King Salmon Airport (PAKN), Alaska
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
King Salmon Airport (PAKN) is a towered, joint civil-military field in southwest Alaska, built around a 8,901-foot paved primary runway capable of handling a broad mix of fixed-wing traffic. The airport supports both general aviation and U.S. Air Force fighter operations, with published procedures for arrested landings, formation arrivals, and diversion coordination through King Salmon Operations. Traffic through PAKN, tracked by the FAA as cross-border business aviation activity, totaled 1,835 operations in 2025 within an annual total of 5,576 operations across the field.
Runways
King Salmon Airport has three runways. The longest, 12/30, is 8,901 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
King Salmon Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 7am to 5pm, daily, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
King Salmon Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is 9Z3, 145 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
King Salmon Airport recorded 1,835 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July. Business aviation traffic at PAKN is concentrated in the summer months, peaking sharply in July and remaining elevated through August and June.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 525 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
King Salmon Airport averages 27.9 freeze days in March and 3.4 snow days in December. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 64.6°F, and January the coldest, at 23.5°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
King Salmon Airport has published operating constraints in six categories: access, runway notes, emergency arresting systems, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
The airport has not been inspected for military operations. Runway 18/36 is not available for Part 121/380 scheduled and non-scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 30 passenger seats. A 1-inch dip on the centerline, 1,850 feet from the Runway 36 approach end, extends to a 3-inch dip 25 feet wide on the west edge.
Fighter arrivals should expect reduced separation: 3,000 feet for similar approach characteristics during daylight, 6,000 feet for dissimilar approach characteristics at night, and 6,000 feet for ahead/behind formation landings.
There is a 600-foot safety area at the Runway 12 approach end.
Runway condition reporting during the 11th Air Force fighter flying window must be coordinated with King Salmon Operations; operations are restricted to low approach or full-stop landing only.
Business jet parking exceeding one hour requires prior permission 48 hours in advance.
When the ATCT is closed, activate MALSR on Runway 12, PAPI on Runways 12 and 30, MIRL on Runway 18/36, and HIRL on Runway 12/30 via CTAF.
The runway is also used by boats. Runway NW/SE is not available for Part 121/Part 380 scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 9 passenger seats or non-scheduled passenger-carrying operations with more than 30 passenger seats.
A BAK-12 arresting system is located 1,190 feet from the threshold; use on Runway 12 requires 30 minutes advance notice and has a 950-foot runout.
A BAK-12 arresting system is located 1,340 feet from the threshold; it requires 30 minutes advance notice and has a 1,200-foot runout.
Flocks of large birds are present in the vicinity during certain seasons.
PCR VALUE: 543/F/B/X/T
100LL and Jet A fuel are available at the seaplane base from a truck; contact UNICOM on frequency 122.95.
Off-pavement operations by aircraft and helicopters are not authorized at the ACR apron. Landing, takeoff, or parking on dirt or grass is not authorized.
Civilian transient parking is limited to the southeast ramp; other parking exceeding 48 hours requires a permit.
Flights originating outside Alaska should refer to the USAF Foreign Clearance Guide; customs is not available.
Snow and ice removal and airport hazardous conditions are reported during attended hours.
This is a USAF facility operated civilly with limited support; call in advance of arrival for operating hours, and military operators must confirm fuel requirements in advance.
Military fighter or emergency diversions should contact Warrior/Elmendorf SOF on frequency 395.15; non-fighter or emergency traffic should contact King Salmon Operations. A 24-hour point of contact monitors CTAF during operating hours.
Private jet parking is located in the southeast section of the east ramp; contact the airport manager for information.
The general aviation apron pavement is crumbling, presenting a possible foreign object debris hazard. Jet aircraft crews should be alert during run-up to avoid jet blast damage.
A weather camera is available on the internet at https://weathercams.faa.gov.
Taxiway P is closed. Apron spots 4 through 7 north of the military hangar are closed except to propeller aircraft.
ARFF is available for Part 121 air carriers involved in ETOPS operations with 30 minutes notice.
A National Weather Service balloon launch facility is located on the airport; see the inside back cover for operational detail.
Locked wheel turns are not authorized on any surface.
This is a TSA-regulated airport; see 49 CFR 1542. All gates and doors must remain secure at all times. Transient or unfamiliar pilots should contact the airport manager for information.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Skystar at PAKN
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 PAKN.
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 customs available on-site at PAKN?
No, customs clearance is not available at King Salmon Airport. The nearest customs facility is located roughly 145 nautical miles away at airport 9Z3. Flights originating outside Alaska must consult the USAF Foreign Clearance Guide for entry requirements. Operators should plan clearance arrangements well before arrival since PAKN cannot process customs locally. This is a firm operational limitation rather than a matter of scheduling ahead.
What is the runway length available at KING SALMON (PAKN)?
PAKN's primary runway, 12/30, is a paved asphalt surface measuring 8,901 feet long and 150 feet wide, the longest of the field's three runways. A second paved runway, 18/36, runs 4,017 feet by 100 feet, and a water runway aligned NW / SE spans 4,000 feet by 500 feet. Runway 18/36 carries restrictions for Part 121/380 scheduled and non-scheduled passenger operations exceeding 30 seats. The water runway is also shared with boat traffic. These figures make PAKN suitable for a wide range of fixed-wing operations.
What arresting gear is installed at King Salmon Airport?
King Salmon Airport has BAK-12 arresting systems positioned on Runway 12/30, one located 1,190 feet from the threshold and another 1,340 feet from the threshold. Both require 30 minutes advance notice before use. The first has a runout of 950 feet, and the second has a runout of 1,200 feet. This equipment reflects the field's dual civil and military role at PAKN. Crews planning arrested landings need to coordinate notice time well ahead of arrival.
When is King Salmon Airport (PAKN) busiest based on traffic data?
Business aviation traffic at PAKN concentrates heavily in the summer months, according to FAA TFMSC data for 2025. July recorded 525 operations, the year's peak, followed by August with 368 and June with 266. By contrast, winter months such as February and December saw traffic drop to the low 30s. This seasonal pattern likely reflects the region's fishing and outdoor recreation activity cycle. Dispatchers scheduling flights to King Salmon should expect materially higher ramp and services demand from June through September.
What fuel types are available at PAKN and how is it dispensed?
King Salmon Airport stocks both 100LL and Jet A fuel. Fuel is available at the seaplane base, dispensed from a truck, and can be arranged by contacting UNICOM on frequency 122.95. The field is attended daily from 0700 to 1700 local time. Business jet operators should also note that parking for stays longer than one hour requires prior permission 48 hours in advance. Combined, these details mean fuel planning at PAKN benefits from advance coordination rather than counting on walk-up service.