Needles Airport (EED) — Needles, California

Needles Airport (FAA identifier: EED, ICAO: KEED) serves the desert community of Needles in San Bernardino County, California. Situated at 711 Airport Road approximately 5 miles south of downtown Needles, the airport sits at an elevation of 983 feet above mean sea level on the high Mojave Desert plateau. It is a publicly owned, public-use general aviation facility operated by San Bernardino County Airports and functions as the primary aviation gateway for the Tri-State region where California, Arizona, and Nevada converge along the Colorado River.

The airport features two paved runways suited to a wide range of general aviation aircraft. Runway 11/29 measures 5,005 feet by 100 feet (1,525 × 30 meters) and is the primary operational runway, aligned to accommodate the dominant desert wind patterns across the eastern Mojave. Runway 2/20 provides a crosswind option at 4,235 feet by 100 feet (1,291 × 30 meters). Both runways are asphalt-surfaced and equipped with runway lighting for night operations. The surrounding terrain is characteristically flat Mojave Desert, giving pilots clear visual approaches from all quadrants with minimal obstructions.

Fixed-base operator services at Needles Airport are provided by Paradise Aviation, reachable at (760) 326-5263. Paradise Aviation maintains a full-service fuel depot offering both 100LL Avgas and Jet-A fuel, making EED a reliable fuel stop for piston aircraft and turbine-powered business jets transiting the desert Southwest. The FBO also provides aircraft tie-down services, a pilots' lounge with restroom facilities, and minor airframe and powerplant maintenance for light repairs. The terminal building offers a comfortable rest area for transient pilots navigating the long desert corridors between Southern California and Arizona or Nevada.

Needles Airport is strategically located along the heavily traveled VFR route between the Los Angeles Basin and the Phoenix/Tucson metro areas. Pilots flying cross-country between Southern California and Arizona regularly use EED as a fuel and rest stop, particularly in summer when density altitude considerations demand careful preflight planning. At 983 feet MSL and with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 110°F, Needles exemplifies the performance challenges of high-density-altitude desert flying. Pilots are advised to calculate density altitude carefully before departure, as temperatures in July and August can push effective density altitudes well above 4,000 feet even at this relatively modest field elevation.

The city of Needles itself has a population of approximately 4,839 residents as of 2026, making it one of the smaller incorporated communities along the I-40 corridor in the Inland Empire. The community sits on the west bank of the Colorado River, directly across from Topock, Arizona, and serves as a historic waypoint on both Route 66 and the transcontinental railroad. The airport supports local agricultural operations, law enforcement, firefighting coordination during wildfire season, and medical flight services across the sparsely populated eastern San Bernardino County desert.

Airspace at Needles Airport is Class G, uncontrolled, with communication handled through the Needles CTAF/UNICOM frequency. The airport falls within the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) radar coverage area, and pilots are encouraged to use flight following services when transiting the region. Nearby VORs include the Needles VOR (EED), which historically served as a significant waypoint on Victor airways across the Southwest, though many modern aircraft rely on GPS navigation for the desert transit routes.

For pilots arriving from the west, the approach to EED typically involves transit over the Mojave Desert landscape with I-40 serving as a reliable visual reference. From the east, pilots cross the Colorado River and the striking cliffs of the Needles rock formations that gave the city its name. The surrounding terrain includes the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge to the south and the Mojave National Preserve to the west, offering some of the most visually dramatic desert flying scenery in the continental United States.

Whether you are completing a cross-country fuel stop, accessing the Colorado River recreation corridor, or operating locally in the Needles area, Needles Airport (EED) offers essential services in one of California's most remote and geographically distinctive communities.

Needles Airport Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Needles, California.

Name Needles Airport
Address Airport Road, Needles CA 92363 Map
Phone (760) 254-2422
Website
Hours

Map of Needles Airport

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Frequently Asked Questions — Needles Airport (EED), Needles, California

Needles Airport is served by Paradise Aviation, the on-site fixed-base operator reachable at (760) 326-5263. Paradise Aviation provides both 100LL Avgas and Jet-A fuel, making EED a full-service fuel stop for both piston and turbine-powered aircraft. The FBO also offers aircraft tie-downs, a pilots' lounge with restroom facilities, and minor airframe and powerplant maintenance services. The airport is located at 711 Airport Road, approximately 5 miles south of downtown Needles, CA 92363.

Needles Airport (KEED) has two paved asphalt runways. The primary runway, Runway 11/29, measures 5,005 feet by 100 feet (1,525 × 30 meters) and is the longest runway at EED. The crosswind runway, Runway 2/20, is 4,235 feet by 100 feet (1,291 × 30 meters). Both runways are equipped with runway lighting to support night VFR operations. The airport sits at 983 feet MSL, and with the flat Mojave Desert terrain surrounding the field, approaches from all directions are free of significant obstructions.

Needles, California is one of the hottest cities in the United States, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 110°F (43°C). At Needles Airport's field elevation of 983 feet MSL, extreme heat can push the effective density altitude to 4,000–5,000 feet or higher during July and August afternoon hours. Pilots operating piston aircraft at EED should carefully calculate takeoff and climb performance, consider early morning departures before peak heat, and carry reduced fuel loads if weight is a performance concern. The 5,005-foot Runway 11/29 provides adequate runway length for most general aviation aircraft when performance is properly accounted for.

The nearest airport with scheduled commercial service to Needles is Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport (KIFP), located approximately 125 miles to the south in Bullhead City, Arizona, just across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada. KIFP has an 8,500-foot runway and intermittent charter and seasonal airline service. Blythe Airport (KBLH) is a general aviation facility roughly 80 miles southeast of Needles in Riverside County. For full commercial airline connections, Palm Springs International Airport (KPSP) is approximately 180 miles to the southwest and offers scheduled service to major hubs via carriers including American, United, and Southwest.

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