Ketchikan International (PAKT), Alaska
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Ketchikan International, ICAO code PAKT and IATA KTN, serves Alaska's southern panhandle with a 7,500-foot paved runway and a 9,500-foot water runway for seaplane operations. The airport sits about 198 nautical miles from the nearest metro area and holds Tier 1 status, reflecting a substantial volume of business aviation and total operations that FAA TFMSC data place at 14,280 annual operations for 2025. Onsite CBP inspection services and a USDA compliance agreement support transborder arrivals, and the field is attended daily from 0600 to 2130 local outside of which FSS-dependent services are unavailable.
Runways
Ketchikan International has two runways. The longest, WNW/ESE, is 9,500 ft long and 1,500 ft wide, with a water surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Ketchikan International has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 6am to 9:30pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Ketchikan 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
Ketchikan International recorded 6,494 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July and August. Business aviation traffic at Ketchikan International concentrates heavily in the summer months, with July and August operations more than three times higher than the winter monthly average.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 1,056 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Ketchikan International averages 15.7 freeze days in March. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 64.7°F, and January the coldest, at 39.7°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Ketchikan International has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
Prior permission is required for landing during unattended hours; contact the FBO for arrangements and a call-out charge may apply.
The dock west of the airport is closed from November 1 through April 1. Prior permission is required for overnight parking; contact the airport manager. The ferry between the airport and the city operates continuously when the airport is attended.
When Ketchikan FSS is closed, activate the MALSR for runway 11 and 29 and the high-intensity runway lights for runway 11/29 via CTAF. The PAPI for runway 11 and runway 29 operates continuously.
Birds are on and in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 510/F/B/X/T
The GA apron and taxiway C, along with the northeast section of the main apron, have a PCN of 21/F/B/X/T.
When Ketchikan FSS is closed, operate on a continuous basis.
Terrain causes turbulence on arrival and departure routes.
Sand used to enhance friction may not meet FAA specifications.
The PAPI is unusable 5 degrees left and right of centerline.
The PAPI is unusable beyond 6 nautical miles.
Alert: special ATC rules under Part 93 apply, along with standard VFR arrival and departure procedures and traffic pattern information; see the regulatory notice.
Prior to operations on the apron or taxiway, all aircraft must contact Ketchikan FSS and advise of intentions.
Surface condition reports reflect conditions only while the airport is attended.
Use caution for air taxi traffic and boats in the harbor; floating debris is possible.
Snow and ice removal is not available when the airport is unattended.
A USCG helicopter operates from a location at 55-21-27.6N/131-42-19.8W, in the vicinity of Ketchikan International Airport and the seaplane base, for medevac missions only; point of contact is the Commander, Coast Guard District 17.
Weather cameras are available on the internet at the FAA weather camera website.
Taxiway C lights are out of service indefinitely.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Ketchikan International has two airfields within 49 NM. The closest is Annette Island (PANT), 19.33 NM south.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at PAKT
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 PAKT.
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 KTN (Ketchikan International) offer for fixed-wing traffic?
Ketchikan International, ICAO code PAKT, operates a single paved runway, 11/29, measuring 7,500 feet long and 150 feet wide with an asphalt surface. The field also has a water runway aligned WNW / ESE at 9,500 feet by 1,500 feet for seaplane operations. Field elevation is 92 feet. The airport is non-towered, and FSS attends the field daily from 0600 to 2130 local. Outside those hours, pilots operate on a common traffic advisory frequency basis.
Is fuel available at Ketchikan International (PAKT)?
Ketchikan International, identified as PAKT or KTN, stocks both 100LL avgas and Jet A fuel. The airport is attended daily from 0600 to 2130 local, which is the window during which fueling support can be expected. Outside attended hours, services including fuel are not guaranteed, and pilots planning arrivals during closed FSS hours should coordinate in advance. The airport's annual operations tier is classified as Tier 1, reflecting its status as a significant traffic hub for the region.
Does KTN have customs and border clearance capability?
Yes, Ketchikan International has customs services onsite. CBP inspection services are available, and the airport also operates under a USDA compliance agreement. This combination allows international arrivals to clear both customs and agricultural inspection requirements at the field itself rather than diverting to another airport. Operators planning international legs into KTN should still confirm current CBP hours and any prior notice requirements, since customs availability does not always align with the airport's general attendance schedule.
What operational hazards should pilots know about at Ketchikan International (PAKT)?
Ketchikan International sits in terrain that causes turbulence along both arrival and departure routes, a factor pilots should brief for on every approach. Birds are also reported on and in the vicinity of the airport. Special ATC rules under Part 93 apply, along with standard VFR arrival, departure, and traffic pattern procedures detailed in a regulatory notice. Additionally, floating debris is possible near the field due to air taxi and boat traffic in the adjacent harbor, a caution relevant to seaplane operations on the water runway.
How does business aviation traffic vary by season at KTN?
Business aviation traffic at Ketchikan International, PAKT, is concentrated in the summer months. Monthly bizav operations climb from the low 300s in winter to a peak of 1,056 in July and 1,024 in August, according to FAA TFMSC data for 2025. Since Ketchikan sits near the Canadian border, this traffic reflects transborder activity as tracked by the FAA rather than total airport activity. Total annual bizav operations for the year were 6,494 against 14,280 total operations, underscoring how much of the field's business traffic clusters in summer.