Airports / Washington / KPLU
Pierce Co Thun Airport.
Puyallup, Washington · 538 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
KPLU
ICAO identifier
0
Operators based
538
Elevation ft
FBOs on field
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
8 nm
To the nearest alternate
McChord Air Force Base (TCM), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Located in Puyallup, Washington, Pierce Co Thun Airport (KPLU) operates as a general aviation field. The airport sits 538 feet above sea level. With no scheduled airline service, it caters to private, charter, and general aviation traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into KPLU for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are McChord Air Force Base (TCM, 8 nm), Gray Army Air Field (GRF, 12 nm), and Tacoma Narrows Airport (TIW, 15 nm). With 2 runways, the longest 3,650-foot paved runway, KPLU can typically accommodate aircraft as large as light jets.
Charter pricing from KPLU depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Puyallup.
2 FBOs serve KPLU. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Safety in Motion Flight Center Puyallup
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- Hangar
- Mon-Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-5pm
- Unicom 122.700
- Executive lounge
- Wi-Fi
- Car rental
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- Parking
- Fuel
- Ground handling
- +4 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
SpanaFlight
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- Hangar
- Open 8am to 5pm Daily (Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day)
- Unicom 122.7
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- Parking
- Fuel
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
Field capability
ICAO
KPLU
IATA
n/a
FAA / Local
KPLU
Elevation
538 ft
Coordinates
47.1039° N · 122.2872° 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 WA fields
state range 10–2,556 ft
At 538 ft, KPLU sits higher than 71% of the 52 Washington fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 3,650 ft
- 163,650 ft × 60 ftAsphaltLighted
- 173,650 ft × 60 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 3,650 ft
KPLU's 3,650 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to light 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.
- 8nmTCMMcChord Air Force BaseTacoma
- 12nmGRFGray Army Air FieldFort Lewis/Tacoma
- 15nmTIWTacoma Narrows AirportTacoma
- 21nmSEASeattle–Tacoma International AirportSeattle
- 25nmBFIKing County International Airport - Boeing FieldSeattle
- 26nmOLMOlympia Regional AirportOlympia
Location
Open the full mapKPLU · Pierce Co Thun Airport · Puyallup, WA
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from KPLU on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 530 nm | 1h 38m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 569 nm | 1h 43m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 584 nm | 1h 45m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 734 nm | 2h 6m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 793 nm | 2h 15m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 804 nm | 2h 16m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 822 nm | 2h 19m |
| Denver (DEN) | 879 nm | 2h 27m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use KPLU?
- Pierce Co Thun Airport's longest paved runway is 3,650 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets. 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 KPLU?
- Pierce Co Thun Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 3,650 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Pierce Co Thun Airport?
- 2 FBOs serve KPLU: Safety in Motion Flight Center Puyallup and SpanaFlight. Phone, website, hours, unicom and services for each are listed on this page. Call ahead for fuel, ramp space, and ground handling.
- What is the nearest major airport to KPLU?
- The closest alternate is McChord Air Force Base (TCM), about 8 nm away, followed by Gray Army Air Field (GRF) at 12 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from KPLU to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Jackson Hole about 1h 38m (530 nm), San Francisco about 1h 43m (569 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 45m (584 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.