Frederick W Smith International / Memphis (KMEM), Tennessee
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Frederick W Smith International, KMEM, sits at the center of Memphis, Tennessee, and ranks among the busiest cargo airfields in the country. The field combines a large civil airfield with an adjacent Air National Guard ramp, and its four concrete runways support both wide-body freighter operations and general aviation traffic passing through the region. With CBP inspection services and a USDA compliance agreement onsite, KMEM handles international arrivals directly rather than routing through a nearby customs airport.
Runways
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis has four paved runways. The longest, 18C/36C, is 11,120 ft long and 150 ft wide, with a concrete surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis has Jet A, Jet A+, 100LL and A++ available on the field. Fueling is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis 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
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis recorded 21,887 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KMEM peaks in October, with volumes noticeably lower in the winter months of January and February.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 2,097 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis averages 22.1 days above 90°F in July, 14.9 freeze days in January and 0.4 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91.9°F, and January the coldest, at 50.9°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis has published operating constraints in seven categories: access, runway notes, emergency arresting systems, noise procedures, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
ANG ramp is for official business buses only; prior permission required. Transient aircraft require follow-me assistance to enter the ANG ramp.
Prior permission required for taxi clearance on Taxiway N north of Taxiway V, Taxiway S north of Taxiway V, and Taxiway C north of Taxiway V; contact FedEx ramp tower on frequency 131.5.
ANG ramp requires prior permission; contact command post. Military ramp operations run from 1400 to 0400Z++ Monday through Friday, closed on alternate Mondays and holidays. The military ramp is closed outside published hours without approval from the operations group commander; contact command post for approval. Transient aircraft maintenance is not available. Refueling service for aircraft other than the C-17 requires a qualified crew chief or crewmember. Support for non-C17 aircraft is provided by a contract FBO on the field. Security is available 24 hours; contact security forces. Command post operates 1230 to 0430Z++ Monday through Friday, closed on alternate Mondays and holidays due to alternate work schedule. The airfield manager does not issue or store COMSEC for transient crews. Temporary storage of classified materials up to top secret is available at the command post.
Prior permission required for taxi clearance from the north and south cargo ramp parking areas; contact frequency 121.9.
ANG ramp access requires prior permission with 24-hour notice; official business only.
Taxiway N between Taxiway M and Taxiway M7 is closed to aircraft with a wingspan of more than 171.5 feet, except at taxi speeds less than 15 mph.
Large and heavy eastbound aircraft on Taxiway V for Runway 27 must hold short at the minimum thrust area sign.
Taxiway V between Spot 7W and Runway 27 is restricted to aircraft with a wingspan of 171 feet 6 inches or less.
Arresting gear: engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), 316 feet long by 178 feet wide, located at the departure end of Runway 18R.
Noise abatement procedures are in effect. Successive and/or simultaneous departures are approved on Runway 36L-18R and Runway 36C-18C, or Runway 36L-18R and Runway 36R-18L, with course divergence no later than 2.27 nautical miles from the runway end.
Birds are present in the vicinity of the airport.
BASH Phase II is in effect April through May and August through October; current bird watch condition is not published on ATIS.
ANG ATIS reports bird activity around the clock.
PCR value: 1253/R/C/W/T.
PCR value: 1207/R/C/W/T.
Helicopter operations to and from the terminal building are not authorized.
Taxiway N north of Taxiway V, Taxiway C north of Taxiway V, Taxiway S north of Taxiway V, and Taxiway V west of Taxiway N are designated as non-movement areas.
Taxiway V between Taxiway S and Taxiway Y is restricted to aircraft with a tail height of 65 feet 10 inches or less.
Contact ramp control on frequency 121.8 for entry onto the ANG ramp. ANG frequencies are 138.95 and 353.45. After hours, contact command post or security forces.
Read-back of hold-short instructions is required.
For communications with ANG command post, use the radio call "Graceland Ops."
Aircraft with wingspans greater than 118 feet are restricted from taxiing on Taxiway J north of Taxiway U.
Military ramp operations are conducted at reduced ARFF level, downgraded to yellow.
All safety areas at Memphis International are not standard grading.
Military: ANG - hazard class 1.1 and 1.2 materials are not allowed on MSCAA or TANG property.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Frederick W Smith International / Memphis has five airfields within 20 NM. The closest is Olive Branch / Taylor Field (KOLV), 10.09 NM east.
Part of the Memphis area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KMEM
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 KMEM.
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 the longest runway at KMEM?
Memphis International, KMEM, has four paved concrete runways, with Runway 18C/36C the longest at 11,120 feet. Runway 18R/36L follows at 9,320 feet, Runway 18L/36R at 9,000 feet, and Runway 09/27 at 8,946 feet. All four surfaces are concrete, and each runway is 150 feet wide. This gives operators a choice of runway alignment for wind and traffic flow, which matters given the volume of cargo traffic sharing the airfield. The 11,120-foot length on 18C/36C supports the heaviest widebody freighter operations based at the field.
Are there taxiway restrictions for large aircraft at KMEM?
Yes, several taxiways at Memphis International (KMEM) carry wingspan or tail-height limits. Taxiway V between Spot 7W and Runway 27 is restricted to aircraft with a wingspan of 171 feet 6 inches or less, and the section between Taxiway S and Y is limited to aircraft with tail height of 65 feet 10 inches or less. Taxiway J north of Taxiway U is closed to aircraft with wingspans greater than 118 feet. Taxiway N between Taxiway M and M7 is closed to aircraft with wingspan over 171.5 feet, except at taxi speeds under 15 mph. Crews should confirm current dimensions before planning ramp or taxi routes.
Does KMEM have customs and CBP inspection available?
Yes, Memphis International (KMEM) has CBP inspection services available onsite, along with a USDA compliance agreement. This supports international arrivals without requiring diversion to a nearby customs airport. Operators should still coordinate arrival details in advance given the airport's mixed military and civil ramp environment. The presence of an onsite USDA compliance agreement is relevant for flights carrying agricultural cargo or livestock. KMEM's status as a major cargo hub makes this onsite customs capability a significant factor for international operators.
How restricted is access to the ANG ramp at Memphis International?
Access to the Air National Guard (ANG) ramp at Memphis International, KMEM, is limited to official business only and requires prior permission. Transient aircraft require a follow-me vehicle to enter the ANG ramp, and ramp control on frequency 121.8 must be contacted for entry. Military ramp operations run on a defined schedule Monday through Friday, closed on alternate Mondays and holidays, and the ramp is closed outside published hours without command approval. Refueling for non-C17 aircraft requires a qualified crew chief or crewmember, and transient aircraft maintenance is not available. This is a military-controlled area, separate from the civil side of the field.
What bird activity or wildlife hazards are reported at KMEM?
Memphis International (KMEM) reports birds in the vicinity of the airport, with a formal BASH Phase II period noted for April through May and again August through October. Current bird watch condition is not published on ATIS on the civil side. On the military side, ANG ATIS reports bird activity around the clock. Flight crews operating in and out of KMEM during these elevated periods should expect wildlife activity as a standing operational condition rather than an occasional notice.