Airports / Alaska / BSW
Boswell Bay Airport.
Boswell Bay, Alaska · 230 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
AK97
IATA BSW
0
Operators based
230
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
20 nm
To the nearest alternate
Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport (CDV), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Located in Boswell Bay, Alaska, Boswell Bay Airport (BSW) operates as a general aviation field. Field elevation is 230 feet above sea level. Free of scheduled airline operations, it serves business aviation, charter flights, and local general aviation.
While no charter operators list BSW as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport (CDV, 20 nm), Tatitlek Airport (TEK, 31 nm), and Valdez Pioneer Field (VDZ, 43 nm). Its longest runway measures 2,612-foot and is unpaved, best suited to turboprop and piston aircraft rather than jets.
Trip costs from BSW are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from BSW to plan your flight.
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Field capability
ICAO
AK97
IATA
BSW
FAA / Local
AK97
Elevation
230 ft
Coordinates
60.4231° N · 146.1460° 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
Small
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs AK fields
state range 2–3,318 ft
At 230 ft, BSW sits higher than 63% of the 285 Alaska fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 2,612 ft
- 04/222,612 ft × 100 ftGravelUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest runway 2,612 ft
At 2,612 ft and unpaved, BSW is generally suited to piston and turboprop aircraft rather than jets.
- 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.
- 20nmCDVMerle K (Mudhole) Smith AirportCordova
- 31nmTEKTatitlek AirportTatitlek
- 43nmVDZValdez Pioneer FieldValdez
- 59nmNCNChenega Bay AirportChenega
- 99nmSWDSeward AirportSeward
- 106nmGKNGulkana AirportGulkana
Location
Open the full mapAK97 · Boswell Bay Airport · Boswell Bay, AK
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from BSW on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 121 nm | 41m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 1,136 nm | 3h 3m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 1,620 nm | 4h 10m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 1,639 nm | 4h 13m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 1,722 nm | 4h 24m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 1,881 nm | 4h 46m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 1,905 nm | 4h 50m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 1,913 nm | 4h 51m |
Common questions
- Can private jets use BSW?
- At 2,612 ft and unpaved, Boswell Bay Airport is generally suited to turboprop and piston aircraft rather than jets. Charter flyers usually depart from a nearby field with a longer runway.
- What is the longest runway at BSW?
- Boswell Bay Airport has one runway; the longest measures 2,612 ft.
- What is the nearest major airport to BSW?
- The closest alternate is Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport (CDV), about 20 nm away, followed by Tatitlek Airport (TEK) at 31 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from BSW to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Seattle about 3h 3m (1,136 nm), Jackson Hole about 4h 10m (1,620 nm), San Francisco about 4h 13m (1,639 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.