Airport Overview
Arlington Municipal Airport (KAWO) is a public-use general aviation airport owned and operated by the City of Arlington, Washington, about 3 miles southwest of downtown and roughly 40 miles north of Seattle in Snohomish County. It is one of the Puget Sound region's busiest non-towered fields, home to several hundred based aircraft spanning single-engine pistons, business jets, helicopters, gliders, and ultralights. The airport hosts the long-running Arlington SkyFest fly-in and supports an active soaring and sport-aviation community alongside corporate and charter traffic.
Runway Capability
The primary runway, 16/34, is 5,332 by 100 feet of asphalt in excellent condition — adequate for light jets and many midsize jets such as the Phenom 300, Citation XLS, and Learjet 75. The 3,498-foot crosswind runway 11/29 adds wind flexibility but is not suitable for turbine jets. At a field elevation near 140 feet MSL, density-altitude effects are minimal, but heavy and super-midsize jets should still verify takeoff and landing performance against the 5,332-foot length at maximum weights.
Charter Considerations
As a non-towered field with a single FBO, Arlington works well for light and midsize charter into the Seattle metro's northern corridor, offering quicker access to Arlington, Marysville, Stanwood, and the Skagit Valley than the busier Sea-Tac or Paine Field. Charter availability depends on aircraft positioning; The Jet Finder sources Part 135 operators near KAWO and compares positioning fees and hourly rates. Travelers needing heavy-jet capability or customs should consider Paine Field (PAE) or Boeing Field (BFI) nearby.
Safety & Planning
Arlington is non-towered — pilots self-announce on CTAF 122.725 and coordinate with mixed glider, ultralight, and powered traffic, so situational awareness in the pattern is important. Instrument access is concentrated on Runway 34 via RNAV (GPS), LOC, and NDB approaches. There is no on-field customs; international arrivals must clear elsewhere. Part 135 charter flights typically operate IFR regardless of weather for ATC separation and structured routing.
Seasonal & Operational Factors
The Pacific Northwest marine climate brings frequent rain, low ceilings, and morning fog, particularly from late fall through spring, making the Runway 34 instrument approaches valuable. Hard freezes and significant snow are uncommon at this low elevation, but de-icing should be confirmed with the FBO in winter. Summer generally delivers the region's best VFR conditions. Two runways provide crosswind options when winds off Puget Sound or out of the Cascades favor one alignment over the other.
Regional Context
Arlington sits within a dense Puget Sound GA network. Paine Field (PAE) in Everett offers a tower, longer runways, scheduled airline service, and the Boeing Everett complex; Boeing Field (BFI) and Sea-Tac (SEA) anchor the Seattle metro to the south. For light and midsize private flights serving Arlington and the northern suburbs, KAWO offers a less congested, lower-cost alternative, with larger fields available for heavy jets or customs clearance.