Acadiana Regional (KARA), Louisiana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Acadiana Regional (KARA) serves New Iberia, Louisiana, with a towered field offering onsite CBP inspection services and a full-length concrete runway suited to business jet operations. The airport sits inland from the Gulf coast and supports a mix of fixed-wing and rotor-wing activity, including a designated helicopter training and movement area alongside its main runway.
Runways
Acadiana Regional has two runways. The longest, 17/35, is 8,002 ft long and 200 ft wide, with a concrete surface.
Runways are listed longest first. Helipads and surfaces under 500 ft are excluded.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Acadiana Regional has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 7am to 9pm, daily, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Acadiana Regional has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Acadiana Regional recorded 1,706 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in March and July. Business aviation traffic at KARA is concentrated in certain months, with March and October showing notably higher operations than the June and August low points.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month March, 180 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Acadiana Regional averages 25.2 days above 90°F in August and 4.9 freeze days in January. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 92.4°F, and January the coldest, at 62.7°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Acadiana Regional has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
For clearance delivery when the approach control is closed, contact Houston ARTCC.
ARFF Index B coverage is provided between 1200Z and 0830Z Monday through Friday. Any additional coverage requires prior permission 24 hours in advance.
A rotor wing movement and landing area is located between the runway and the seaway.
Runway lighting operates from dusk to dawn. When the control tower is closed, the high-intensity runway lights for runway 17/35 are preset to low intensity; to increase intensity and activate the MALSR on runway 35, use the CTAF.
Bird activity occurs on and in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 500/R/B/W/T
For fuel after hours, call using the listed fax contact.
Intensive helicopter training activity occurs at the airport.
The seaplane landing area, a water channel, is not available and is permanently closed.
The compass rose is not available.
Overnight camping is not permitted.
Contact the airport manager for designated ramp space for public use.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Acadiana Regional has five airfields within 35 NM. The closest is Abbeville Chris Crusta Memorial (KIYA), 11.06 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KARA
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 KARA.
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 lengths are available at KARA?
Acadiana Regional, identified as KARA, offers a primary paved runway, 17/35, measuring 8,002 feet long and 200 feet wide on a concrete surface. This length supports a wide range of business jet types without runway-limited performance concerns under most conditions. The field also lists a 5,000-foot water runway, 17W/35W, and a 23-foot helideck designated H1. Dispatchers planning fixed-wing turbine operations will find the 8,002-foot concrete runway the relevant surface for performance calculations at KARA.
Is customs clearance available at Acadiana Regional (KARA)?
Acadiana Regional, KARA, has CBP inspection services available onsite, allowing arriving international flights to clear customs at the airport rather than diverting to another port of entry. This onsite capability removes the need to coordinate clearance at a nearby designated airport. Crews should still confirm current CBP staffing and any advance notice requirements directly with the agency before planning an international arrival. The airport's control tower operation and published attendance schedule are separate considerations from customs availability and should be checked independently.
What is the PCN or pavement strength rating for the main runway at KARA?
The main runway at Acadiana Regional, KARA, carries a PCR VALUE of 500/R / B/W / T according to airport data. This rating is used by operators and load planners to assess whether a given aircraft's landing gear configuration and weight are compatible with the pavement structure. The figure applies specifically to the 8,002-foot concrete runway, 17/35, at KARA. Operators of heavier aircraft types should reference this value when running pavement compatibility checks ahead of a scheduled arrival.
Does KARA see seasonal variation in business aviation traffic?
Business aviation traffic at Acadiana Regional, KARA, is concentrated in certain months rather than spread evenly across the year, based on FAA TFMSC traffic data. Monthly bizav operations for 2025 ranged from a low of 105 in June to a high of 180 in March, with October and July also showing elevated counts. Total annual business aviation operations at KARA were recorded at 1,706 against an annual total of 3,121 operations. Dispatchers scheduling flexible trips may find lower-traffic months easier for ramp space and coordination.
What operational restrictions apply to helicopter activity at KARA?
Acadiana Regional, KARA, reports intensive helicopter training activity along with a designated rotor wing movement and landing area located between the runway and the seaway. Fixed-wing crews operating at KARA should account for concurrent rotor traffic in this zone during arrival and departure planning. The airport's seaplane landing area, a water channel, is noted as permanently closed and unavailable, which removes that option from planning entirely. Bird activity on and in the vicinity of the airport is also flagged, which is a separate wildlife hazard consideration from the helicopter training zone.