Ketchikan airport (KTN)

Ketchikan International Airport (IATA: KTN, ICAO: PAKT) serves the city of Ketchikan and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough in Southeast Alaska. Located on Gravina Island, it acts as the primary aviation link connecting the Alexander Archipelago with Seattle and points across Alaska.

Official Website: borough.ketchikan.ak.us/146/Airport

Telephone: +1 907-225-6800

Social Media:

Terminals

The airport features a single passenger terminal housing check-in counters, departure waiting areas, and baggage claim facilities. Ticket counters operate daily from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Terminal building attended hours run from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., aligning with ferry service operations.

Annual Traffic (2023): 278,504 commercial passengers passed through the facility (148,645 enplanements recorded by the FAA).

Information Desks

The Ketchikan Visitors Bureau provides visitor assistance and travel information desks in the airport terminal lobby and at the Revilla passenger waiting facility on the town side.

 Location

The airport is located on Gravina Island across Tongass Narrows, approximately 2 km (1 nautical mile) west of Ketchikan's central business district in Alaska. Because Gravina Island has no bridge connection to the mainland, passengers and vehicles must travel between town and the airport via the airport ferry.

What services does Ketchikan airport (KTN) offer?

Ketchikan International Airport provides essential passenger amenities inside its single passenger terminal:

Financial & Connectivity Services

• Wi-Fi: complimentary wireless internet access is available throughout the terminal building.
• ATMs: cash dispensers located in the public terminal concourse.
• Self-Service Check-In: electronic ticketing kiosks for Alaska Airlines passengers in the departure lobby.

Food & Beverage

• Airport Lounge & Snack Bar: casual food and bar outlet serving breakfast items, deli sandwiches, hot snacks, coffee, beer, wine, and spirits during flight operational hours.

Retail & Shopping

• Gift Shop: offering authentic Alaskan gifts, local handcrafted souvenirs, travel sundries, books, and pre-packaged snacks.

Baggage Services

• Free Smart Carts: complimentary luggage carts provided to assist passengers transferring bags between the terminal and the ferry dock.
• Checked Baggage Acceptance: checked luggage is accepted up to four hours prior to scheduled departure.

Additional Facilities

• Revilla Waiting Facility: enclosed passenger waiting facility on the Ketchikan town side of the ferry, open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Accommodation near Ketchikan airport (KTN)

There are no on-site hotels at Ketchikan International Airport or on Gravina Island. All accommodations are situated across Tongass Narrows on Revillagigedo Island (Ketchikan):

Nearby Hotels Across the Ferry

• The Landing Hotel (1.4 km / 0.9 miles from town ferry terminal): full-service hotel featuring an on-site restaurant and free airport ferry shuttle service.
• My Place Hotel-Ketchikan (1.3 km / 0.8 miles from town ferry terminal): extended-stay lodging with kitchenettes situated right on Tongass Avenue.
• Super 8 by Wyndham Ketchikan (2 km from town ferry landing): affordable roadside lodging close to ferry connections.
• Cape Fox Lodge (approx. 4 km in downtown Ketchikan): premier lodge featuring Native Alaskan art, mountain and harbor views, and fine dining.

Public and private transportation

Because the airport is on Gravina Island and Ketchikan is on Revillagigedo Island, transit between the two shores is carried out by water:

Airport Ferry

The municipal ferry operated by Ketchikan Gateway Borough crosses Tongass Narrows in approximately 5 to 7 minutes.

• Departures from Ketchikan (town side, 4171 Tongass Avenue): every half hour at :15 and :45 past the hour. First departure leaves at 6:15 a.m.; last departure at 9:15 p.m.
• Departures from the airport (Gravina side): on the hour (:00) and half hour (:30). First departure leaves at 6:30 a.m.; last departure at 9:30 p.m.
• Summer Schedule: between mid-May and mid-September, a second ferry operates Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., delivering 15-minute departure frequencies.
• Fares: USD 6.00 for passengers aged 12 and older; USD 3.00 for children aged 6 to 11 (free for children under 5). Retaining your receipt entitles you to a free same-day return trip. Standard passenger vehicles (cars, light trucks, SUVs) cost USD 7.00 each way.

Taxis and Private Transfers

Local taxis meet arriving ferries at the Ketchikan-side ferry terminal (Revilla side) along Tongass Avenue to transfer passengers downtown, to lodging facilities, or to cruise terminals.

Hotel Courtesy Shuttles

Several Ketchikan accommodations, including The Landing Hotel, operate complimentary guest shuttles meeting the airport ferry at the town-side landing.

Public Transit Bus

The Ketchikan public transit bus system (The Bus) has scheduled stops directly outside the town-side ferry terminal on Tongass Avenue, offering convenient transit to downtown Ketchikan.

Car rental agencies

Car rental desks are situated in the terminal building adjacent to the baggage claim area:

• Budget Car Rental: on-site desk in the terminal lobby across from the luggage carousel, with ready vehicles parked outside the terminal.
• Alaska Car Rental: local operator maintaining an airport counter and a city branch at 2828 Tongass Avenue, providing flexible one-way rentals between town and the terminal.

Rental Requirements

• Valid physical driver's license held for at least one year. If not in the Latin alphabet, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required alongside the national license.
• Major credit card issued in the primary driver's name for security deposit authorization.
• Minimum driver age is generally 21 (renters between 21 and 24 years old typically incur young driver surcharges).

Parking services at Ketchikan airport (KTN)

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough operates paid public parking lots on both sides of Tongass Narrows:

Parking Lots

• Revillagigedo Island Lot (Town side): adjacent to the ferry terminal at 4171 Tongass Avenue. Fee is USD 3.50 per 24-hour period at automated pay stations, or USD 3.85 via the VenPAY mobile app.
• Gravina Island Lot (Airport side): located directly outside the passenger terminal. Fee is USD 5.50 per 24-hour period at pay stations, or USD 5.85 via the VenPAY mobile app.

Important Information

• License Plate Payment: the automated system records vehicle license plates, eliminating stall-number ticketing. Pay stations accept major credit cards.
• VenPAY App: parkers can initiate or extend parking sessions directly through the VenPAY app (iOS and Android).
• Accessible Parking: designated ADA parking stalls are situated adjacent to pedestrian pathways on both the town and airport sides.

Facilities for passengers with special needs

Ketchikan International Airport and its ferry link feature accessible infrastructure designed for passengers with disabilities and special travel needs:

Special Assistance Requests

Travelers requiring wheelchair service, boarding assistance, or escort through the terminal should notify their airline at least 48 hours prior to flight departure.

Terminal Accessibility

The terminal features level access thresholds, ramp access, accessible restrooms, and passenger boarding equipment adapted for travelers with limited mobility.

Accessible Ferry Transport

Airport ferries accommodate wheelchairs and accessible vehicles. Senior passengers (age 60+) and holders of an Alaska ADA card who need specialized transit assistance between town and the ferry can arrange paratransit service through Southeast Senior Services with at least 24 hours advance notice.