Lakefront Airport (KNEW), Louisiana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Lakefront Airport (KNEW) sits along Lake Pontchartrain roughly nine nautical miles from downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, and operates as a towered public-use field with onsite CBP inspection services. The airport handles a business aviation-heavy traffic mix and offers three paved runways, including a 6,879-foot primary strip that accommodates a range of jet and turboprop operations. Its lakeside setting brings distinct considerations, from marine traffic near the runway ends to bird activity in the vicinity, that factor into daily operations at the field.
Runways
Lakefront Airport has three paved runways. The longest, 18R/36L, is 6,879 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
Lakefront Airport has Jet A and 100LL 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
Lakefront Airport 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
Lakefront Airport recorded 19,400 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in February and November. Business aviation traffic at KNEW concentrates in the winter months, with a marked drop-off during July and August.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month February, 2,009 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Lakefront Airport averages 23.5 days above 90°F in August, 1.6 freeze days in January and 0.1 snow days in December. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 90.8°F, and January the coldest, at 61.0°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Lakefront Airport has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and other notes.
Prior permission is required for aircraft transporting any items listed in Part 175, Title 49. Contact the airport for arrangements.
Boat masts up to 80 feet occur within 0.5 nautical miles of the runway 27 approach end.
For clearance delivery when the tower is closed, contact New Orleans approach on frequency 127.4.
When the tower is closed, the MALSR on runway 18R and the MIRL on runway 18R/36L, along with taxiways B, C, D, E, F, H, and the east hangar line, are preset to low intensity. Activate medium intensity with five clicks or high intensity with seven clicks on the CTAF.
A wall 7 feet high stands 150 feet from the runway end.
The PAPI for runway 36R is unusable between 2100 and 0700 local time.
The approach ratio is 50:1 from the displaced threshold.
The approach ratio is 32:1 at the displaced threshold; a silo 77 feet high stands 2,500 feet out and 580 feet right of centerline.
A few low spots holding water are located near the intersection of runway 09/27.
Boats as high as 80 feet pass within 400 feet of the runway 09 threshold.
Birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
For airport beacon status, contact the air traffic control tower.
ARFF capability is equivalent to Index B.
Fuel is not available within 100 feet of the terminal building.
Taxiway A has uneven pavement.
For assistance after 2100 local time, contact the airport manager.
For FICON reports after hours, call ARFF.
The airport windcone for the ballpark ramp lights is permanently out of service.
Use caution on taxiway F between the terminal ramp and the flight line east ramp due to irregular surface.
Contact the airport manager for designated ramp space for public use at the airport.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Lakefront Airport has five airfields within 29 NM. The closest is Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (KMSY), 12.36 NM west.
Part of the New Orleans area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KNEW
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 KNEW.
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 options does KNEW offer for business aviation?
Lakefront Airport (KNEW) operates three paved asphalt runways. The primary runway, 18R/36L, measures 6,879 feet long and 150 feet wide, handling the bulk of business aviation traffic. Runway 18L/36R runs 3,697 feet by 75 feet, and runway 09/27 measures 3,114 feet by 75 feet. All three surfaces are paved, giving crews flexibility depending on wind and aircraft type. The longer runway supports the larger jets that make up most of the field's annual operations.
Is customs available at KNEW for international arrivals?
KNEW, Lakefront Airport, has CBP inspection services available onsite, according to the airport data. This means aircraft arriving from abroad can clear customs directly at the field rather than diverting to another airport for inspection. The presence of onsite customs supports international business aviation traffic without requiring a stop at a separate port of entry. Crews should still confirm current CBP hours and procedures before planning an international arrival, since onsite service does not guarantee unrestricted hours of operation.
What fuel types are available at Lakefront Airport?
Lakefront Airport, KNEW, stocks both 100LL and Jet A fuel on the field. This dual availability supports a mixed fleet of piston and turbine aircraft operating through the airport. However, a general remark on file notes that fuel is not available within 100 feet of the terminal building, which affects ramp planning for aircraft parked near that structure. Crews should factor this restriction into taxi and fueling logistics when arranging services at the airport.
How busy is KNEW and when does traffic peak?
Lakefront Airport recorded 23,979 total annual operations in 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data, with business aviation accounting for 19,400 of those operations. This volume places KNEW in the top tier of business aviation airports tracked by the source. Monthly business aviation traffic is not evenly distributed across the year; the airport sees higher activity in the winter months and a clear dip during the summer, notably in July and August. This pattern is useful for dispatchers planning ramp and slot availability.
What wildlife and marine hazards affect operations at KNEW?
Lakefront Airport, KNEW, has several noted hazards tied to its location near open water. Birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport, per airport remarks. Boats as high as 80 feet pass within 400 feet of the runway 09 threshold, and boat masts up to 80 feet occur within 0.5 nautical miles of the runway 27 approach end. These marine obstructions are a distinct consideration for approach and departure planning on the 09/27 runway that pilots do not encounter at inland airports.