3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“The airport staff were very helpful and nice.”
Tania Russell5★ on Google
Airports / South Dakota / ATY
Medium airport · ATY
Watertown Regional Airport.
Watertown, South Dakota · 1,749 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.2/5
Google rating
119 ratings
0
Operators based
1,749
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Watertown, South DakotaELEV 1,749 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.2
Google rating
119
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1,749
Field elevation
feet above sea level
56
Nearest alternate
nm to HON
Field standing
56 nm
To the nearest alternate
Huron Regional Airport (HON).
Overview
Watertown Regional Airport (KATY / ATY) sits in Watertown, South Dakota, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. The field lies at an elevation of 1,749 feet. The airport supports scheduled airline service as well as private jet and charter movements.
ATY has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Huron Regional Airport (HON, 56 nm), Aberdeen Regional Airport (ABR, 63 nm), and Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD, 82 nm). ATY offers 2 runways, the longest 6,898-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of ATY vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from ATY, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Check-in was very easy and the waiting area by the restaurant is new, nice, and comfortable.”
Tania Russell5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Watertown Regional Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KATY
IATA
ATY
FAA / Local
ATY
Elevation
1,749 ft
Coordinates
44.9140° N · 97.1547° W
Airspace
E · EchoClass E, EchoControlled airspace reaches the surface for instrument approaches, but there is no control tower on the field.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs SD fields
state range 1,289–5,620 ft
At 1,749 ft, ATY sits higher than 59% of the 22 South Dakota fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 6,898 ft
- 12/306,898 ft × 100 ftAsphaltLighted
- 17/356,893 ft × 100 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 6,898 ft
ATY's 6,898 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- 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.
- 56nmHONHuron Regional AirportHuron
- 63nmABRAberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen
- 82nmFSDSioux Falls Regional AirportSioux Falls
- 91nmRWFRedwood Falls Municipal AirportRedwood Falls
- 94nmAXNChandler FieldAlexandria
- 120nmYKNChan Gurney Municipal AirportYankton
Location
Open the full mapKATY · Watertown Regional Airport · Watertown, SD
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from ATY on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago (ORD) | 440 nm | 1h 25m |
| Denver (DEN) | 450 nm | 1h 27m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 536 nm | 1h 39m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 551 nm | 1h 41m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 589 nm | 1h 46m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 697 nm | 2h 1m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 711 nm | 2h 3m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 725 nm | 2h 5m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use ATY?
- Watertown Regional Airport's longest paved runway is 6,898 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. 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 ATY?
- Watertown Regional Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 6,898 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to ATY?
- The closest alternate is Huron Regional Airport (HON), about 56 nm away, followed by Aberdeen Regional Airport (ABR) at 63 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from ATY to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Chicago about 1h 25m (440 nm), Denver about 1h 27m (450 nm), Vail / Eagle about 1h 39m (536 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.