Unalaska Airport (PADU), Alaska
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
PADU, the airport serving Unalaska, Alaska, sits at 23 feet elevation and handles a moderate volume of business aviation traffic within FAA-tracked operations for 2025. The field offers Jet A fuel and CBP inspection services onsite, supporting operators moving through this remote Aleutian location. A single paved runway and non-towered operations define the facility, with attendance limited to a set daily schedule. Nearby Akutan lies roughly 36 nautical miles to the east.
Runways
Unalaska Airport has one paved runway, 13/31, 4,500 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
Unalaska Airport has Jet A available on the field. Fueling is available from 8am to 4:30pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Unalaska Airport 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
Unalaska Airport recorded 900 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at PADU is concentrated in the spring and summer months, with April, June, and August showing the highest monthly operation counts.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 124 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Unalaska Airport averages 21.5 freeze days in March and 8.5 snow days in January. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 59.3°F, and January the coldest, at 37.3°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Unalaska Airport has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
The runway 31 jet blast area is closed to taxi operations except when road vehicle and pedestrian traffic is controlled by an operator representative; a clockwise turn is required.
REIL is available for runway 13 and 31, and MIRL serves runway 13/31. The runway 31 threshold vehicle crossing traffic light is controlled via CTAF: key the radio 7 clicks to turn the light on, and 3 clicks to turn off the crossing traffic light and REIL. VASI for runway 13 and 31 operates continuously.
Pavement edge lighting fixtures are installed on the runway. Locked-wheel turns are not authorized.
VGSI is unusable beyond 1.4 nautical miles due to mountainous terrain and is skewed 5 degrees south of runway heading.
Snow removal and deicing of the runway, taxiway, and ramps takes place during duty hours.
Caution: vessel traffic operates within 1,500 feet of runway 13, and a vessel dock is located within 1,300 feet of runway 31.
Heavy bird concentrations are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 860/F/B/X/T
Transient parking is located on Ramp B.
ARFF equipment is staffed during periods of large aircraft operations.
Hazard reporting is available during attendance hours and for aircraft with over 30 passenger seats.
Seaplane base gate operations are controlled via CTAF: key the radio 7 clicks to open the gate and 3 clicks to close it. See the Section C notice for gate procedures.
Traffic patterns are flown around the nearby mountain.
Weather information is available from 0745 to 1845 on Dutch weather frequency 129.5.
A weather camera is available online at the FAA weather cameras website.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Unalaska Airport has one airfield within 37 NM. The closest is Akutan (PAUT), 36.32 NM northeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at PADU
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.
$1,200.00 catering order at PADU.
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 kind of customs service is available at PADU?
PADU, serving Unalaska, has CBP inspection services available onsite. Attendance runs from 0800 to 1630 daily. Operators should coordinate arrival timing with those hours since the facility does not operate around the clock. This makes PADU a viable international arrival point within its posted attendance window.
What is the runway configuration at Unalaska Airport?
Unalaska Airport (PADU) has a single paved runway, 13/31, measuring 4,500 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. There is no parallel or crosswind runway option. Wind conditions relative to this single strip are therefore a key planning factor. The airport is non-towered, so operations rely on CTAF coordination.
Are there approach lighting or vertical guidance limitations at PADU?
Yes, vertical guidance at Unalaska Airport is restricted by terrain. The VGSI is reported unusable beyond 1.4 nautical miles due to mountainous terrain and is skewed 5 degrees south of runway heading. REIL is available for runway 13 and 31, and MIRL covers both ends, but pilots should not rely on VGSI guidance at longer final distances.
What wildlife or terrain hazards should pilots expect at PADU?
Unalaska Airport (PADU) reports heavy bird concentrations on and in the vicinity of the airport. Traffic patterns are also flown around nearby mountainous terrain. Vessel traffic operates within 1,500 feet of runway 13, and a vessel dock sits within 1,300 feet of runway 31. These factors combine to make situational awareness important throughout the pattern.