Yellowstone Airport (KWYS), Montana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Yellowstone Airport (KWYS) serves West Yellowstone, Montana, at an elevation of 6,649 feet, with a single 8,400-foot paved runway supporting business jet traffic into the region. The field operates seasonally, aligning its attendance schedule with the peak visitation months for nearby Yellowstone National Park, and lacks onsite customs clearance, with the nearest facility at KBZN some 65 nautical miles away.
Runways
Yellowstone Airport has one paved runway, 01/19, 8,400 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Yellowstone Airport 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
Yellowstone Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Bozeman Yellowstone International (KBZN), 65 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Yellowstone Airport recorded 568 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in July. Business aviation traffic at KWYS is heavily concentrated in the summer months, peaking in July, in line with the airport's May-through-October attendance schedule.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month July, 163 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Weather station is 2.1 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Yellowstone Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, pavement strength and other notes.
MALSR for runway 01 and REIL for runway 19 are pilot-activated; HIRL for runway 01/19 is activated via CTAF. PAPI for runways 01 and 19 operate continuously. These lighting systems are not available from October 31 through May 7.
PCR VALUE: 1490/F/A/X/T
Snow removal is not available. Winter snowmobile activity occurs on and in the vicinity of the airport.
Fuel service is reduced during the off season.
The airport is closed from October 31 through May 1; check NOTAMs and contact the airport manager for current status.
This is a cold temperature airport. Altitude correction is required at or below minus 19 degrees Celsius.
Field conditions are unmonitored between 1700 and 0800 local.
For clearance delivery, contact Salt Lake Center.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Alternates
Yellowstone Airport has one alternate within 42 NM. The nearest alternate is Ennis Big Sky (KEKS), 41.86 NM northwest.
Part of the Bozeman and Big Sky area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KWYS
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 KWYS.
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 available at KWYS?
KWYS, Yellowstone Airport in West Yellowstone, Montana, has a single paved runway, 01/19, measuring 8,400 feet long and 150 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This length accommodates most business jet types operating into the airport. The runway carries a PCR value of 1490/F / A/X / T. Pilots should note the airport sits at a field elevation of 6,649 feet, which affects performance planning for departures, especially in warmer months.
Is KWYS open year-round?
No, Yellowstone Airport (KWYS) closes seasonally from October 31 through May 1, according to airport remarks, and crews should check NOTAMs for exact status before planning a trip. The attendance schedule runs May through October, daily from 0800 to 1700 local. Snow removal is not available at the field, and winter snowmobile activity occurs on and in the vicinity of the airport during the closure period. Operators should plan around this seasonal shutdown when scheduling Montana trips near West Yellowstone.
Does KWYS have customs clearance onsite?
Yellowstone Airport (KWYS) does not have onsite customs clearance. The nearest customs facility is at KBZN, located approximately 65.39 nautical miles away. Operators arriving from international origins need to plan a stop at KBZN, or another customs-equipped airport, before or as part of their routing to West Yellowstone. This distance should factor into fuel and routing decisions for any international arrival into the West Yellowstone area.
What fuel is available at Yellowstone Airport?
Yellowstone Airport (KWYS) offers both 100LL and Jet A fuel (A1+) during its normal attendance period. However, airport remarks indicate fuel availability is reduced or unavailable during the off season, when the field itself is also closed to normal operations. Operators planning trips outside the May through October attendance window should verify fuel status directly, since the off-season remark points to limited service rather than confirmed availability. This seasonal fuel constraint aligns with the airport's broader winter closure.
When is business aviation traffic heaviest at KWYS?
Business aviation traffic at Yellowstone Airport (KWYS) is concentrated in the summer months, according to FAA TFMSC data covering cross-border traffic for 2025. July sees the highest volume with 163 operations, followed by June at 117 and August at 114. Traffic drops sharply outside this window, falling to 31 operations in October and just 1 in November. This pattern reflects the airport's seasonal attendance schedule, which runs only from May through October each year.