Blakely Island Airport (BYW)

Blakely Island Airport (38WA/BYW) is a private-use airport serving the residential community on Blakely Island, located within the San Juan Archipelago of Washington state. Its primary role is to provide essential air access for property owners and their guests, as the island is not served by the Washington State Ferries system. The airport is a critical piece of infrastructure that makes living on and visiting the remote island feasible. It is not open to the general public for transient or unscheduled use.

Owned and operated by the island's homeowners' association, the airport was developed in the mid-20th century to support the planned residential community. Its existence is integral to the island's character, enabling convenient transport from the mainland. The airport consists of a single, well-maintained asphalt runway. Its significance lies not in high traffic volume but in its function as a private lifeline, connecting the island's residents to the wider region.

The airport is situated on the northern part of Blakely Island. Access is strictly controlled, and travelers must have prior permission to land. Typically, visitors arrive as guests of a property owner, flying in on their own private aircraft or via a pre-arranged air taxi or charter service from nearby mainland airports like Anacortes (OTS) or Bellingham (BLI). There is no public ground transportation from the airport; all arrangements for pickup and travel on the island must be made in advance with a host.

Operations at Blakely Island Airport are exclusively limited to general aviation and on-demand charter flights. There are no scheduled commercial airline services, domestic or international. Consequently, the concept of passenger volume is not tracked in the same way as public airports. The traffic consists entirely of small, privately-owned aircraft and chartered planes operated by regional air taxi companies.

As a private facility, the airport has no public terminal, lounges, shops, restaurants, or rental car agencies. It is a functional airstrip designed solely for arrivals and departures. There are no amenities for travelers beyond basic landing and tie-down facilities for authorized aircraft.

For those authorized to travel to Blakely Island, all arrangements must be finalized well in advance. Pilots are required to obtain permission before landing (PPR). Guests arriving via charter should confirm their flight details and ensure their host on the island is aware of their arrival time for coordination of ground transportation. This is not an airport suitable for connections or spontaneous travel; it is a destination airport for a private community.