Barksdale AFB Airport (KBAD), Louisiana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Barksdale AFB (KBAD) is a towered military airfield near Bossier City, Louisiana, serving as a joint-use facility with a long paved runway capable of handling large transient aircraft. Access is private and subject to prior permission requirements, with transient operations governed by military scheduling and munitions-related restrictions rather than typical civilian FBO service. Fuel is limited to Jet A, and customs clearance is handled at nearby Shreveport Regional rather than onsite. Business aviation activity remains a modest share of the field's overall annual operations, which are tracked under FAA TFMSC traffic data.
Runways
Barksdale AFB Airport has one paved runway, 15/33, 11,758 ft long and 299 ft wide, with a bituminous surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Barksdale AFB Airport has A++ 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
Barksdale AFB Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Shreveport Regional (KSHV), 9 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Barksdale AFB Airport recorded 158 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in March, April, May and June.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month March, 20 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Weather station is 4.2 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Barksdale AFB Airport has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, emergency arresting systems and other notes.
Restriction: Prior permission is required, requested no more than seven days in advance and no later than 24 hours before arrival. The prior permission is valid for plus or minus 15 minutes of the requested time. Coordination of prior permission outside the approved time block must be done by phone, or the prior permission request will be considered cancelled.
Restriction: training for transient aircrews will not be permitted to interfere with local aircraft operations. Non-AFGSC aircraft may be subjected to less than required quantity-distance separation due to munitions operations. Aircrews should exercise appropriate risk management in determining airfield suitability. All transient aircrews must report to base operations.
Caution: light aircraft and parachute operations occur in the vicinity of Shreveport Downtown, 3.3 nautical miles northwest, during final approach to Runway 15 and departure from Runway 33.
The first 1,184 feet of Runway 15 and the first 1,600 feet of Runway 33 are concrete. The middle 8,972 feet is asphalt, with the first 3,000 feet at each end having a 75-foot-wide concrete keel surface in the center, and the middle 2,972 feet having a 50-foot concrete keel surface.
Bearing strength for Runway 15-33: ST175, AUW800.
Restriction: 180-degree turns for C-135 and heavy aircraft are authorized within the first 750 feet of Runway 15 and the first 1,000 feet of Runway 33.
Service, lighting: Runway 15 ALSF-1 has a non-standard configuration. The distance from the threshold light to the pre-threshold light is 128 feet, and from the pre-threshold light to the terminating bar is also 128 feet.
Miscellaneous: there is non-standard spacing of 150 feet between the Runway 15 and Runway 33 overrun markings.
Miscellaneous: USAF airfield management personnel do not determine or report a runway condition code, nor issue an FAA-formatted field condition NOTAM.
Arresting gear BAK-12B is available upon request, with one hour's prior notice. The west side arresting gear marking has been permanently removed. Maintenance is performed every third Friday from 1200 to 1400Z (or later).
Restriction: transient aircraft carrying ordnance are not authorized.
Restriction: Taxiways E and E1 are unlighted and usable for daylight VFR only.
Fluid services: water, spray, preservative air, LHOX, and LOX are available.
Oil grades O-132, O-133, O-148, and O-156 are available, with JOAP testing.
Transient alert service is provided on a no-priority basis. Service delays of two hours or more should be expected. Fleet service available is limited, and potable water is unavailable.
Traffic pattern: rectangular at 1,200 feet, overhead at 1,700 feet. VFR helicopters enter the traffic pattern at 700 feet from the east and 1,000 feet from the west. Overflight of the munitions storage area east-northeast of the field is not authorized.
Miscellaneous: aircraft carrying distinguished visitors must contact the command post or command post duty officer at least 20 minutes prior to estimated time of arrival.
Service: transient alert maintenance service hours are 1400 to 0100Z (or later) Monday through Friday, and 1400 to 2400Z (or later) Saturday and Sunday. Closed on holidays.
All transient aircrews must report to airfield operations.
Restriction: Taxiway C is unlighted and open to all aircraft for daytime operations only, except for the B-52.
Miscellaneous: airfield operations is unable to issue COMSEC and has no storage capability for it.
Operating hours are 1200Z to 0630Z (or later) Monday through Friday, and 1400Z to 2200Z (or later) on weekends. Closed on AFGSC family days and federal holidays.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Barksdale AFB Airport has five airfields within 32 NM. The closest is Shreveport Downtown (KDTN), 4.73 NM northwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KBAD
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 KBAD.
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 available at KBAD?
Barksdale AFB does not have onsite customs processing. The nearest customs facility is at KSHV, located about 8.92 nautical miles away. Crews should plan customs clearance through Shreveport Regional rather than expecting onsite service at Barksdale.
What is the runway length at KBAD?
Barksdale AFB has a single runway, 15/33, measuring 11,758 feet long and 299 feet wide. The surface is a paved PEM composite, with the first sections of each end constructed in concrete and the middle portion in asphalt with concrete keel strips. This length supports large military and transient aircraft operations.
Are there operational restrictions for transient aircraft at Barksdale AFB?
Yes, transient aircraft carrying ordnance are not authorized to operate at Barksdale AFB. Prior permission is required for arrivals, and requests must be submitted no more than seven days and no later than 24 hours before arrival. Transient aircrews must also report to base operations upon arrival, and service delays of two hours or more should be expected since transient alert operates without priority basis.
What kind of traffic does KBAD see and when is it busiest?
Barksdale AFB recorded 158 business aviation operations in 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data, out of 3,302 total annual operations. Traffic is spread across the year without a concentrated peak season. Business aviation activity ranged from a single operation in October to 20 operations during several months between February and June.