Yellowstone Airport
WYS · KWYS · West Yellowstone, Montana · Gallatin County · map
Yellowstone Airport is a public-use airport owned by the State of Montana, 1 mile north of West Yellowstone, Montana, 6,649 feet above sea level. Its one runway, 01/19, is 8,400 feet of asphalt. It has fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A-1 with additive) and about 4 based aircraft. The FAA counts about 11,105 takeoffs and landings a year. About 9,663 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions
Weather right now KWYS · observed 1:50 pm MDT (19:50 UTC), 17 minutes ago
VFR good flying weather
- Wind from the south (180°) at 7 knots
- Visibility 10 miles or more
- Temperature 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter 30.03 inHg
The forecast issued Tue 11:38 am MDT (17:38 UTC), good until Wed 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC)
- From Tue 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet VFR
- From Tue 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
- From Wed 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, a few clouds at 200 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet MVFR
- From Wed 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The codes as issued, and in English (METAR and TAF)
METAR KWYS 131950Z AUTO 18007KT 10SM CLR 07/03 A3003 RMK AO2
- METAR
- a routine hourly observation
- KWYS
- the station, KWYS
- 131950Z
- observed 1:50 pm MDT (19:50 UTC)
- AUTO
- fully automated report, nobody checked it
- 18007KT
- wind from the south at 7 knots
- 10SM
- visibility 10 miles
- CLR
- clear skies
- 07/03
- temperature 7 °C (45 °F), dew point 3 °C (37 °F)
- A3003
- altimeter setting 30.03 inches of mercury
- RMK
- remarks follow
- AO2
- automated station with a precipitation sensor
TAF KWYS 131738Z 1318/1418 VRB05KT P6SM SCT100 FM140400 VRB05KT P6SM SCT250 FM140600 VRB05KT 3SM BR FEW002 SCT250 FM141600 VRB05KT P6SM SCT250
- TAF
- a terminal aerodrome forecast: the weather expected at the airport, usually for the next 24 or 30 hours
- KWYS
- the station, KWYS
- 131738Z
- issued 11:38 am MDT (17:38 UTC)
- 1318/1418 VRB05KT P6SM SCT100
- valid from Tue 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC) to Wed 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- FM140400 VRB05KT P6SM SCT250
- from Tue 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- FM140600 VRB05KT 3SM BR FEW002 SCT250
- from Wed 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, a few clouds at 200 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- FM141600 VRB05KT P6SM SCT250
- from Wed 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From the National Weather Service's aviation weather service, refreshed every few minutes; times are local to the airport with UTC in brackets. For a flight, get your briefing from Flight Service or an approved provider.
Flight planning warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions · for planning, not a briefing
1 warning in force over this field:
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft.
Turbulence No turbulence warning in force over this field. 1 pilot report of turbulence within 100 nautical miles in the last three hours: moderate chop turbulence, at 32,000 ft, 83 nm northwest, 11:43 am MDT (17:43 UTC). The government's turbulence forecast map ↗
Icing AIRMET in force: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. 2 pilot reports of icing within 100 nautical miles in the last three hours: light rime icing above 14,000 ft, 59 nm southeast, 11:08 am MDT (17:08 UTC); a trace of icing above 14,000 ft, 71 nm southeast, 11:17 am MDT (17:17 UTC). The freezing level is below 9,000 ft, the lowest forecast height, so any cloud could carry ice. The government's icing forecast map ↗
10 pilot reports within 100 nautical miles in the last three hours, the nearest three:
- B737 at 14,000 ft, 59 nm southeast, 11:08 am MDT (17:08 UTC): light rime icing above 14,000 ft, -9 °C.
as filed, and in English
JAC UA /OV DNW005005/TM 1708/FL140/TP B737/TA M9/IC LGT RIME 140 /ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAC
- Where
- 5 nm north (005°) of DNW
- Time
- 17:08 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Temperature
- −9 °C
- Icing
- light rime at 14,000 ft zlc
- PC24 at 7,400 ft, 66 nm south, 1:33 pm MDT (19:33 UTC): overcast above 500 ft, remarks: breaking action good.
as filed, and in English
JAC UA /OV JAC/TM 1933/FL074/TP PC24/SK OVC005/RM BREAKING ACTION GOOD
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAC
- Where
- over JAC
- Time
- 19:33 UTC
- Height
- at 7,400 ft
- Aircraft
- PC24
- Sky
- overcast from 500 ft
- Remarks
- breaking action good
- A319 at 8,000 ft, 66 nm south, 1:11 pm MDT (19:11 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on.
as filed, and in English
JAC UA /OV JAC/TM 1911/FL080/TP A319/SK BASE 080/ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAC
- Where
- over JAC
- Time
- 19:11 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Sky
- base 8,000 ft; zlc
Winds aloft at the nearest forecast point (DLN, 70 nm northwest), for use 14:00–21:00 UTC: 9,000 ft: 030° at 9 kt, -2 °C; 12,000 ft: 040° at 15 kt, -3 °C; 18,000 ft: 060° at 20 kt, -15 °C.
No temporary flight restriction within 50 nautical miles.
2 notices to air missions in force at this field.
All 2 notices, grouped: the airport (1), procedures and charts (1) →
From the government's aviation weather service and the FAA's restriction list, refreshed every few minutes. This is for planning; the legal briefing comes from Flight Service or the FAA's own tools. The notices come from the FAA's notice service, the site's copy refreshed every few minutes (last checked a minute ago). The FAA has so far issued eFlight its test feed, which misses some notices; the request for the full feed is with the FAA.
Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.
The airport facts, runways, radio, fuel and services, the FAA's remarks
The airport
- Codes
- FAA WYS · ICAO KWYS
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Owner
- State of Montana
- Elevation
- 6,649 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- No control tower
- Attended
- May to October, every day, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Lights
- runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel and services
- 100LL avgas, Jet A-1 with additive; the services card below
- Notes
- landing fee · certified for airline service (Part 139)
- On the chart
- Great Falls sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 14E
- In the FAA's files since
- November 1979
Runway
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/19 | 8,400 × 150 ft | Asphalt, good | High-intensity lights |
- Runway 01: ILS, PAPI, four lights on the left, medium-intensity approach lights with runway alignment lights (MALSR)
- Runway 19: PAPI, four lights on the left
Radio frequencies
| Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · UNICOM | 123.0 | |
| Wys and aWOS-3P | 118.1 | |
| Bozeman and center (remote transmitter) Low/high | 132.4 |
Automated weather (AWOS-3P), by phone (406) 646-7727.
Fuel and services as reported to the FAA
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas, Jet A-1 with additive
- Parking
- tie-downs
- Notes
- landing fee charged
Other fields with jet fuel nearby: Ennis Big Sky Airport (42 nm northwest).
The FAA's file records what is sold and done at the field, as the airport manager reports it, not who sells it or the price; fuel sellers (FBOs) are not named in any public file. Airports selling jet fuel in Montana · avgas.
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out
- Snow removal NA. winter snowmobile act on and in the vicinity of of airport.
- Activate approach lights (MALSR) runway 01; runway end identifier lights runway 19; high-intensity runway lights runway 01/19 - the common traffic frequency. PAPI runway 01 and 19 operates continuously. Not available 31 OCT- 7 may.
- Turbine pwrd landing fee.
- Weather dependent.
- Cold temperature airport. Altitude correction required at or below -19C.
- Condition unmnt 5:00 pm to 8:00 am.
- This airport has been surveyed by the national geodetic survey.
Flights and activity in the air now, the airlines, based aircraft, takeoffs and landings
Activity now checking the volunteer receiver network…
Within ten miles
- Looking…
Arrivals and departures, last hour
- Looking…
From the volunteer receiver network, a few minutes behind at most; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out; no person is named. Open the live map here.
Scheduled and charter flights from here the DOT's airline reports · August 2025 to July 2026
Airlines reported 355 departures from WYS in those twelve months, carrying 11,586 passengers in 17,810 seats (65% filled), to 7 destinations on 1 airline.
| Where to | Flights | Passengers | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone → Denver International WYS–DEN | 200 | 6,221 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
| Yellowstone → Salt Lake City International WYS–SLC | 146 | 5,365 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
| Yellowstone → Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field WYS–BFF | 3 | 0 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
| Yellowstone → City Of Colorado Springs Municipal WYS–COS | 2 | 0 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
| Yellowstone → Laramie Regional WYS–LAR | 2 | 0 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
| Yellowstone → Palm Springs International WYS–PSP | 1 | 0 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
| Yellowstone → Yellowstone WYS–WYS | 1 | 0 | SkyWest Airlines Inc. |
All 7 destinations, the airlines and the aircraft, month by month
From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' T-100 table: every segment an airline reported flying, three months in arrears. Private, business and training flights are not in it; the live picture is in the activity card.
Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024
Based aircraft, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| single-engine | 2 |
| helicopters | 2 |
Takeoffs and landings a year about 11,105, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
| a year | |
|---|---|
| air taxi and commuter | 530 |
| general aviation, travelling | 8,000 |
| general aviation, local | 2,500 |
| military | 75 |
Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates. How this compares nationally: Airports by the numbers.
Who flies and works here aircraft registered in town, the companies, the examiners nearby
Aircraft registered in West Yellowstone from the FAA register
9 aircraft are registered to owners in West Yellowstone, Montana: 9 piston singles. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.
Individuals are counted, not named (the site's policy at this time). All aircraft registered in Montana.
Safety record the NTSB's cases at or near this airport
Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 6 since 1982, 2 fatal
Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English. The country as a whole: Where accidents happen.
Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register
- Aircraft registered in West Yellowstone 9 aircraft · 9 piston singles
- NTSB accidents and incidents at or near this airport 6 since 1982 · 2 fatal
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,119 since 1982 · 165 in the last ten years
- Denver International (DEN) 200 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- Salt Lake City International (SLC) 146 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field (BFF) 3 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- City Of Colorado Springs Municipal (COS) 2 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- Laramie Regional (LAR) 2 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- Palm Springs International (PSP) 1 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- Yellowstone (WYS) 1 flights in twelve months · SkyWest Airlines Inc.
- Nearby landing places within 30 nautical miles 4 airports, heliports and seaplane bases
- Public-use airports in Montana 127 landing places
- Montana 6,045 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/WYS.json.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 1, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 12, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.