Watson Lake Airport (CYQH), Yukon
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Watson Lake Airport (CYQH) serves the town of Watson Lake in Yukon with a single paved runway suitable for a range of business aircraft. Cross-border traffic monitored by the FAA is modest, reflecting the airport's role supporting regional and charter operations rather than scheduled commercial service. Customs clearance is not available onsite, with the nearest customs point at CYSQ roughly 150 nautical miles away. Operators planning stops here should account for the northern climate, which brings sustained cold and snow through much of the year.
Runways
Watson Lake Airport has one paved runway, 09/27, 5,504 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Watson Lake Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Atlin Airport (CYSQ), 150 NM away.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Watson Lake Airport recorded 321 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in June and December. Business aviation traffic at CYQH peaks in June, August, and December, with noticeably lighter activity in January and February.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month June, 40 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
Watson Lake Airport averages 0.6 days above 90°F in June, 31.0 freeze days in January and 2.7 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 70.3°F, and January the coldest, at 1.9°F.
Weather station is on the field. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Alternates
Watson Lake Airport has two alternates within 189 NM. The nearest alternate is Dease Lake Airport (CYDL), 108.30 NM south.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYQH
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 CYQH.
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 CYQH?
Watson Lake Airport (CYQH) has a single paved runway, 09/27, measuring 5,504 feet long and 150 feet wide. The asphalt surface is the same length listed as the airport's maximum paved distance. This single-runway layout means wind conditions along the 09/27 axis are the primary operational consideration for arriving and departing aircraft.
Is customs clearance available at Watson Lake Airport?
Customs clearance is not available onsite at Watson Lake Airport (CYQH). The nearest customs airport is CYSQ, located approximately 149.67 nautical miles away. Operators arriving from outside Canada need to plan a stop at that customs-equipped airport before or after using CYQH, since no clearance service exists at this field.
How much business aviation traffic does CYQH handle?
Watson Lake Airport (CYQH) recorded 321 business aviation operations in 2025 out of 345 total cross-border operations tracked by the FAA TFMSC, placing it in the tier 2 traffic category. This traffic is not evenly distributed through the year, with clear peaks in June, August, and December. The figures reflect cross-border activity as seen by the FAA rather than total airport movements.
What kind of winter weather should pilots expect at Watson Lake Airport?
Watson Lake Airport (CYQH) sits at 2,255 feet elevation and experiences prolonged cold through the winter months. January averages a high of just 1.9°F with about 31 days below freezing and roughly 2.7 days of measurable snowfall, according to the climate data on file. Conditions improve sharply by June and July, when average highs reach the upper 60s and low 70s Fahrenheit with minimal snow risk.