Sydney / J.a. Douglas McCurdy Airport (CYQY), Nova Scotia
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, identified by the code CYQY, serves the Cape Breton region of Nova Scotia with two paved runways and onsite customs clearance as a designated Airport of Entry. The field sits roughly 150 nautical miles from its nearest major metro reference point and supports a mix of general and business aviation traffic year-round. Its longer runway, at 7,070 feet, accommodates a wide range of business jet types operating in and out of Atlantic Canada.
Runways
Sydney / J.a. Douglas McCurdy Airport has two paved runways. The longest, 06/24, is 7,070 ft long and 200 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Sydney / J.a. Douglas McCurdy Airport has Canada Border Services Agency clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Sydney / J.a. Douglas McCurdy Airport recorded 768 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in June. Business aviation traffic at CYQY concentrates in the summer months, peaking in June, according to FAA TFMSC data for 2025.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month June, 87 movements in 2025.
FAA TFMSC records a movement outside the United States only when the flight enters US airspace. This is cross-border traffic, not total activity at the airfield.
Source: FAA TFMSC, cross-border movements, 2025.
Climate
Sydney / J.a. Douglas McCurdy Airport averages 1.3 days above 90°F in August, 29.8 freeze days in January and 5.3 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 74.1°F, and February the coldest, at 30.0°F.
Weather station is on the field. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Alternates
Sydney / J.a. Douglas McCurdy Airport has one alternate within 63 NM. The nearest alternate is Port Hawkesbury Airport (CYPD), 62.85 NM southwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYQY
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 CYQY.
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 CYQY?
Yes, Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport is designated as an Airport of Entry, with customs service onsite. This allows arriving international flights to clear directly at the field rather than diverting to another port of entry. Dispatchers should still confirm current AOE procedures and any advance notice requirements before planning a crossing into CYQY. The onsite AOE designation is a key operational feature for business aviation flights routing through Atlantic Canada.
What runway options does CYQY offer for business aircraft?
CYQY has two paved runways available for business aviation operations. Runway 06/24 is the longer of the two at 7,070 feet, with a width of 200 feet. Runway 18/36 measures 5,997 feet long and 150 feet wide. Both runways carry an asphalt surface, giving crews a choice depending on wind conditions and aircraft performance requirements at Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport.
How much business aviation traffic does CYQY see?
CYQY recorded 768 business aviation operations in 2025, out of 3,630 total annual operations, according to FAA TFMSC data. Since Canada is the host country, this figure represents cross-border traffic as tracked by the FAA rather than the airport's full activity level. Monthly volumes at Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport ranged from a low of 45 operations in March to a high of 87 in June. This places CYQY at ops tier 1, the highest tier in Skystar's classification.
Does traffic at CYQY vary by season?
Yes, business aviation traffic at CYQY shows a clear seasonal pattern. Operations rise through the spring and peak in June at 87 movements, based on FAA TFMSC data for 2025, before tapering off through the fall and winter months. The quietest month recorded was March, with 45 operations. Crews planning trips to Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport should expect the busiest period to fall in the summer months.
What winter weather should crews expect at Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport?
Winter conditions at CYQY are cold, with average daily high temperatures around 30 to 31 degrees Fahrenheit in January and February. Days with temperatures below freezing are frequent from November through March, exceeding 25 days per month in the deepest winter months. Snowfall of an inch or more is recorded on an average of 5.3 days in January, tapering off through the spring. Crews operating into Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport during winter should plan for cold-weather and snow-related operational considerations.