Birchwood Airport in Anchorage, Alaska

Birchwood Airport: Northern Anchorage General Aviation Facility

Birchwood Airport is a public-use general aviation airport located in the Eagle River/Chugiak area north of Anchorage along the Glenn Highway corridor, providing general aviation services for the rapidly growing residential communities at Anchorage's northern edge. As the Matanuska-Susitna Borough communities have expanded and north Anchorage has developed, Birchwood has grown in importance as a convenient alternative to the congested Merrill Field and a departure point for flights north to the Mat-Su Valley, Talkeetna, and destinations along the Alaska Range. The airport provides fueling, hangars, and light maintenance services for based and transient aircraft.

Birchwood sits just outside Ted Stevens International Airport's Class C airspace, simplifying operations for pilots who want to avoid the communications workload of flying within the Anchorage TRACON environment. The airport serves as a launching point for flights into the Alaska Range foothills, Mat-Su Valley recreational areas, and the communities along the Parks Highway corridor. Alaska DOT&PF owns and operates Birchwood Airport as part of the state's public-use airport system, maintaining the runway and facilities to accommodate general aviation traffic including the seasonal surge of hunting and fishing access flights that characterize Alaska aviation in August and September.

Frequently Asked Questions About Birchwood Airport

Where is Birchwood Airport located?

Birchwood Airport is located in the Chugiak/Eagle River area approximately 20 miles north of downtown Anchorage along the Glenn Highway.

Is Birchwood Airport inside Anchorage's Class C airspace?

Birchwood is positioned near the Class C airspace boundary of Ted Stevens International. Pilots should check current airspace charts and NOTAM information for current boundaries before operating.

What services are available at Birchwood Airport?

Birchwood offers fuel (100LL), hangars for based aircraft, a paved runway suitable for light to medium general aviation aircraft, and basic transient aircraft services.

Who operates Birchwood Airport?

Alaska DOT&PF owns and operates Birchwood Airport as part of the state's public-use general aviation airport system.

Visiting Birchwood Airport

Birchwood Airport serves the Eagle River, Chugiak, and north Anchorage communities as a convenient general aviation facility with ready access to the Glenn Highway and nearby residential areas. The airport sits in a scenic corridor flanked by the Chugach Mountains to the east and the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet to the west, offering pilots attractive VFR flying conditions on clear days and a backdrop that reminds visitors they are definitively in Alaska. Local pilots use Birchwood as a staging point for flights into the Mat-Su Valley, Hatcher Pass, and Talkeetna mountains.

The FAA Alaskan Region provides navigation and weather services for the Birchwood area through Anchorage-based facilities. Alaska DOT&PF conducts ongoing maintenance and periodic improvement projects at Birchwood Airport as part of its statewide aviation capital program. For pilots transiting the Anchorage area from the north, Birchwood offers a fuel stop option that avoids penetrating Ted Stevens International's Class C airspace. The airport's role in the greater Anchorage aviation network is particularly important during periods of high activity at Merrill Field and ANC, when Birchwood provides overflow capacity for the Anchorage area's exceptionally active general aviation community.