Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal (KDLS), Oregon
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Columbia Gorge Regional / The Dalles Municipal Airport (KDLS) sits in the Columbia River Gorge in The Dalles, Oregon, roughly 97 nautical miles from the nearest metro area. The field is non-towered and operates on a published attendance schedule, with two paved runways serving business aviation traffic that FAA TFMSC data recorded at 1,433 operations in 2025. Fuel is available in both 100LL and Jet A, and customs clearance is not offered onsite; the nearest customs airport is KPDX, about 60 nautical miles away.
Runways
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal has two paved runways. The longest, 13/31, is 5,097 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal has Jet A1 and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 8am to 5pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Portland International (KPDX), 60 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal recorded 1,433 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KDLS peaks in October at 162 operations, well above the monthly average seen across the rest of the year.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 162 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal averages 15.0 days above 90°F in August and 16.9 freeze days in December. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88.4°F, and December the coldest, at 41.4°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal has published operating constraints in three categories: access, runway notes and other notes.
Mountains beyond 5,000 feet on the approach to Runway 31.
Prior permission is required for overweight landings.
Pilot-controlled lighting activates MIRL for Runways 13/31 and 07/25, and REIL for Runway 31, on CTAF. The REIL operates on 7 clicks only.
Runway 07 has a close-in obstruction: a road 15 feet high, located at the runway end, offset 200 feet to the right.
Runway 07 has an obstruction clearance slope of 39:1 to the displaced threshold.
A controlling obstruction on the approach exceeds a 45-degree slope.
The threshold has been displaced to provide an adequate safety area.
All taxiways are marked with reflectors.
Waterfowl are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
For clearance delivery, contact Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Columbia Gorge Regional / the Dalles Municipal has one airfield within 16 NM. The closest is Ken Jernstedt Airfield, 15.68 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KDLS
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 KDLS.
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 runways are available at KDLS?
Columbia Gorge Regional / The Dalles Municipal Airport (KDLS) has two paved asphalt runways. Runway 13/31 is the longer of the two at 5,097 feet by 100 feet wide, and it is also the airport's longest paved surface overall. Runway 07/25 measures 4,647 feet by 100 feet. Both runways are paved asphalt and support the airport's business aviation traffic. The airport itself sits at an elevation of 246 feet.
Is customs clearance available at KDLS?
Columbia Gorge Regional / The Dalles Municipal Airport (KDLS) does not have onsite customs clearance. The nearest customs airport is KPDX, located approximately 60 nautical miles away. Crews requiring customs processing should plan to route through KPDX or another designated port of entry rather than expecting service at The Dalles. Flight planning for international arrivals should account for this additional stop before or after operations at KDLS.
What obstacles affect the approach to Runway 07 at KDLS?
Runway 07 at Columbia Gorge Regional / The Dalles Municipal Airport (KDLS) has a close-in obstruction consisting of a road 15 feet high, located at the runway end and offset 200 feet to the right. The obstruction clearance slope on Runway 07 is 39:1 to the displaced threshold. A controlling obstruction on the approach exceeds a 45-degree slope. Because of these factors, the threshold has been displaced to provide an adequate safety area for arriving aircraft.
Are there any weight restrictions for landing at KDLS?
Overweight landings at Columbia Gorge Regional / The Dalles Municipal Airport (KDLS) require prior permission before arrival. Operators planning to land above the airport's normal weight limits need to coordinate with the airport ahead of time rather than arriving unannounced. This applies specifically to overweight landings and is noted as a standing operational requirement at the field. Dispatchers should build this coordination step into flight planning for any aircraft operating above standard weight limits at KDLS.
How does business aviation traffic vary by season at KDLS?
Business aviation traffic at Columbia Gorge Regional / The Dalles Municipal Airport (KDLS) shows a clear seasonal pattern, according to FAA TFMSC data for 2025. October is the busiest month with 162 operations, followed by March at 145 operations. The quietest months are February and May, each recording 96 operations. Total business aviation operations for the year reached 1,433 out of 1,811 annual operations overall at the field.