Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole (PHKO), Hawaii
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole, identified as KOA or PHKO, serves Kailua-Kona on Hawaii's Big Island with a single long runway capable of handling wide-body and cargo jet traffic. The airport is towered and holds onsite CBP inspection services along with a USDA compliance agreement, making it usable as a point of entry for arriving international flights. Annual operations are tracked by the FAA at just over 45,000, with business aviation representing a meaningful share of that total.
Runways
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole has one paved runway, 17/35, 11,000 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt and concrete surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole has Jet A and 100 available on the field. Fueling is available from 6am to 10pm, daily, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole 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
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole recorded 4,248 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in December. Business aviation traffic at PHKO concentrates in the November-to-December period, with December volumes roughly double those of the slower months in spring and early fall.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month December, 607 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole averages 2.4 days above 90°F in August. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 87.3°F, and January the coldest, at 81.4°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and other notes.
Prior permission from the airport manager is required for transient parking.
Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 explosives are prohibited. Prior permission from the airport manager is required for transportation of Division 1.4 explosives and hazardous material in and out of the airport.
When the airport traffic control tower is closed, activate MALSR for runway 17 and HIRL for runway 17/35; taxiway lights are on CTAF.
Migratory bird activity occurs within a 5 nautical mile radius of the airport.
Jet-A and 100 octane fuel are available daily from 0800 to 1700; other times require prior arrangement.
Traffic pattern altitude is 800 feet MSL for small aircraft and 1500 feet MSL for large aircraft.
Four-engine aircraft are required to taxi with outboard engines at idle due to narrow taxiways.
All helicopters must confine operations to paved areas.
All wide-body aircraft must contact the tower prior to engine start.
Jet aircraft on the cargo and south ramps must contact the tower prior to engine start.
U.S. Customs is located on the south ramp.
Push back or pull out is required from terminal parking positions for all aircraft; no power-out departures are permitted.
Helicopter operations occur on and in the vicinity of taxiway Alpha.
For clearance delivery when the tower is closed, contact Honolulu Control Facility.
Airport rescue and firefighting maintenance uses CTAF 120.3 when ATC is closed.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole has one airfield within 27 NM. The closest is Waimea-Kohala (PHMU), 26.51 NM northeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at PHKO
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 PHKO.
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 runway does Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole (PHKO) offer for large aircraft?
Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole, also known as KOA or PHKO, has a single runway, 17/35, measuring 11,000 feet long and 150 feet wide. The surface is asphalt-concrete. That length and width support wide-body and cargo jet operations, which is reflected in remarks requiring those aircraft to contact the tower before engine start. With only one runway, all traffic funnels through this strip, so crosswind conditions on 17/35 are the primary operational factor for arrivals and departures.
Is fuel available at all hours at KOA?
Jet-A and 100 octane fuel are available daily at Ellison Onizuka Kona International (KOA) between 0800 and 1700 local time. Outside those hours, fuel can still be arranged, but only with prior coordination. Dispatchers planning early or late operations should build in time to confirm fuel access ahead of arrival rather than assuming standard-hours availability. The airport's broader attendance schedule runs from 0600 to 2200 daily, which is wider than the standard fuel service window.
Does PHKO have U.S. Customs available on site?
Yes, CBP inspection services are available on site at Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole (PHKO), along with a USDA compliance agreement. The customs facility itself is located on the south ramp, per airport remarks. This onsite clearance capability makes KOA a viable port of entry for international general aviation traffic without requiring a diversion to another airport for inspection. Operators should still coordinate arrival timing given the airport's attendance schedule.
What ground handling constraints apply to large aircraft at KOA?
At Ellison Onizuka Kona International (KOA), four-engine aircraft are required to taxi with outboard engines at idle because of narrow taxiways. Wide-body aircraft on any ramp, and jet aircraft specifically on the cargo and south ramps, must contact the tower before starting engines. Additionally, push back or pull out is required from all terminal parking positions for every aircraft type, with no power-out departures permitted. These combined restrictions point to tight ramp geometry that requires careful sequencing for larger equipment.
When is business aviation traffic busiest at Ellison Onizuka Kona International (PHKO)?
Business aviation traffic at Ellison Onizuka Kona International (PHKO) peaks in December, with 607 operations recorded, and stays elevated in November at 461 operations, according to FAA TFMSC data. The quietest months fall in the May to September range, with May and September both dipping to around 225 to 235 operations. This concentration around the winter holiday period suggests dispatchers should expect tighter ramp and parking availability late in the calendar year. Transient parking already requires prior permission from the airport manager year-round.