Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field (KVBT), Arkansas
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field (KVBT) is a public-use, non-towered airport in northwest Arkansas, sitting roughly 68 nautical miles from the nearest metro reference point and classified as a Tier 1 facility given its business aviation volume. The field offers a 5,053-foot paved runway alongside a shorter turf strip, with both 100LL and Jet A available on a published attendance schedule. Several general aviation and municipal airports sit within a 20-nautical-mile radius, giving operators nearby alternates in the region.
Runways
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field has two paved and unpaved runways. The longest, 18/36, is 5,053 ft long and 75 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Rogers Executive - Carter Field (KROG), 6 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field recorded 3,427 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KVBT concentrates in the fourth quarter, with October, November, and December each recording the year's highest monthly operation counts.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 403 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field averages 17.7 days above 90°F in August, 24.2 freeze days in January and 0.8 snow days in February. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 89.5°F, and January the coldest, at 46.2°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and pavement strength.
Beginning 60 feet beyond the north end of Runway 18 pavement, the ground drops approximately 12 feet over a 60-foot length down to a pond.
For clearance delivery, contact Razorback Approach; when Approach is closed, contact Memphis ARTCC.
PAPI for Runway 18 and 36, and MIRL for Runway 18/36, are pilot-activated via CTAF.
The approach ratio to the displaced threshold is 38:1.
Runway 17/35 is limited to VFR daylight operations only.
Simultaneous use of Runways 17/35 and 18/36 is not authorized.
Migratory birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 214/F/D/X/T
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field has five airfields within 21 NM. The closest is Rogers Executive - Carter Field (KROG), 5.69 NM east.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KVBT
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 KVBT.
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
What runways does KVBT (Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field) offer?
KVBT operates two runways. Runway 18/36 is the primary surface, asphalt, 5,053 feet long and 75 feet wide, suitable for business jet traffic. Runway 17/35 is a 2,448-foot turf strip, also 75 feet wide, restricted to VFR daylight operations only. Simultaneous use of both runways is not authorized, so traffic works one runway at a time. Pilots should plan around this single-runway-in-use constraint when scheduling arrivals or departures at Bentonville.
Is fuel available at Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field (KVBT)?
KVBT stocks both 100LL and Jet A fuel. The field is uncontrolled, with attendance scheduled year-round from 0730 to 1600 local, covering both the October-March and April-September periods. Operators arriving outside these hours should plan fueling and services accordingly. Bentonville Municipal, identified by ICAO code KVBT, serves as a business aviation gateway for the region given its jet fuel capability and paved runway length.
Does KVBT have customs clearance onsite?
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field does not have customs processing onsite. The nearest customs facility is at KROG, located 5.69 nautical miles away. Operators requiring customs clearance on international arrivals need to route through that facility rather than clearing directly at KVBT. Flight planning for inbound international traffic should account for this additional coordination step before or after landing at Bentonville.
What obstacle and terrain considerations apply near Runway 18 at KVBT?
At Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field, the ground beyond the north end of Runway 18 pavement drops approximately 12 feet over a 60-foot span down to a pond, starting 60 feet past the runway end. Separately, the approach ratio to the displaced threshold is published at 38:1. Migratory birds are also reported on and in the vicinity of the airport. Crews operating on Runway 18/36 should factor in both the terrain drop-off and bird activity during approach and departure planning.
How busy is KVBT throughout the year, and is traffic seasonal?
Bentonville Municipal / Louise M Thaden Field recorded 4,802 total annual operations in 2025 per FAA TFMSC data, with 3,427 of those being business aviation operations. Business aviation traffic is not evenly distributed across the year; it builds through the fall, with October, November, and December each posting the highest monthly counts of the year, led by October at 403 operations. Winter and early spring months run lower, in the 210-to-280 range. Dispatchers scheduling trips into KVBT during the fourth quarter should anticipate elevated business aviation volume.