Vernal Regional (KVEL), Utah
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Vernal Regional Airport (KVEL) serves the Uintah Basin region of northeastern Utah with a single 7,000-foot paved runway suited to a range of business aviation traffic. The field sits at 5,274 feet elevation, roughly 89 nautical miles from the nearest metro area, and operates without a control tower under dawn-to-dusk attendance. Both 100LL and Jet A fuel are available onsite, and the airport reports business aviation as a substantial share of its overall annual operations.
Runways
Vernal Regional has one paved runway, 17/35, 7,000 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
Vernal Regional has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Vernal Regional does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Salt Lake City International (KSLC), 114 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Vernal Regional recorded 1,033 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in March. Business aviation traffic at KVEL is concentrated in the spring months, with March showing the highest volume and a noticeable decline through the fall and into November.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month March, 116 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Vernal Regional averages 20.0 days above 90°F in July and 31.0 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90.7°F, and January the coldest, at 29.5°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Vernal Regional has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, pavement strength and other notes.
Runway 07/25 has been decommissioned.
REIL lights for runway 17 and runway 35, along with MIRL for runway 17/35, are pilot-activated on CTAF. PAPI on runway 17 and runway 35 operates continuously.
PCR VALUE: 230/F/D/X/T
For clearance delivery, if unable to contact on the FSS frequency, contact Salt Lake ARTCC.
This is a cold temperature airport. Altitude correction is required at or below -26 degrees Celsius.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Vernal Regional has five airfields within 43 NM. The closest is Roosevelt Municipal, 26.46 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KVEL
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 KVEL.
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 there customs service at KVEL?
Vernal Regional Airport has no onsite customs facility. The nearest customs airport is Salt Lake City, located about 114 nautical miles away. Crews requiring customs clearance must plan to route through that facility rather than expecting service at KVEL. This distance should factor into fuel and routing planning for any international arrival. Dispatchers should confirm customs procedures and hours directly with the Salt Lake City facility well ahead of arrival.
What runway does KVEL offer for business aviation traffic?
Vernal Regional Airport operates a single paved runway, 17/35, measuring 7,000 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is the only active runway at the field since runway 07/25 has been decommissioned. The 7,000-foot length accommodates the majority of business aviation aircraft operating in the area. Runway 17/35 is equipped with REIL lighting and MIRL, both pilot-activated on CTAF, plus PAPI on both ends operating continuously. There is no control tower, so all traffic coordination happens on CTAF.
Does Vernal Regional Airport have jet fuel available?
Yes, Vernal Regional Airport lists Jet A among its available fuel types, alongside 100LL avgas. The airport operates on a dawn-to-dusk attendance schedule every day of the week. Given this schedule, flight crews should plan arrivals within daylight hours to ensure fuel service availability. KVEL's fuel offering supports both piston and turbine business aviation traffic transiting this part of Utah.
What is the pavement strength rating for the runway at KVEL?
The published PCR value for the runway at Vernal Regional Airport is 230/F / D/X / T. Operators should reference this code directly against their aircraft's pavement loading data when planning operations at KVEL. The airport's sole runway, 17/35, is a 7,000-foot asphalt strip built to accommodate a range of business aviation aircraft. Flight planning personnel should verify weight limitations using this PCR figure rather than assuming an unrestricted pavement classification.
Are there cold weather procedures pilots should know about at KVEL?
Vernal Regional Airport is designated a cold temperature airport, requiring altitude corrections at or below -26 degrees Celsius. This designation reflects the field's elevation of 5,274 feet and its winter climate, where daily high temperatures average below freezing from December through February. Pilots flying published instrument procedures at KVEL during cold periods must apply the required altitude corrections to maintain adequate terrain and obstacle clearance. This is a standard cold-weather airport procedure applicable to charted minimum altitudes.