Fairbanks International (PAFA), Alaska
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Fairbanks International, PAFA / FAI, is a towered, tier-1 airport in Fairbanks, Alaska, handling FAA-recorded business aviation traffic alongside scheduled and cargo operations on a four-runway field that includes a dedicated water runway and a seasonal gravel strip. Onsite CBP inspection services and a USDA compliance agreement support international arrivals, while fuel availability spans 100LL and Jet A, with military contract fuel also on the field.
Runways
Fairbanks International has four runways. The longest, 02L/20R, is 11,800 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Fairbanks International has Jet A1 and 100LL 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
Fairbanks International has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals. A USDA compliance agreement is in place.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Fairbanks International recorded 13,629 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at PAFA concentrates in the July through October period, according to FAA TFMSC data, well above the levels recorded in the winter months.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 1,701 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Fairbanks International averages 0.2 days above 90°F in June, 31.0 freeze days in January and 4.4 snow days in November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 72.7°F, and January the coldest, at 0.6°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Fairbanks International has published operating constraints in six categories: access, runway notes, noise procedures, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
Runway 02W/20W is not available for Part 121 or Part 380 operations involving scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 9 passenger seats, or non-scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 30 passenger seats. It is controlled; an approval request to the tower on 118.3 is required. Contact clearance delivery as soon as possible after engine start. The surface freezes in winter and is unmaintained. Threshold buoys located 500 feet from the north and south shore mark the water lane. Step taxi outside the water lane is not authorized. East of the water lane is uncontrolled; taxi there is at pilot discretion.
Prior permission is required for military operations, heavy cargo, or use of the terminal apron; contact airport operations.
Runway 02/20 is not available for Part 121 or Part 380 operations involving scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 9 passenger seats, or non-scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 30 passenger seats. It is used for summer operations and as a ski strip in winter; availability is per local NOTAM, and coordination with the tower is required before arrival or departure.
Runway 02R/20L is not available for Part 121 or Part 380 operations involving scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 9 passenger seats, or non-scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 30 passenger seats.
Caution: avoid landing on the taxiway; the north/south taxiway runs parallel to Runway 02L/20R on the west side.
An NWS weather balloon launch site is located 2,000 feet west of midfield Runway 02L/20R. Launches occur twice daily at 1100 and 2300 hours UTC.
Runway 02R/20L is limited to use by aircraft in Design Group B II or smaller.
Noise abatement procedures are in effect from 2200 to 0800; large, turbine, and heavy aircraft arrive on Runway 02L and depart on Runway 20R based on wind. Engine runup location is coordinated through airport operations.
Birds are present in the vicinity of the airport from spring through fall.
PCR VALUE: 780/F/B/X/T.
PCR VALUE: 46/F/B/X/T.
Unusable beyond 8 degrees right of centerline.
ATCT elevation 538 feet MSL; tower located at 64 48 39.438 N, 147 50 55.722 W.
Caution: snow removal equipment is present on the field from October 1 through May 15.
Military contract fuel is available.
Operations occur in the Military Operations Areas east of Fairbanks; Eielson Range Control on 125.3/126.3.
A weather camera is available on the internet at https://weathercams.faa.gov.
Transient parking for aircraft with wingspan less than 79 feet is on the east ramp. Transient parking on the west ramp is not authorized. Transient float plane parking is limited. Contact airport operations for medevac and transient helicopter parking information.
This is a cold temperature airport. Altitude correction is required at or below -29°C.
See additional pages under notices for TRSA and Fairbanks area information.
Taxiway B security gate is activated on 121.75.
Compass rose calibration is not available.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Fairbanks International has four airfields within 36 NM. The closest is Metro Field, 2.46 NM east.
Part of the Interior and Northern Alaska area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at PAFA
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 PAFA.
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 are available at PAFA / Fairbanks International?
Fairbanks International, PAFA, operates four runways with distinct roles. The primary surface, 02L/20R, is asphalt and runs 11,800 feet by 150 feet, supporting the bulk of business and cargo traffic. Runway 02R/20L is a shorter 4,510-foot asphalt strip limited to Aircraft Design Group B II or smaller. A 5,400-foot water runway, 02W/20W, serves floatplane operations and is controlled with an approval request required through the tower. A 2,900-foot gravel strip, 02/20, is used seasonally as a ski strip in winter and a summer strip otherwise.
Is Runway 02/20 available for scheduled passenger operations at Fairbanks International?
No. At PAFA, Runway 02/20 is not available for Part 121 or Part 380 scheduled passenger operations carrying more than 9 passenger seats, nor for non-scheduled passenger operations exceeding 30 passenger seats. This gravel strip is used for summer operations and as a ski strip in winter, and pilots must check local NOTAMs and coordinate with the tower before arrival or departure. The same passenger-seat restriction also applies to Runway 02R/20L at Fairbanks International, so large scheduled carriers are directed to the main runway, 02L/20R.
How does winter weather affect operations at Fairbanks International (PAFA)?
Fairbanks International sits at 439 feet elevation and experiences a pronounced cold-weather season. January averages a maximum temperature near 0.6°F with roughly 31 days below freezing, and December is similarly cold. PAFA is designated a cold temperature airport, requiring altitude corrections for operations at or below -29°C. Snow removal equipment is cautioned as present on the field from October 1 through May 15. These conditions concentrate heavier snow-day counts in the November through January period, according to the climate data provided.
What customs and CBP services are available at PAFA?
Fairbanks International provides CBP inspection services onsite, along with a USDA compliance agreement covering agricultural inspection requirements. This onsite customs capability supports international business aviation traffic arriving at PAFA without requiring diversion to another port of entry. Operators should still coordinate arrival details in advance given the specialized nature of agricultural compliance handling. Fuel at the field includes both 100LL and Jet A, with military contract fuel also noted as available.
Are there noise abatement or wildlife hazard procedures at Fairbanks International?
Yes. Fairbanks International enforces a noise abatement procedure between 2200 and 0800 local, directing large, turbine, and heavy aircraft to arrive on Runway 02L and depart on Runway 20R depending on wind conditions. Engine runup location is coordinated through airport operations. Separately, PAFA reports bird activity in the vicinity of the airport from spring through fall, a seasonal hazard pilots should factor into arrival and departure planning. Neither procedure is tied to a specific runway configuration beyond what wind dictates.