Bethel Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Bethel, a city in the Bethel Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.
As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 140,291 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 134,848 enplanements in 2009, and 144,353 in 2010. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).
History Construction began September 21, 1941, and the airfield was activated July 4, 1942; it was known as Bethel Air Base. It was used by Air Transport Command as auxiliary airfield for Lend-Lease aircraft being flown to Siberia. The facility was transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command in 1945; it became the joint-use Bethel Airport. It was used for construction of AC&W Bethel Air Force Station in the mid-1950s. Full jurisdiction was turned over to Alaska Government in 1958.
Facilities and aircraft Bethel Airport covers an area of 1,056 acres (427 ha) at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has three runways: 1L/19R is with an asphalt surface; 1R/19L is with an asphalt surface; 12/30 is with an asphalt/gravel surface.
For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2018, the airport had 122,000 aircraft operations, an average of 334 per day: 54% air taxi, 41% general aviation, 4% scheduled commercial, and 1% military. At that time there were 112 aircraft based at this airport: 86% single-engine, 6% multi-engine, 6% helicopter, and 2% military.
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines offer scheduled passenger service:
Statistics Statistics + Top airlines at BET (November 2021 - October 2022) Rank Airline Passengers Percent of market share 1 Alaska Airlines 144,000 52.95% 2 Grant Aviation 91,150 33.65% 3 Yute Commuter Service 34,680 12.75% 4 Ryan Air 1,740 0.64% 5 Northern Airlines 20 0.01%
+ Top domestic destinations (November 2021 - October 2022)
Top destinations Rank City Airport Passengers Carriers 1 Anchorage, AK Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport 72,000 Alaska 2 Emmonak, AK Emmonak Airport 4,720 Grant 3 Quinhagak, AK Quinhagak Airport 4,120 Grant, Yute 4 Chevak, AK Chevak Airport 4,100 Grant, Ryan 5 Kipnuk, AK Kipnuk Airport 3,660 Grant, Yute 6 Hooper Bay, AK Hooper Bay Airport 3,510 Grant, Ryan 7 Toksook Bay, AK Toksook Bay Airport 2,830 Grant, Ryan, Yute 8 Scammon Bay, AK Scammon Bay Airport 2,680 Grant, Ryan 9 Chefornak, AK Chefornak Airport 2,520 Grant, Yute 10 Kasigluk, AK Kasigluk Airport 2,290 Grant, Yute
Cargo airlines AirlineDestination Alaska Central Express Anchorage Everts Air Cargo Anchorage Lynden Air Cargo Anchorage Northern Air Cargo Anchorage
See also List of airports in Alaska
References
External links Topographic map from USGS The National Map