Airports in Cowlitz County, Washington

Cowlitz County, Washington occupies a strategic position along the I-5 corridor between the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area to the south and the Seattle-Tacoma metro to the north. With a county seat in Kelso and an estimated population of 115,866 residents as of 2026, Cowlitz County relies on a network of aviation facilities that serve general aviation operators, agricultural pilots, private aircraft owners, and business travelers seeking efficient access to regional and national destinations. The county's primary airport, Southwest Washington Regional Airport, anchors local aviation activity, while proximity to two major international airports ensures that commercial air travel remains accessible to all county residents.

Southwest Washington Regional Airport (KLS)

Southwest Washington Regional Airport, designated by the FAA with the identifier KLS (ICAO: KKLS), stands as the principal aviation facility serving Cowlitz County. Located approximately 2 nautical miles southeast of downtown Kelso, the airport occupies a flat river valley site that has supported aviation operations since its establishment in 1941. Over the decades, KLS has operated under several names — including Kelso-Longview Regional Airport and the historically notable Molt Taylor Field, honoring Molt Taylor, the pioneering Longview-born aviation inventor and designer of the Aerocar — before receiving its current designation as Southwest Washington Regional Airport.

The airport is city-owned and operated, serving both the Kelso and Longview communities, which together form the urban core of Cowlitz County. With approximately 70 based aircraft, KLS supports a diverse fleet of single-engine trainers, multi-engine business aircraft, and experimental homebuilt designs. The field provides essential infrastructure for regional general aviation, including fueling services, aircraft parking, and maintenance access. Pilots operating into KLS benefit from the airport's location near the confluence of the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers, a landmark-rich environment that makes visual navigation straightforward under VFR conditions.

The airport's runway and taxiway system accommodates a wide range of piston and turboprop aircraft commonly used in the Pacific Northwest. Businesses in Kelso and Longview use KLS for executive transport, aerial survey, agricultural aviation coordination, and time-sensitive cargo movements. The airport also serves search-and-rescue operations coordinated through Cowlitz County emergency management, making it a critical public safety asset for a county that includes both urbanized river valley areas and remote terrain in the Cascade foothills to the east.

Woodland State Airport

Located in the city of Woodland in the southern portion of Cowlitz County, Woodland State Airport provides an additional general aviation facility serving the county's growing southern communities. Situated approximately 21 miles south of Kelso and Longview, Woodland State Airport is a state-owned facility managed under the Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation Division. The airport serves local pilots, agricultural operators working the fields of the lower Cowlitz River valley, and recreational aviators who find its location convenient to the Columbia River corridor. Its presence ensures that residents of Woodland and the surrounding agricultural communities have local access to aviation services without traveling north to KLS.

Access to Major Commercial Airports

Cowlitz County's location midway along the I-5 corridor between two major metropolitan areas provides residents with practical access to full-service commercial aviation. Portland International Airport (PDX), operated by the Port of Portland, lies approximately 48 to 49 miles by road from Kelso — a drive of roughly 50 to 54 minutes under normal traffic conditions, and just 45 miles as the crow flies. PDX serves dozens of nonstop domestic destinations and offers connecting service to international routes across Europe, Asia, and beyond. For Cowlitz County travelers, PDX represents the most convenient commercial gateway, with shorter drive times and competitive airfare options tied to Portland's status as a significant regional hub.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), located north along I-5, sits approximately 115 to 117 miles from Kelso — a drive of roughly two hours under typical conditions. Sea-Tac is one of the busiest airports on the West Coast and offers an extensive network of nonstop flights to domestic and international destinations, including major hubs in Asia and Europe. Cowlitz County business travelers and residents sometimes prefer Sea-Tac for its broader route network, particularly for international itineraries or connections to cities not served nonstop from PDX.

General Aviation Services and Flight Training

Southwest Washington Regional Airport supports the full range of general aviation services expected at a county airport of its size. Fixed-base operators at KLS provide aviation fuel (100LL avgas and Jet-A), aircraft tie-down and hangar rental, and coordination for charter flights. Flight instruction is available through local flight schools that take advantage of the airport's accessible airspace, relatively mild Pacific Northwest weather windows, and proximity to diverse training environments including river valley navigation, mountain avoidance procedures in the Cascades, and coastal airspace coordination.

Charter operators serving KLS provide on-demand air transportation for corporate clients across the Pacific Northwest, offering a faster alternative to driving the I-5 corridor during heavy commuter traffic periods. Agricultural aviation services support the county's farming operations, particularly in the Cowlitz and Columbia River valley lowlands where aerial application of fertilizers and pest control products remains a practical tool for large-acreage producers.

Economic and Transportation Significance

Aviation plays a meaningful role in Cowlitz County's economic infrastructure. The county's position along I-5, with direct rail connections and the Columbia River navigable waterway nearby, makes multimodal logistics a key economic driver. Southwest Washington Regional Airport complements these surface transportation assets by enabling time-sensitive shipments, executive travel, and emergency medical transport that ground transport cannot efficiently accommodate. Local employers in manufacturing, timber processing, and distribution rely on the airport's business aviation capabilities to maintain competitive operations without requiring employees to commute to Portland or Seattle for every flight.

Frequently Asked Questions — Airports in Cowlitz County, WA