Ely Municipal (KELO), Minnesota
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Ely Municipal Airport (KELO) serves the Ely, Minnesota area with a single paved runway and non-towered operations under a published attendance schedule. The field is classified as ops tier 2, reflecting moderate business aviation traffic relative to other Minnesota airports, and it sits roughly 182 nautical miles from the nearest major metro. Customs inspection services are available onsite, which supports international arrivals without requiring a diversion to another port of entry.
Runways
Ely Municipal has one paved runway, 12/30, 5,596 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Ely Municipal 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
Ely Municipal has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Ely Municipal recorded 265 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at KELO concentrates heavily in the summer months, with July and August together accounting for the largest share of annual operations before dropping sharply in November and December.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 66 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Ely Municipal averages 1.4 days above 90°F in July and 31.0 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 76.8°F, and January the coldest, at 16.4°F.
Weather station is 4.9 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Ely Municipal has published operating constraints in two categories: runway notes and other notes.
Runway edge identifier lights and intensity for the runway 12 and 30 REILs can be activated or increased in intensity via CTAF, along with the PAPI on runways 12 and 30 and the medium intensity runway lights on runway 12/30. The medium intensity runway lights on runway 12/30 are preset to low intensity.
For clearance delivery, contact Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Ely Municipal has five airfields within 49 NM. The closest is Cook Municipal (KCQM), 34.68 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KELO
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 KELO.
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 fuel available at KELO?
Ely Municipal Airport (KELO) stocks both 100LL and Jet A fuel. The field operates on a published attendance schedule daily from 0800 to 1700, so fuel service aligns with those hours. Dispatchers planning arrivals outside that window should account for the unattended status of the field.
Does Ely Municipal have customs service on site?
Ely Municipal Airport (KELO) offers CBP inspection services onsite, meaning customs processing does not require a diversion to another airport. This is a practical advantage for international general aviation traffic transiting northern Minnesota. Dispatchers should still confirm current CBP procedures and hours directly, since onsite availability does not guarantee round-the-clock coverage.
What is the runway length at KELO?
Ely Municipal Airport (KELO) has a single paved runway, 12/30, measuring 5,596 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is the only runway serving the field, and it is also the longest paved surface listed for the airport. There is no parallel or crosswind runway option at this location.
When is business aviation traffic busiest at Ely Municipal?
At Ely Municipal Airport (KELO), business aviation operations peak in July and August according to FAA TFMSC data, with August recording 66 operations, the highest monthly total for 2025. Traffic drops off sharply after September and falls to near zero in November and December. Dispatchers should expect the lightest activity, and correspondingly less local support demand, during the late fall and winter months.