EILmedium airport

Eielson Air Force Base

Fairbanks, United States

Explore Fairbanks city guide Navigate to this airport

Routes out

Destinations

ICAO

PAEI

Elevation

547 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of Eielson Air Force Base

EIL

Location

Fairbanks · AK · United States

Position

64.666°, -147.102° · 547 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

Visa Waiver Program (ESTA), B-1/B-2 Visitor VisasOfficial

AI Travel Editor

A closer look

Living guide content for Eielson Air Force Base — read or listen in 46+ languages.

Language

TravelerPulse profile

Major U.S. Air Force installation in interior Alaska.

Opened

1944

Location

Fairbanks, United States

Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located approximately 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. It serves as a key strategic military airfield in the Arctic region and is home to the 354th Fighter Wing, operating F-35A Lightning II aircraft. The base plays a critical role in defending the northern approaches to North America and hosts large-scale exercises such as Red Flag-Alaska, which draws military aircraft from allied and partner nations around the world. Its remote interior Alaska location provides unique training environments for cold-weather and Arctic operations. While the IATA code EIL is associated with Eielson, the base is not a commercial passenger airport. Civilian access is restricted, and the facility operates primarily as a military installation under Air Force Space Command and Pacific Air Forces.

Getting to & from

The base is accessible by road via Route 2 (Richardson Highway) approximately 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks, with access restricted to authorized military and government personnel.

Notable facts

›Home to the 354th Fighter Wing, equipped with F-35A Lightning II aircraft.
›Hosts Red Flag-Alaska, a major multinational air combat training exercise.
›Located approximately 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks in interior Alaska.
›Originally established during World War II as a key lend-lease transfer point for aircraft to the Soviet Union.
›Operates under Pacific Air Forces and is a strategically important Arctic military installation.

Official website Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Airlines serving this airport

No scheduled airline data available.

Routes

No route data available.

Hotels near EIL

Pick what matters for your layover or early flight, then compare on your favorite booking site.

Compare stays for your dates

Where

Check-in

Check-out

Guests

Rooms

TravelerPulse may receive compensation when you book or purchase through some of the links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Prices and availability are set by the booking provider and may change. We never share your private trip details with partners — only the destination, dates and party size you searched.

City & Place Guide

No guide exists for this place yet — Click to generate a Traveler Pulse guide.

Passport, Visa & Immigration

Flying internationally via EIL? Check entry, transit and customs requirements for United States from official government sources.

United States visa & entry information →Embassy & consulate finder →

Encyclopaedia

Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redesignated Eielson Air Force Base on 13 January 1948. It has been a Superfund site since 1989. Eielson AFB was named in honor of polar pilot Carl Ben Eielson.

Read full article on Wikipedia