Northeast Alabama Regional (KGAD), Alabama
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (KGAD) serves the Gadsden area of northeastern Alabama with a single long asphalt runway suited to business turbine traffic. The field is non-towered and operates on published attendance hours rather than continuous staffing, with fuel service limited to those hours. Traffic data reported through FAA TFMSC classifies operations here as business aviation activity, reflecting the airport's role as a regional reliever rather than a hub for scheduled service.
Runways
Northeast Alabama Regional has one paved runway, 06/24, 6,802 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Northeast Alabama Regional has Jet A1+ and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Northeast Alabama Regional does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (KBHM), 41 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Northeast Alabama Regional recorded 915 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in December. Business aviation traffic at KGAD is concentrated toward the year's end, with December volumes roughly double those of the June low.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month December, 101 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Northeast Alabama Regional averages 20.5 days above 90°F in July, 16.2 freeze days in January and 0.1 snow days in February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90.9°F, and January the coldest, at 52.8°F.
Weather station is 6.0 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Northeast Alabama Regional has published operating constraints in one category: runway notes.
REIL reactivated for Runway 6 and Runway 24. PAPI installed on Runway 6 and Runway 24. HIRL installed for Runway 6/24. Taxiway lights are controlled via CTAF.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Northeast Alabama Regional has five airfields within 26 NM. The closest is Robbins Field, 14.40 NM west.
Part of the Birmingham area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KGAD
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 KGAD.
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 KGAD, and what types does Northeast Alabama Regional carry?
Northeast Alabama Regional (KGAD) carries both 100LL and Jet A fuel, listed in airport data as A1+. The field is non-towered, and fuel service follows the airport's published attendance hours rather than a 24-hour schedule. Attendance runs Monday through Friday from 0800 to 1800 and Saturday from 0900 to 1700, based on local records. Dispatchers planning arrivals outside those windows should account for the unattended status. No customs service is located on the field.
What is the runway configuration at KGAD?
Northeast Alabama Regional Airport has a single paved runway, 06/24, measuring 6802 feet long and 150 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is the same length listed as the airport's max paved runway distance, confirming it as the only hard-surface strip available. The runway carries REIL and PAPI systems on both Runway 6 and Runway 24, along with high-intensity runway lighting (HIRL) across the full length. Taxiway lighting is also installed and controlled via CTAF, consistent with the field's non-towered status.
Where is the nearest customs facility to KGAD?
Northeast Alabama Regional (KGAD) has no customs service onsite. The nearest customs-equipped airport is Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (KBHM), located approximately 41.04 nautical miles away. Crews requiring a customs clearance stop should plan a fuel and routing adjustment to route through KBHM instead of clearing directly at Gadsden. This distance is drawn from official airport reference data and should be factored into any international arrival planning involving KGAD.
How much business aviation traffic does KGAD see, and does it vary by season?
Northeast Alabama Regional recorded 915 business aviation operations in 2025 out of 1601 total annual operations, according to FAA TFMSC data. Monthly volumes show clear concentration, with December posting the highest count at 101 operations and June the lowest at 46. Activity picks up again in the fall and winter months, with October and November both near 89 operations. Dispatchers scheduling around KGAD should note this uneven distribution rather than assume flat monthly demand across the year.
How hot does it get at Northeast Alabama Regional Airport in summer?
Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (KGAD) sees its warmest conditions in July, with an average high near 90.9°F and roughly 20.5 days per month reaching or exceeding 90°F. August runs close behind, averaging 90.3°F with about 18.5 days above 90°F. June also brings meaningful heat, averaging 87.8°F with nearly 13 days above the 90-degree mark. Winter months are comparatively mild, with January averaging a high of 52.8°F and around 16 days per month dropping below freezing.