Reno / Stead Airport (KRTS), Nevada
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Reno / Stead Airport (KRTS) sits at 5,050 feet elevation northwest of Reno, Nevada, offering two long asphalt runways without the operational overhead of a control tower. The field supports a meaningful share of business aviation activity relative to its total traffic and sits close enough to Reno / Tahoe International to serve as a practical option for operators needing runway length without the congestion of a larger commercial field. Fuel service, including both 100LL and Jet A, is available with an attended schedule Monday through Friday, though the field also carries a remark indicating fuel availability around the clock.
Runways
Reno / Stead Airport has two paved runways. The longest, 14/32, is 9,000 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Reno / Stead Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 7am to 4:30pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Reno / Stead Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Reno / Tahoe International (KRNO), 11 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Reno / Stead Airport recorded 515 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in May. Business aviation traffic at KRTS concentrates in the late spring and summer months, peaking in May and remaining elevated through September, with noticeably lower activity in the winter months.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month May, 68 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Reno / Stead Airport averages 17.7 days above 90°F in July, 27.1 freeze days in January and 1.4 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88.8°F, and December the coldest, at 43.1°F.
Weather station is 2.6 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Reno / Stead Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: access, runway notes and other notes.
For clearance delivery, contact Norcal Approach.
MALSR is activated for Runway 32, REIL for Runway 14, and HIRL for Runway 14/32, all via CTAF. The PAPI for Runway 32 is on a separate control.
The PAPI is unusable beyond 5 degrees right of centerline.
The PAPI is out of service indefinitely.
Range helicopter operations occur in the vicinity of the airport. Balloon operations take place in the northwest quadrant. Tanker and firefighting aircraft operate in the vicinity of the airport during fire season.
This is a cold temperature airport. Altitude correction is required at or below -15C.
Fuel is available 24 hours, or by contacting the airport on frequency 122.775.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Reno / Stead Airport has five airfields within 30 NM. The closest is Reno / Tahoe International (KRNO), 11.32 NM southeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KRTS
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 KRTS.
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 runway length available at KRTS?
Reno / Stead Airport operates two paved asphalt runways. Runway 14/32 is the longer of the two at 9,000 feet, with a width of 150 feet. Runway 08/26 measures 7,608 feet long and is also 150 feet wide. Both runways can accommodate a wide range of business aircraft. KRTS has no control tower, so operations follow CTAF procedures rather than tower clearance.
Is customs available at Reno / Stead Airport?
KRTS does not have onsite customs processing. The nearest customs facility is at Reno / Tahoe International, located approximately 11.32 nautical miles away. Operators requiring customs clearance should plan to route through that airport instead. This distance is short enough that many operators treat it as a practical alternative rather than a major routing detour. Dispatchers should confirm current customs procedures directly with the receiving facility before planning an arrival.
What kind of traffic does Reno / Stead Airport see, and when is it busiest?
Reno / Stead Airport, identified by the code KRTS, recorded 515 business aviation operations in 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data, out of 752 total annual operations. Traffic is not evenly distributed across the year. Business aviation activity peaks in May at 68 operations and stays elevated through the summer months of June through September. The slowest months are January, February, and October, each recording between 21 and 32 operations. This seasonal pattern reflects a clear warm-weather concentration of activity.
Are there any known issues with the approach lighting or PAPI system at KRTS?
Reno / Stead Airport has recorded operational limitations affecting its visual glideslope indicators. The PAPI serving Runway 32 is reported out of service indefinitely. A separate remark notes that the PAPI is unusable beyond 5 degrees right of centerline. Runway lighting elements including MALSR on Runway 32, REIL on Runway 14, and HIRL on Runway 14/32 are activated through CTAF. Pilots planning an approach at KRTS should not rely on PAPI guidance for Runway 32 given its current status.
What special operational activity should pilots expect around KRTS?
Reno / Stead Airport sees a mix of activity beyond standard fixed-wing traffic. Range helicopter operations occur in the vicinity of the airport, and balloon operations take place in the northwest quadrant. During fire season, tanker and firefighting aircraft operate in the vicinity of the airport as well. KRTS is also designated a cold temperature airport, requiring altitude corrections for operations conducted at or below -15C. Pilots should account for this mixed traffic environment and temperature correction requirement when planning arrivals or departures.