Eek Airport (EEK)

Eek Airport (EEK) is a state-owned public-use airstrip serving the remote village of Eek in the Bethel Census Area of Alaska. Located along the Eek River, approximately 45 miles south of Bethel, the facility features a single 3,243-foot gravel runway. It acts as the primary lifeline for the predominantly Yup'ik Alaska Native community, providing the only reliable year-round transportation for passengers, mail, and essential freight in a region without a road network. The terminal infrastructure at Eek is minimal and characteristic of remote bush airfields in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. It consists of a small, single-room building that serves as both a passenger waiting area and a cargo processing hub for regional carriers. There are no commercial shops, cafes, or restrooms dedicated solely to the airport; travelers should expect a basic, unstaffed environment. Most passenger processing is handled manually by the pilots or local village agents upon the aircraft's arrival. The airfield operates during daylight hours only and is equipped with basic pilot-controlled lighting for twilight operations. Scheduled air services are provided by regional operators such as Yute Commuter Service, Grant Aviation, and Ryan Air, connecting Eek with the regional hub of Bethel (BET). These flights are often operated using Cessna 207 or Grand Caravan aircraft, which are well-suited for the gravel runway. Ground transportation in Eek is primarily by ATV, snowmobile (in winter), or on foot along the village's extensive system of wooden boardwalks. Due to the airport's location in a low-lying coastal tundra area, flight operations are highly sensitive to weather conditions, including heavy fog and river freeze-up, and travelers are advised to maintain constant communication with their air carrier for real-time status updates.