Red Dog Airport (PADG), Alaska
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Red Dog Airport (PADG) is a private-use airfield serving the Red Dog Mine area of northwest Alaska, roughly 220 nautical miles from the nearest customs facility at Nome. With irregular attendance and no onsite customs, it functions as a remote support field for business aviation tied to regional industrial activity rather than a scheduled traffic hub. Its single paved runway and pilot-activated lighting reflect the low-density, utility-driven nature of operations at this location.
Runways
Red Dog Airport has one paved runway, 03/21, 6,312 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Red Dog Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Nome (PAOM), 220 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Red Dog Airport recorded 251 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at Red Dog Airport (PADG) is concentrated in the summer months, peaking in July and August.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 64 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Weather station is 15.2 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Red Dog Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, pavement strength and other notes.
PAPI for runways 03 and 21, and HIRL for runway 03/21, are pilot-activated on frequency 123.0.
Displaced threshold lighting is located 279 feet from the runway end.
The safety area extends 279 feet at the north end and 279 feet at the south end of the runway.
PCR VALUE: 400/F/A/X/T
Rotating beacon is pilot-activated on frequency 123.0.
The PAPI is offset 12.5 degrees.
A weather camera covering the airport is available online at the FAA weather cameras website.
This is a cold temperature airport; altitude correction is required at or below -14°C.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Skystar at PADG
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.
$1,200.00 catering order at PADG.
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 clearance available at PADG?
Red Dog Airport (PADG) does not have customs service onsite. The nearest customs facility is at Nome Airport (PAOM), located approximately 220 nautical miles away. Operators requiring customs clearance near Red Dog should plan their routing through PAOM in advance. This distance makes PADG unsuitable as a first point of entry for international arrivals.
What runway does Red Dog Airport offer?
Red Dog Airport (PADG) has a single paved runway, designated 03/21, measuring 6,312 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This length supports a range of business aviation aircraft operating into the region. The runway lighting, including PAPI and HIRL systems, is pilot-activated on frequency 123.0. No other runways are listed for this airport.
How busy is PADG throughout the year?
Red Dog Airport (RDB) recorded 251 business aviation operations in 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data, out of 982 total annual operations. Traffic is concentrated in the summer months, with August showing the highest volume at 64 operations and July close behind at 45. Winter and spring months see considerably lighter activity, with February as low as 4 operations. This pattern reflects a strong seasonal skew in usage at the airport.
What cold-weather procedures apply at PADG?
Red Dog Airport (PADG) is designated a cold temperature airport, requiring altitude correction at or below -14 degrees Celsius. Pilots operating into PADG in cold conditions must apply the appropriate correction to published altitudes. A weather camera covering the airfield is also available online through the FAA weather cameras system. These factors are relevant for approach planning in winter operations at this Alaska airport.