3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“Everyone we encountered was very nice, and were very welcoming.”
Christian Zummer5★ on Google
Airports / Alaska / SGW
Seaplane base · SGW
Saginaw Seaplane Base.
Saginaw Bay, Alaska. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
5.0/5
Google rating
17 ratings
0
Operators based
n/a
Elevation ft
Saginaw Bay, AlaskaSeaplane base
5.0
Google rating
17
Google reviews
ratings on Google
9
Nearest alternate
nm to KAE
Field standing
#1 / 225
Alaska airports by Google rating
5.0★ across 17 Google ratings , ranked against 225 rated AK fields.
9 nm
To the nearest alternate
Kake Seaplane Base (KAE), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Saginaw Seaplane Base (SGW) is a seaplane base serving Saginaw Bay, Alaska. Free of scheduled airline operations, it serves business aviation, charter flights, and local general aviation.
While no charter operators list SGW as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Kake Seaplane Base (KAE, 9 nm), Kake Airport (PAFE, 9 nm), and Point Baker Seaplane Base (KPB, 37 nm). The field has a single 10,000-foot unpaved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to turboprops.
Trip costs from SGW are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. You may also see the field referenced as AK23. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from SGW to plan your flight.
Run an FBO at A23? Become the preferred FBO
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
FBO & ground handling
“Has mechanic on field jest and ll100 fuel.”
ken wiederhold5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Saginaw Seaplane Base, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
A23
IATA
SGW
FAA / Local
A23
Elevation
n/a
Coordinates
56.8863° N · 134.1580° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Seaplane
Scheduled svc
No
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 10,000 ft
- NW/SE10,000 ft × 1000 ftWaterUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest runway 10,000 ft
SGW's 10,000 ft runway typically supports charter aircraft up to turboprops.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 9nmKAEKake Seaplane BaseKake
- 9nmPAFEKake AirportKake
- 37nmKPBPoint Baker Seaplane BasePoint Baker
- 38nmPPVPort Protection Seaplane BasePort Protection
- 39nmAGNAngoon Seaplane BaseAngoon
- 40nmPSGPetersburg James A Johnson AirportPetersburg
Location
Open the full mapA23 · Saginaw Seaplane Base · Saginaw Bay, AK
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SGW on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 551 nm | 1h 41m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 713 nm | 2h 3m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 1,191 nm | 3h 10m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 1,248 nm | 3h 18m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 1,293 nm | 3h 24m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 1,465 nm | 3h 48m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 1,484 nm | 3h 51m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 1,504 nm | 3h 54m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SGW?
- Saginaw Seaplane Base's longest runway is 10,000 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to turboprops. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at SGW?
- Saginaw Seaplane Base has one runway; the longest measures 10,000 ft.
- What is the nearest major airport to SGW?
- The closest alternate is Kake Seaplane Base (KAE), about 9 nm away, followed by Kake Airport (PAFE) at 9 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SGW to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 1h 41m (551 nm), Seattle about 2h 3m (713 nm), Jackson Hole about 3h 10m (1,191 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.