Kelowna International Airport (CYLW), British Columbia
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Kelowna International Airport (CYLW) serves the city of Kelowna in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, positioned as a regional gateway roughly 35 nautical miles from the nearest metro reference point. The airport functions as a Canadian airport of entry with customs available on site, and its single long paved runway accommodates a broad range of business aircraft operating into and out of the region. Nearby general aviation fields, including Vernon Regional Airport and Penticton Airport, sit within a short distance of CYLW but do not offer the same runway length or customs capability.
Runways
Kelowna International Airport has one paved runway, 16/34, 8,900 ft long and 200 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Kelowna International Airport has Canada Border Services Agency clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Kelowna International Airport recorded 10,351 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July and August. Business aviation traffic at CYLW concentrates in the summer months, peaking in July and August before tapering through the fall and spring.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 1,032 movements in 2025.
FAA TFMSC records a movement outside the United States only when the flight enters US airspace. This is cross-border traffic, not total activity at the airfield.
Source: FAA TFMSC, cross-border movements, 2025.
Climate
Kelowna International Airport averages 12.0 days above 90°F in July and 27.9 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83.3°F, and January the coldest, at 33.3°F.
Weather station is on the field. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Nearby airfields
Kelowna International Airport has four airfields within 44 NM. The closest is Vernon Regional Airport (CYVK), 17.51 NM north.
Part of the Kootenays and Okanagan area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYLW
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 CYLW.
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 is CYLW and where is it located?
CYLW is the ICAO code for Kelowna International Airport, serving Kelowna, British Columbia. The field sits at an elevation of 1,421 feet and lies roughly 35 nautical miles from the nearest metro reference point. It operates as a Canadian airport of entry, with customs available on site. According to FAA TFMSC data, cross-border traffic through CYLW reached 45,166 total operations in 2025, including 10,351 business aviation movements. The single runway is long enough to handle a wide range of business jet types.
How long is the runway at Kelowna International Airport?
Kelowna International Airport has one paved runway, designated 16/34, measuring 8,900 feet long and 200 feet wide. The surface is asphalt. This length places it among the longer runways available to business aviation operators in the region, supporting larger cabin aircraft without runway-length restrictions typical of shorter fields. Kelowna International Airport also matches its published max paved distance figure of 8,900 feet, confirming this runway as the field's primary and only paved surface.
Does CYLW have customs on site for international arrivals?
Yes, CYLW is designated as a Canadian airport of entry with customs available on site. This AOE status means crews arriving from outside Canada can clear customs directly at Kelowna International Airport rather than diverting to a separate port of entry. No nearest alternate customs airport is listed in the data, consistent with CYLW handling its own clearance function. Operators planning international arrivals should confirm current customs procedures and any prior notice requirements directly with the airport before flight.
When is business aviation traffic busiest at Kelowna International Airport?
Business aviation traffic at Kelowna International Airport concentrates in the summer months, with July recording 1,032 operations and August recording 1,009 operations, according to FAA TFMSC data. This compares to lower counts in shoulder months such as April with 735 operations and November with 733 operations. The pattern reflects a clear seasonal peak rather than steady year-round volume. Dispatchers scheduling flights into CYLW during July and August should anticipate higher ramp and handling demand than in the fall or spring.
What are summer temperatures like at CYLW?
July is the warmest month at Kelowna International Airport, with an average maximum temperature of 83.3 degrees Fahrenheit and an average of 12.0 days reaching above 90 degrees, according to the source climate data. August follows closely with a maximum of 82.8 degrees and 10.9 days above 90 degrees. Winter months bring a sharp contrast, with January and December both averaging around 27.9 days below freezing. Operators planning summer flights into CYLW should factor these warmer temperatures into performance calculations.