Chippewa County International (KCIU), Michigan
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Chippewa County International Airport (KCIU) serves Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, with a 7,203-foot primary runway capable of handling a wide range of business aircraft, plus a secondary crosswind runway. The field carries onsite CBP inspection services, both 100LL and Jet A fuel, and operates on a daily attendance schedule from 0600 to 1800 local. Business aviation activity, drawn from FAA TFMSC traffic data for 2025, totaled 1,392 operations against 3,585 total annual operations at the field.
Runways
Chippewa County International has two paved runways. The longest, 16/34, is 7,203 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt and concrete surface.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Chippewa County International has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 6am to 6pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Chippewa County International 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
Chippewa County International recorded 1,392 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July and August. Business aviation traffic at KCIU concentrates in the summer months, rising from a low near 65 operations in April to a peak of 169 in August before tapering through the fall.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 169 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Chippewa County International averages 0.5 days above 90°F in July and 30.8 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 76.2°F, and January the coldest, at 23.4°F.
Weather station is 3.9 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Chippewa County International has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
Vehicle testing is in progress during winter months on sections of a closed and abandoned parallel taxiway southeast of the runway 34 approach end. This area may be plowed to bare surface but remains unavailable for arrivals or departures.
Pilot-controlled lighting on CTAF activates the MALSR on runway 16; REIL on runways 34, 10, and 28; PAPI on runways 16, 34, 10, and 28; HIRL on runway 16/34; and MIRL on runway 10/28. REIL and PAPI on runway 34 operate continuously from December through March, and PAPI on runways 10 and 28 operates continuously during daylight hours.
The center 150 feet of the runway is asphalt; the remaining outside edges are concrete.
Birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 200/F/B/X/T
PCR VALUE: 680/R/B/W/T
The PAPI is unusable beyond 8 degrees left of centerline.
Expect daily snow removal activity from December through March.
Flight service station communications are unmonitored from 2100 to 0700.
For clearance delivery, if unable to contact on the flight service station frequency, contact Minneapolis ARTCC.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Chippewa County International has five airfields within 25 NM. The closest is Sault Ste Marie Airport (CYAM), 14.04 NM north.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KCIU
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 KCIU.
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 available at KCIU for international arrivals?
Chippewa County International Airport offers CBP inspection services onsite, according to the airport data. This means aircraft can clear customs directly at KCIU rather than diverting to another port of entry. The airport does not carry the restricted access codes seen at some Canadian border fields, such as military-only status or a CANPASS-only limit. Dispatchers planning international legs into Sault Ste Marie should still confirm current CBP staffing and hours directly with the office before filing. Runway 16/34 offers 7,203 feet of paved length for larger arriving aircraft.
What runway lengths are available at KCIU?
Chippewa County International Airport has two paved runways. Runway 16/34 is the longer of the two at 7,203 feet with a width of 150 feet, surfaced in asphalt and concrete. Runway 10/28 measures 5,001 feet long and 75 feet wide, surfaced in asphalt. The center 150 feet of the primary runway is asphalt, with the remaining outside edges in concrete. This gives KCIU enough length on 16/34 to accommodate most business jet traffic without restriction.
What fuel types are available at KCIU?
Chippewa County International Airport stocks both 100LL avgas and Jet A fuel onsite. This dual availability supports both piston and turbine business aircraft operating through Sault Ste Marie. The airport attendance schedule runs daily from 0600 to 1800 local, which is the window during which fuel and field services can be expected. Aircraft arriving outside these hours should coordinate in advance, since the field is not staffed around the clock. No weight or type restriction on fuel access is indicated in the airport data.
When is business aviation traffic highest at KCIU?
Business aviation traffic at Chippewa County International Airport concentrates in the summer months. Monthly figures from FAA TFMSC data show operations climbing from 65 in April to a peak of 169 in August, then tapering to 116 by October. Winter months are comparatively quiet, with January at 96 operations and April as low as 65. This seasonal pattern lines up with the region's harsh winter climate, where snow removal operations run daily from December through March according to airport remarks. Dispatchers scheduling repeat trips into KCIU should expect thinner staffing and services during the winter shoulder months.
Are there any operational hazards or limitations noted at KCIU?
Chippewa County International Airport has several published operational notes worth reviewing before arrival. Birds are reported on and in the vicinity of the airport, a standing wildlife caution for all traffic. The PAPI system is unusable beyond eight degrees left of centerline, which affects visual approach guidance on final. A closed and abandoned parallel taxiway section southeast of the runway 34 approach end is used for vehicle testing during winter months and is unavailable for arrivals or departures even when plowed. Flight service communications are unmonitored between 2100 and 0700 local, so pilots needing clearance delivery during those hours should contact Minneapolis ARTCC instead.