Detroit Lakes / Wething Field (KDTL), Minnesota
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field (KDTL) is a public-use, non-towered airport in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, sitting at 1,396 feet elevation. The field handles a mix of general and business aviation traffic, with a paved runway long enough to support jet operations alongside a shorter turf strip for lighter aircraft. Customs clearance is not available on-site; the nearest facility is at KFAR, roughly 38.74 nautical miles away.
Runways
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field has two paved and unpaved runways. The longest, 14/32, is 5,201 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 8am to 5pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Hector International (KFAR), 39 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field recorded 792 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in June. Business aviation traffic at KDTL is concentrated in the summer months, peaking in June and July, with far lower activity from December through March.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month June, 135 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field averages 3.1 days above 90°F in July, 30.8 freeze days in January and 4.4 snow days in December. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 79.2°F, and January the coldest, at 17.2°F.
Weather station is 2.0 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field has published operating constraints in three categories: access, runway notes and other notes.
The MALSF approach lighting system is activated for runway 32, and REIL is in place for runway 14. HIRL lighting covers runway 14/32, controlled via CTAF. PAPI is operational continuously on both runway 14 and runway 32.
The runway is not plowed during winter months.
100LL is available 24 hours a day on a self-service basis. For Jet A service after attended hours, contact the airport manager.
For customs coordination, if unable to contact on the FSS frequency, contact Minneapolis ARTCC.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Detroit Lakes / Wething Field has five airfields within 36 NM. The closest is Perham Municipal, 17.08 NM southeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KDTL
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 KDTL.
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 on-site at KDTL?
No, Detroit Lakes / Wething Field does not have on-site customs processing. The nearest customs facility is at KFAR, located approximately 38.74 nautical miles away. Crews requiring customs clearance should plan their arrival through that airport instead. Detroit Lakes also references CANPASS-style coordination through air traffic control rather than a local customs officer, so flight planning should account for the extra leg or coordination time to KFAR.
What runway options does KDTL offer for jet traffic?
KDTL has one paved runway, 14/32, measuring 5,201 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is the primary runway for business aviation and jet traffic at Detroit Lakes / Wething Field. A second runway, 18/36, is a 1,890-foot turf strip at 250 feet wide, better suited to smaller piston aircraft. Dispatchers planning jet operations should default to runway 14/32 given its length and pavement.
Is Jet A fuel available at Detroit Lakes / Wething Field?
Yes, KDTL lists Jet A among its fuel types along with 100LL. According to field remarks, 100LL is available around the clock on a self-service basis. Jet A service after standard attended hours requires a call to the airport manager, so crews arriving outside the posted attendance schedule of Monday through Friday, 0800 to 1700, should plan ahead to arrange fueling. This makes Jet A availability conditional rather than guaranteed at all hours.
When is KDTL busiest for business aviation traffic?
Business aviation traffic at Detroit Lakes / Wething Field concentrates heavily in the summer months. According to FAA TFMSC data for 2025, June recorded 135 business aviation operations and July recorded 128, the two highest months of the year. Traffic falls off sharply in the winter, with January and March each seeing only around 16 to 18 operations. Dispatchers scheduling flexible trips to KDTL may find more competition for ramp space and services during the June through August window.
Does KDTL get plowed in winter, and are the runway lights operational at night?
Runway plowing is limited at Detroit Lakes / Wething Field: field remarks indicate the runway is not plowed during winter months, which affects usability after snow events. Lighting is more consistently available. Runway 32 has an activated MALSF approach lighting system, runway 14 has REIL, and runway 14/32 has HIRL lighting, all controlled through the common traffic advisory frequency. PAPI is operational continuously on both runway 14 and runway 32.