3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“Once on the ground the line service was top notch, and they had answers for any question you could throw at them.”
Phillip Gibboney5★ on Google
Airports / California / TVL
Medium airport · TVL
Lake Tahoe Airport.
South Lake Tahoe, California · 6,264 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.4/5
Google rating
88 ratings
0
Operators based
6,264
Elevation ft
South Lake Tahoe, CaliforniaELEV 6,264 FTMedium airport
4.4
Google rating
88
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
6,264
Field elevation
feet above sea level
22
Nearest alternate
nm to CSN
Field standing
22 nm
To the nearest alternate
Carson Airport (CSN), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Lake Tahoe Airport, listed as KTVL / TVL, is a mid-sized airport in South Lake Tahoe, California. The field lies at an elevation of 6,264 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
TVL has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Carson Airport (CSN, 22 nm), Truckee Tahoe Airport (TKF, 26 nm), and Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO, 38 nm). TVL offers a single 8,541-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
For arrival logistics and seasonal timing, see the Lake Tahoe, CA destination guide. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from TVL, or browse verified operators serving the area.
1 FBO serves KTVL. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Mountain West Aviation South Lake Tahoe
Your FBO? Claim it, freeWe offer full-service fueling, line services, hangar space, tie-downs, pilot supplies, car rentals, discounted hotel rates, complimentary food and beverages, flight planning, catering, concierge services and more. For a complete list, go to Services.
- Fuel
- Hangar
- Unicom 122.85
- Cafe
- Car rental
- Hotel help
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- Parking
- Fuel
- Catering
- +6 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
FBO & ground handling
“Once on the ground the line service was top notch, and they had answers for any question you could throw at them.”
Phillip Gibboney5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Lake Tahoe Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KTVL
IATA
TVL
FAA / Local
TVL
Elevation
6,264 ft
Coordinates
38.8939° N · 119.9950° 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
No
Elevation vs CA fields
state range -210–7,135 ft
At 6,264 ft, TVL sits higher than 98% of the 164 California fields on the register, a high-elevation field where density altitude can trim aircraft performance on warm days.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 8,541 ft
- 18/368,541 ft × 100 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,541 ft
TVL's 8,541 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, and at 6,264 ft this field's density altitude can extend the runway a jet actually needs on warm days. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 22nmCSNCarson AirportCarson City
- 26nmTKFTruckee Tahoe AirportTruckee
- 38nmRNOReno Tahoe International AirportReno
- 64nmMHRSacramento Mather AirportSacramento
- 67nmMCCMcClellan AirfieldSacramento
- 68nmNFLFallon Naval Air StationFallon
Destinations served
Location
Open the full mapKTVL · Lake Tahoe Airport · South Lake Tahoe, CA
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from TVL on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco (SFO) | 136 nm | 43m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 286 nm | 1h 4m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 290 nm | 1h 4m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 386 nm | 1h 18m |
| Scottsdale (SCF) | 503 nm | 1h 34m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 504 nm | 1h 34m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 523 nm | 1h 37m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 609 nm | 1h 49m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use TVL?
- Lake Tahoe Airport's longest paved runway is 8,541 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 TVL?
- Lake Tahoe Airport has one runway; the longest measures 8,541 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Lake Tahoe Airport?
- One FBO serves TVL: Mountain West Aviation South Lake Tahoe. 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 TVL?
- The closest alternate is Carson Airport (CSN), about 22 nm away, followed by Truckee Tahoe Airport (TKF) at 26 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from TVL to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Las Vegas about 1h 4m (286 nm), Los Angeles about 1h 4m (290 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 18m (386 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.