Alert Airport

Alert Airport (IATA: YLT, ICAO: CYLT) is located at Alert, Nunavut, Canada, approximately 830 km (520 mi) south of the true North Pole. It is operated by the Canadian Department of National Defence and is part of Canadian Forces Station Alert. A weather station was established on the site in 1950, and in 1957 construction began on the military facilities which are still in use as of 2025. It is the northernmost airport in the world, although not used by public scheduled flights.

Alert Airport
IATA: YLT ICAO: CYLT WMO: 71355
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	DND / 1CdnAirDiv Alert AMO Ottawa
Location	Alert, Nunavut
Time zone	EST (UTC−05:00)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL	100 ft / 30 m
Coordinates	82°31′04″N 062°16′50″W
Map
CYLT Location in Nunavut
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 05/23 5,500 1,676 Gravel
Source: Canada Flight Supplement[1] Environment Canada[2]

Facilities

Radar and navigation equipment are trailer units that can be moved around the airport. The airport's fire and rescue operations are supported by a 2012 KME/Fort Garry Fire Truck ARFF.^[3] Two bulldozers are used to grade the runway when needed.^[4]

Incidents

There have been two crashes involving fatalities at the airfield since it was established.

• July 31, 1950 – Royal Canadian Air Force Avro Lancaster AG-965 on a re-supply flight crashed, killing all 9 on board (crew members and passengers).^[5]
• October 30, 1991 – "Boxtop 22", a Lockheed C-130 Hercules from CFB Trenton on re-supply mission crashed, killing 5 on board.^[6]

See also

• List of airports in Nunavut
• Thule Air Base US - Greenland