Haines Airport - HNS in Haines, Alaska

Haines Airport (HNS): Lynn Canal Gateway to Southeast Alaska

Haines Airport (IATA: HNS) serves the community of Haines at the northern end of Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska, providing air transportation for a community of approximately 2,500 residents that sits at the intersection of Alaska and the Yukon. Haines is uniquely positioned in Alaska's transportation landscape: unlike most Southeast Alaska communities, Haines has road access via the Haines Highway connecting to the Alaska Highway system in the Yukon, making it one of the few Southeast communities reachable by both air and road. The airport serves the community's air travel needs for destinations like Juneau — accessible by Alaska Seaplanes floatplane — and provides general aviation access to the surrounding Coast Mountain wilderness.

Haines Airport operates in the dramatic setting of Lynn Canal, the longest and deepest fjord in North America, flanked by the Chilkat Range to the west and the Takshanuk Mountains to the east. The Chilkat Valley, which the Haines Highway follows north, is world-famous for its bald eagle concentration — the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines hosts the largest known gathering of bald eagles in the world each fall. The airport provides an air access complement to the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry that connects Haines to Skagway and Southeast Alaska communities. Alaska DOT&PF owns and maintains HNS as a public-use airport serving a community that also welcomes significant seasonal tourism traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions About Haines Airport

What air service is available at Haines Airport?

Alaska Seaplanes and smaller air carriers provide scheduled floatplane service connecting Haines to Juneau. General aviation access is also available. The airport complements ferry service on the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Does Haines have road access in addition to the airport?

Yes. The Haines Highway connects Haines to the Alaska Highway system at Haines Junction, Yukon — making Haines one of the few Southeast Alaska communities reachable by both road and air.

What is the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines?

The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve protects the primary bald eagle nesting and gathering areas in the Chilkat Valley, with thousands of eagles congregating each October-December to feed on late-run salmon in open-water portions of the river.

Who owns Haines Airport?

Alaska DOT&PF owns and operates Haines Airport (HNS) as part of the state's public-use airport system in Southeast Alaska.

Visiting Haines Airport and the Upper Lynn Canal

Haines Airport's terminal serves a community known for its arts culture, outdoor recreation, and position as the northern gateway to Southeast Alaska for visitors arriving from the Yukon and interior British Columbia. The town offers museums covering the history of Fort Seward (the last Army post built in the U.S. after the Alaska Purchase), the Sheldon Museum covering Tlingit and pioneer history, and outdoor recreation including the famous Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve viewing. Travelers arriving by air can rent vehicles in Haines for exploration of the Haines Highway and surrounding wilderness.

The FAA Alaskan Region provides airspace services for the Haines area, with the airport's approach path traversing the dramatic Lynn Canal fjord environment where mountain obscuration and coastal fog can create challenging IFR conditions. Pilots arriving from the Alaska Highway via the Haines Highway corridor should obtain current Juneau area weather, as coastal Southeast Alaska weather differs significantly from Interior conditions. Alaska DOT&PF manages HNS as part of its Southeast Alaska public airport system, investing in regular maintenance to keep this important community access point operational year-round despite the coastal weather challenges common throughout the Lynn Canal region.