RAF Ascension Island (ASI)

Cat Hill, SH 🇸🇭 Medium Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

FHAW

IATA

ASI

Elevation

278 ft

Region

SH-AC

Local Time

Airport Information

GPS Code: FHAW

Local Code: Not available

Location: -7.9696° N, -14.3937° E

Continent: AF

Type: Medium Airport

Keywords: Wideawake Airfield Ascension Island Auxiliary Field

Arrivals

View incoming flights

Departures

View outgoing flights

External Links

Official Website Wikipedia Live Flights

Nearby Points of Interest

Tourist Attractions View
Hotels View
Restaurants View

What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Traveler experiences at RAF Ascension Island (FHAW (ASI)) are unique, largely shaped by its primary role as a military airfield with highly restricted civilian access. While not a typical tourist airport, it serves as a critical staging post, and civilian traffic, primarily to and from Saint Helena, navigates a functional but extremely limited facility. Overall sentiment suggests a focus on operational efficiency for its core mission, with civilian amenities being sparse.

What Travelers Love

Efficient Security and Immigration: Security checks are rated highly, and estimated wait times for Security Checkpoint are around 11 to 30 minutes, and Passport Control/Immigration between 8 to 9 minutes, suggesting a relatively swift process for passengers. Immigration/customs are rated 80% on Flightradar24.
Structured Entry Process: The requirement for an entry permit visa for most travelers, processed in advance, likely streamlines arrival procedures. Customs checks are carried out, including random baggage searches, but are not expected to overly prolong the arrivals process.
Military Airbridge Flights (Limited Civilian Access): Civilians can sometimes book limited seats on military-operated flights from RAF Brize Norton, which are often described as having generous legroom.
Parking Availability: Parking options are available through providers like OnAirParking, ParkOn, and Airport Parking Reservations, offering features like shuttle service, 24/7 security, and covered parking.

Common Complaints

Limited Terminal Facilities and Amenities: Traveler ratings for Terminal facilities (56%), WiFi (54%), and Food and retail services (56%) are low, indicating a lack of comfort and options. The arrival lobby is described as small and neat, with no typical shops and only a "tiniest of casinos" in the departure area.
Restricted Commercial Access: The airport is primarily for military and state aircraft, with civilian flights strictly limited to a monthly charter service to/from Saint Helena and occasional civilian seats on military flights, making travel planning complex and restricted.
Lack of On-Demand Local Transportation: There are no taxis or Uber services available at the airport, requiring pre-booked transportation or arrangements with a local guide, and rental cars cannot be picked up or dropped off at the airport.
Potential for Flight Changes and Offloading: As RAF flights prioritize military needs, civilian bookings are subject to change, and passengers may be offloaded if military payload requires it.

RAF Ascension Island primarily serves a critical military and logistical role, and civilian travelers should manage expectations accordingly. While immigration and security appear efficient, visitors must prepare for minimal amenities, highly restricted flight options, and pre-arranged ground transportation.

Generated False weeks ago

This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

Loading weather data...

Airport Routes

Top Routes (by observations)

No popular routes yet.

Newly Discovered

No new routes found recently.

Popular Flight Routes

Building Route Index: We are building our route index for commercial airports. Currently 0 routes are indexed for RAF Ascension Island. For real-time updates, admin access is required.

0 destinations displayed

Destination	IATA	City	Aircraft Type	Airline	Details	Route Map
Route Data Not Loaded Get fresh route data for RAF Ascension Island from FlightAware API This will fetch real-time data including recent departures and scheduled flights

For Pilots

Designation	Length	Width	Surface	Status
`13/31`	10019 ft	150 ft	ASP	Active Lighted

Type	Description	Frequency
A/G	RAF HAVENS HF	`1124.7 MHz`
ACC	ATLANTICO FIR	`1795.5 MHz`
RDO	ASCENSION RDO	`1078.0 MHz`
TWR	WIDEAWAKE TWR	`126.2 MHz`

Ident	Name	Type	Frequency
`ASI`	Ascension Aux Af	VORTAC	`112200 kHz`
`ASN`	Ascension Aux Af	NDB	`360 kHz`

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025

Taxis

There are no formal taxi ranks at the airport. A very limited, pre-booked taxi service is operated by one or two private individuals on the island. Arrangements must be made well in advance of arrival, often through your on-island sponsor, employer, or accommodation provider.

Rental Cars

Car rental options are extremely limited and must be arranged long before you travel. There are no international rental agencies. Local entities, such as the Ascension Island Government Motor Pool or private garages, offer a small fleet of vehicles, often 4x4s suited to the island's terrain. Booking well in advance is essential.

Public Transportation

There is no scheduled public bus or transit system that serves the general public or connects directly with airport flight arrivals and departures. A limited shuttle bus service exists primarily for military and contract personnel moving between the main settlements. Visitors must rely on pre-arranged private transport.

Nearby Airports

No nearby airports found within reasonable distance.

Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.