Tuktoyaktuk (Imperial) Airport

Tuktoyaktuk, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport

ICAO

CA-0388

IATA

-

Elevation

51 ft

Region

CA-NT

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 69.4248° N, -132.9467° E

Continent: NA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: EX8 EX8

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 24, 2025
Closure Date

Approximately 1994. The airport was closed and decommissioned following the opening of the new, larger Tuktoyaktuk/James Gruben Airport (CYUB).

Reason for Closure

Replacement and modernization. The Imperial Airport was a relatively short gravel strip (approximately 3,000 ft) located within the hamlet, which limited the size of aircraft it could handle and prevented expansion. It was replaced by the Tuktoyaktuk/James Gruben Airport (CYUB), a modern facility with a longer runway (5,000 ft) located safely outside the community. The new airport is capable of accommodating larger aircraft, such as the Boeing 737-200 combi, providing more reliable, year-round service to meet the community's and industry's needs.

Current Status

The airport site has been fully decommissioned and redeveloped. The former runway has been converted into a local gravel road, now named 'Airport Road'. Residential and commercial buildings have been constructed on and adjacent to the old runway and apron areas. The land is now completely integrated into the infrastructure of the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk.

Historical Significance

Constructed in the 1970s, the airport was built by Imperial Oil to support the extensive oil and gas exploration activities in the Beaufort Sea and Mackenzie Delta. It served as the primary land-based aerodrome for Tuktoyaktuk, a significant upgrade from the seasonal ice runway on the harbour and floatplane operations. As a vital transportation link, it handled scheduled and charter passenger and cargo flights, primarily using STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft like the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and DHC-4 Caribou. It was a critical lifeline for the remote community, facilitating the movement of personnel, supplies, and essential services for decades before the construction of the all-weather Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway.

Reopening Prospects

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The site has been permanently repurposed for community development. The hamlet's aviation needs are fully met by the modern Tuktoyaktuk/James Gruben Airport (CYUB), and the community now also has year-round ground access via the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, which opened in 2017.

Nearby Airports

Tuktoyaktuk / James Gruben Airport
YUB • CYUB
Tuktoyaktuk, CA
Small Airport
~3 km away
Storm Hills NWS Station
CA-0777
NoneCA
Closed Airport
~71 km away
Atkinson Point DEW Line Station
CA-0030
Atkinson Point, CA
Closed Airport
~82 km away
Tununuk DEW Line Station
CA-0389
NoneCA
Closed Airport
~83 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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