Williams Lake Airport (CYWL), British Columbia
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Williams Lake Airport (CYWL) serves the Cariboo region of British Columbia with a single paved runway rated for business aviation traffic. The airport sits roughly 133 nautical miles from the nearest metro area, with the South Cariboo Region / 108 Mile Airport as its closest neighbor at about 38 nautical miles. Cross-border business aviation activity, as tracked by the FAA, positions CYWL as a Tier 1 facility within Skystar's coverage.
Runways
Williams Lake Airport has one paved runway, 12/30, 7,000 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Williams Lake Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Prince George (international) Airport (CYXS), 105 NM away.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Williams Lake Airport recorded 533 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in May. Business aviation traffic at CYWL is concentrated in the spring and late fall months, with May, November, and April showing the highest operation counts of the year.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month May, 65 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
Williams Lake Airport averages 1.8 days above 90°F in July, 29.8 freeze days in December and 3.0 snow days in December. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 72.9°F, and December the coldest, at 26.6°F.
Weather station is on the field. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Nearby airfields
Williams Lake Airport has one airfield within 38 NM. The closest is South Cariboo Region / 108 Mile Airport (CZML), 37.84 NM southeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYWL
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 CYWL.
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
Does CYWL have customs clearance on site?
Williams Lake Airport does not have onsite customs clearance. The nearest customs airport is CYXS, located approximately 104.51 nautical miles away. Crews planning cross-border arrivals into CYWL need to route their clearance through that facility instead. This distance should factor into fuel and routing planning for any international leg terminating at Williams Lake. Confirm current customs procedures before filing, since arrangements at the designated clearance airport can change.
How long is the runway at Williams Lake Airport?
Williams Lake Airport, identified as CYWL, has a single runway, 12/30, measuring 7000 feet long and 150 feet wide. The surface is asphalt and paved. This length matches the airport's maximum paved runway figure, meaning 12/30 represents the full paved capacity at the field. Operators should note there is only one runway orientation available, so crosswind alternatives are not an option at this airport.
What does business aviation traffic look like at CYWL by month?
Business aviation traffic at Williams Lake Airport, CYWL, is concentrated in specific months of the year according to FAA TFMSC data covering cross-border traffic in 2025. May is the busiest month with 65 operations, followed by November at 53 and April at 54. The quietest months are January with 30 operations and February with 34. Dispatchers scheduling flexible trips into CYWL may find spring and late fall carry noticeably higher traffic than midwinter.
What is the elevation at Williams Lake Airport?
Williams Lake Airport sits at an elevation of 3085 feet, a figure relevant for performance planning given the airport's 7000-foot paved runway. This elevation, combined with summer temperatures reaching into the low 70s Fahrenheit, should be factored into density altitude calculations for departures in July and August. CYWL crews operating heavier business aircraft should account for reduced climb performance during the warmer months. Winter operations face the opposite consideration, with cold temperatures affecting engine and system checks instead.
How cold does it get at CYWL in winter?
Winter conditions at Williams Lake Airport are consistently cold, with average days below 32 F reaching 29.8 in December and 29.2 in January, based on estimates from the climate data source. Snow accumulation of at least one inch occurs on an estimated 3.0 days in December and 2.9 days in January. February and March remain cold as well, with days below freezing still averaging above 26. Crews operating into CYWL during these months should plan for de-icing and cold-weather ground procedures accordingly.