Bradley International (KBDL), Connecticut
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Bradley International Airport (KBDL) serves the Hartford metropolitan area from Windsor Locks, Connecticut, roughly six nautical miles from the city center. The field is a towered, public-use airport with a dual-runway system supporting both commercial and business aviation traffic, and it shares its ramp environment with an Air National Guard unit operating alongside civil traffic. Fuel is available in both 100LL and Jet A, and CBP inspection services operate onsite alongside a USDA compliance agreement for arriving international flights.
Runways
Bradley International has two paved runways. The longest, 06/24, is 9,510 ft long and 200 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Bradley International has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Bradley International has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals. A USDA compliance agreement is in place.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Bradley International recorded 10,675 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KBDL is concentrated in the fall months, with October showing the highest monthly volume of the year according to FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 1,083 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Bradley International averages 8.1 days above 90°F in July, 27.2 freeze days in January and 3.6 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85.2°F, and January the coldest, at 35.3°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Bradley International has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
Military: Air National Guard requires prior permission for arrival between V220 and 2356.
No training flights, practice low approaches, or touch-and-go landings are permitted between 2300 and 0700 Monday through Saturday, and between 2300 and 1200 on Sunday.
Caution: Air National Guard ramp markings may not be appropriate for large aircraft; follow marshallers' instructions.
The runway 6 de-ice pad is closed to aircraft with a wingspan of 171 feet or greater, except with a follow-me escort provided by airport operations.
A blast pad measuring 245 feet by 200 feet is located at the southwest end of the runway.
A blast pad measuring 100 feet by 200 feet is located at the southeast end of the runway.
A lighted obstruction, an antenna 36 feet above ground level and 205 feet above mean sea level, serving as the runway 24 ILS glideslope antenna, is located 162 feet northwest of the taxiway C centerline marking between taxiway B and taxiway C4.
Birds are frequently observed on or in the vicinity of the airport.
Military remark: BASH Phase II indicates increased bird activity during September through October and March through April.
Military: when checking ATIS, reports of birds in the vicinity may indicate a heightened bird watch condition. USAF aircraft should contact ANG airfield operations on UHF for the current bird watch condition and any associated restrictions.
PCR VALUE: 1100/F/B/X/T
Military: a waiver from the operations group commander is on file for C-130H/J aircraft with operating weight up to 155,000 pounds. All other aircraft exceeding the Air National Guard ramp pavement classification number require a waiver from the operations group commander through airfield management.
Contact airport operations for AUTOVON and commercial line coordination.
Military: Air National Guard operates 1200-2030Z++ Monday through Friday, with unit training assembly on Saturday and Sunday; closed on holidays.
No de-icing is available at the Air National Guard facility.
(E117) Connecticut Air National Guard and U.S. Army National Guard.
Military: Air National Guard has nonstandard wingtip clearance markings, shown as white dashed lines spanning the front and back of aircraft parking rows, with white ground equipment boxes painted on the ANG ramp.
Military: contact the Air National Guard for further information.
Military: the airfield manager does not issue or store COMSEC for transient crews.
Parallel taxiway operations on taxiways C and B are restricted to aircraft with wingspans of 171 feet or less.
Aircraft requiring US customs services must park on the customs spot with the nose of the aircraft facing southwest. Contact customs once parked.
Fuel: Type A fuel is available for military use, deduced from operational data rather than confirmed.
Fixed-wing aircraft should use low idle for taxi; no engine checks or power runs are allowed on the Army National Guard ramp due to possible foreign object debris hazard.
On taxiway C between taxiway B and taxiway C4, aircraft with a wingspan of 214 feet or greater are restricted to a taxi speed of 8 knots (10 mph) maximum.
Military: Air National Guard operates 1200-2030Z++ Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, and 1200-0400++ Wednesday and Thursday, referencing HAVOC operations frequencies.
Non-based diversions should contact airport operations prior to diverting and provide company flight operations contact information, aircraft type, persons on board, and whether the flight is international or domestic, along with ground operations agreements. Only one international air carrier jetbridge is available for passengers.
Taxiway D is closed between taxiway S and taxiway D1 to aircraft with a wingspan in excess of 170 feet.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Bradley International has five airfields within 24 NM. The closest is Hartford-Brainard (KHFD), 12.25 NM south.
Part of the Hartford and Springfield area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KBDL
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 KBDL.
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 customs available at KBDL for international arrivals?
Yes, CBP inspection services are available onsite at Bradley International Airport, along with a USDA compliance agreement. Aircraft requiring US customs services must park on the designated customs spot with the nose facing southwest. Crews should contact customs once parked rather than before arrival. This setup applies to the civil side of the field; military operations at the adjacent Air National Guard facility follow separate procedures. Dispatchers planning international legs into KBDL should confirm parking assignment through airport operations ahead of arrival.
What is the longest runway available at KBDL?
Bradley International Airport's longest runway is 06/24, measuring 9,510 feet by 200 feet with an asphalt surface. The airport also operates runway 15/33, at 6,847 feet by 150 feet, also asphalt. Runway 06/24 carries blast pads at both ends, 245 by 200 feet on the southwest end and 100 by 200 feet on the southeast end. The pavement classification for the runway system is listed as PCR 1100/F / B/X / T. This runway length supports a wide range of business and commercial jet traffic at KBDL.
Are there taxiway restrictions for large aircraft at Bradley International?
Yes, KBDL applies several wingspan-based restrictions on its taxiway system. Parallel taxiway operations on taxiways C and B are restricted to aircraft with wingspans of 171 feet or less. Taxiway D is closed between taxiway S and taxiway D1 to aircraft with a wingspan exceeding 170 feet. On taxiway C between taxiway B and taxiway C4, aircraft with a wingspan of 214 feet or greater face a taxi speed restriction of 8 knots. Operators of large-span aircraft should review these limits before planning ground routing at Bradley International.
Does bird activity affect operations at KBDL?
Bird activity is a recognized operational factor at Bradley International Airport, with birds reported frequently on or in the vicinity of the field. The military side of the airport, home to Air National Guard operations, notes an increased bird activity phase during September through October and again in March through April. ATIS may reflect a heightened bird watch condition when birds are observed nearby. USAF aircraft are directed to contact ANG airfield operations for current bird watch status and any associated restrictions. Crews operating at KBDL should factor this seasonal pattern into arrival and departure planning.
When does business aviation traffic peak at Bradley International Airport?
Business aviation traffic at KBDL, according to FAA TFMSC data for 2025, is concentrated in specific months rather than spread evenly through the year. October recorded the highest monthly total at 1,083 operations, followed by May at 1,005 and September at 960. January posted the lowest figure at 697 operations. Total annual business aviation operations at Bradley International reached 10,675 out of 77,713 overall operations recorded for the airport. This pattern reflects a fall and late-spring concentration in business aviation activity at the field.