Cherokee County Regional (KCKP), Iowa
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Cherokee County Regional (KCKP) is a public-use, non-towered airport in Cherokee, Iowa, serving a modest volume of business aviation traffic according to FAA TFMSC data. The field pairs a paved 4,001-foot runway with a seasonal turf strip, and self-serve fuel is available around the clock even though the airport itself keeps limited weekday attendance hours. Operators arriving from outside the country should note that customs processing is not available on site, with the nearest option at KFSD.
Runways
Cherokee County Regional has two paved and unpaved runways. The longest, 18/36, is 4,001 ft long and 75 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
Cherokee County Regional has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 9am to 5pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Cherokee County Regional does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Joe Foss Field (KFSD), 73 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Cherokee County Regional recorded 103 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in September. Business aviation traffic at KCKP is spread across most months but drops sharply in November and December, indicating a seasonal falloff heading into winter.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month September, 14 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Cherokee County Regional averages 6.7 days above 90°F in July, 30.9 freeze days in January and 2.7 snow days in February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84.3°F, and January the coldest, at 26.7°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Cherokee County Regional has published operating constraints in two categories: runway notes and other notes.
MIRL on runway 18/36 is pilot-activated; REIL and PAPI on runways 18 and 36 are controlled via CTAF.
Runway 01/19 thresholds and sides are marked with yellow cones.
Approach slope is 27:1 to a displaced threshold.
Runway 01/19 is closed when snow conditions exist.
Waterfowl present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
24-hour self-serve fuel is available.
Closed November through April.
For clearance delivery, contact Minneapolis ARTCC.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Cherokee County Regional has five airfields within 32 NM. The closest is Storm Lake Municipal (KSLB), 16.09 NM southeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KCKP
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 KCKP.
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 KCKP have?
Cherokee County Regional (KCKP) has two runways. Runway 18/36 is a 4,001-foot paved concrete surface, 75 feet wide, usable year-round. Runway 01/19 is a 1,941-foot turf strip, 120 feet wide, but it closes November through April and whenever snow conditions exist on the field.
Is fuel available at KCKP?
Cherokee County Regional (KCKP) offers both 100LL and Jet A fuel through a 24-hour self-serve system. The airport itself is attended Monday through Friday from 0900 to 1700, but self-serve fuel access is not tied to those staffed hours. Pilots should plan fueling around the self-serve setup rather than airport attendance times.
Does KCKP have customs clearance on site?
Cherokee County Regional (KCKP) does not have customs service on site. The nearest customs facility is at KFSD, located approximately 72.84 nautical miles away. Flights requiring customs clearance near this area should route through Sioux Falls instead of planning for on-field processing at KCKP.
What is the lighting setup at Cherokee County Regional?
Cherokee County Regional (KCKP) has pilot-activated MIRL lighting on runway 18/36, along with REIL and PAPI on both runway 18 and runway 36, all controlled via CTAF. There is no tower on the field, so pilots manage these lighting systems themselves through the common frequency during non-daylight operations.