at CYWM.
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
Is customs clearance available at CYWM?
Athabasca Airport does not have onsite customs clearance. The nearest customs facility is CZVL, located approximately 68 nautical miles away. Dispatchers arranging international arrivals into CYWM should plan for clearance at that alternate location rather than expecting service on the field.
What runway length is available at Athabasca Airport?
Athabasca Airport, identified as CYWM, has a single paved runway, 17/35, measuring 4,000 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is also the airport's maximum paved runway length, which is a relevant figure for aircraft performance planning at this field.
How much business aviation traffic does CYWM see annually?
CYWM recorded 141 business aviation operations against a total of 160 annual operations in 2025, according to FAA TFMSC data. This places Athabasca Airport in a lower traffic tier, and dispatchers should expect a quieter operating environment compared to busier regional fields.
Does traffic at Athabasca Airport vary by season?
Yes, business aviation activity at CYWM fluctuates noticeably across the year. Monthly operations ranged from as few as 4 in March and June up to 20 in July and October, based on FAA TFMSC figures for 2025. Dispatchers should account for this uneven distribution when planning ahead for slots or ground support at Athabasca Airport.