Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL), California
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) serves South Lake Tahoe, California, from a high-elevation site at 6,268 feet, ringed by rapidly rising terrain on three sides. The field is non-towered, offers a single paved runway of 8,541 feet, and stocks both 100LL and Jet A. Its mountain setting, cold-weather operating notes, and strong seasonal draw toward summer recreation traffic shape day-to-day operations more than its runway count alone would suggest.
Runways
Lake Tahoe Airport has one paved runway, 18/36, 8,541 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
Lake Tahoe Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Lake Tahoe Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Reno / Tahoe International (KRNO), 38 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Lake Tahoe Airport recorded 2,243 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July. Business aviation traffic at KTVL concentrates heavily in the summer, with July alone accounting for roughly a quarter of the year's operations.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 696 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Lake Tahoe Airport averages 0.7 days above 90°F in July and 29.3 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80.4°F, and January the coldest, at 42.8°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Lake Tahoe Airport has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, noise procedures, environmental and other notes.
Paragliders and motorized parachutes operate from the runway surface.
Airport surface conditions: terminal apron is excellent, taxiways and runway are good, and the north general aviation apron is poor.
MALSF lighting for runway 18 and MIRL for runway 18/36 are activated via CTAF. The PAPI for runway 18 is on continuously.
The visual glide slope indicator is unusable beyond 4 degrees left of runway centerline and beyond 5 nautical miles.
The approach ratio is 22:1 to the displaced threshold.
After winter storms, runway 18/36 opens before all taxiways are cleared.
The preferred arrival runway is 18; the preferred departure runway is 36.
Large and high-performance aircraft should depart runway 18, with a right downwind departure recommended.
Access noise restrictions limit departures to a maximum of 80 dBA, arrivals to 84 dBA (86 dBA for transport-category aircraft), and set a maximum night limit of 77.1 dBA.
For noise abatement, aircraft departing runway 36 should fly the runway heading for one mile, then turn left to a heading of 320 degrees toward the shoreline.
Noise abatement information is available.
Birds and waterfowl are present in the vicinity of the airport.
Traffic pattern altitude is 7,500 feet MSL for small aircraft and 8,000 feet MSL for transport and high-performance aircraft.
There is recreational airborne activity along the southern lake shore.
At E81, use only the apron entrance taxiways and the high-speed taxiways.
Adverse weather effects are magnified by the surrounding mountains.
Traffic advisories and sequencing in the traffic pattern are based on position reports received from pilots in the reporting areas.
The airport is surrounded on the east, south, and west sides by rapidly rising terrain.
Avoid the Desolation Wilderness area west of the airport.
Airport conditions are not monitored between 1600 and 0700 daily.
Airport conditions are not monitored on Saturdays and Sundays.
This is a cold temperature airport; altitude correction is required at or below -12C.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Lake Tahoe Airport has five airfields within 30 NM. The closest is Minden-Tahoe (KMEV), 13.08 NM northeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KTVL
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 KTVL.
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 at KTVL?
Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) has a single paved runway, 18/36, measuring 8,541 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. That length accommodates most business jet types operating into the airport. The airport sits at 6,268 feet field elevation, so density altitude and performance planning matter more here than the raw runway number suggests. Runway 18 is the preferred arrival, and runway 36 is the preferred departure, per airport guidance. Pilots of large or high-performance aircraft are advised to depart runway 18 with a right downwind departure.
Does KTVL have on-site customs clearance?
Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) does not have on-site customs clearance. The nearest customs facility is at Reno-Tahoe area airport KRNO, approximately 37.84 nautical miles away. Operators requiring customs processing need to route through that facility rather than clearing directly at KTVL. Given the mountainous terrain and single-runway layout at this field, coordinating customs arrival planning in advance through the nearest available service point is the standard approach for this airport.
How does winter weather affect operations at Lake Tahoe Airport?
Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) is a cold temperature airport requiring altitude corrections at or below -12C, per published remarks. After winter storms, runway 18/36 is reported to open before all taxiways are cleared, so pilots should not assume taxiway conditions match runway conditions following snow events. Airport surface conditions are not monitored between 1600 and 0700 daily, and are also not monitored on Saturdays and Sundays. Adverse weather effects are magnified by the surrounding mountains, and the field is surrounded on the east, south, and west sides by rapidly rising terrain.
When is business aviation traffic heaviest at KTVL?
Business aviation traffic at Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) concentrates heavily in the summer months. According to FAA TFMSC data for 2025, July recorded 696 business aviation operations, by far the highest of any month, followed by August at 394 and September at 278. Winter months such as February and December each saw fewer than 80 operations. Total annual business aviation operations for the airport were 2,243 against 2,555 total annual operations. This pattern means transient ramp and fuel demand at KTVL is substantially higher in mid-summer than during the rest of the year.
What noise abatement procedures apply at Lake Tahoe Airport?
Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) enforces access noise restrictions capping departures at 80 dBA, arrivals at 84 dBA (86 dBA for transport-category aircraft), and a night limit of 77.1 dBA. For noise abatement, departures on runway 36 are directed to fly the runway heading for one mile before turning left to a heading of 320 degrees toward the shoreline. Operators should also note recreational airborne activity along the southern lake shore and paragliders or motorized parachutes operating from the runway surface itself, both of which affect traffic pattern awareness in addition to noise procedures.