Departure
87%
vs 95% ▼ 8
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Port Hedland International Airport (YPPD) is a large regional and international gateway on Australia's remote north-west coast, serving the Pilbara's iron ore and resources industry as well as Royal Flying Doctor Service operations. For the visiting VFR or IFR pilot it offers a long sealed runway suitable for heavy freight aircraft alongside a shorter crosswind strip, set within a landscape of mining infrastructure and coastal terrain.
Port Hedland International Airport is the only international airport in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, acting as a key link between the resources sector, the town of Port Hedland and destinations including Perth, Brisbane and Denpasar. It is a designated first-point-of-entry aerodrome with Border Force and biosecurity operations, and hosts a Royal Flying Doctor Service superbase, making it a hub of significant activity for a field of its size. The airport also handles some of the world's largest freight aircraft, including the Antonov 124, reflecting the scale of operations supporting the nearby iron ore port and oil and gas fields from Exmouth to Browse.
The airport lies in Western Australia, close to the town of Port Hedland itself and around 11 kilometres from South Hedland, on the north-west coast of the state. It sits within Melbourne Centre's area of responsibility, as reflected in the published frequency information for the field.
Port Hedland has two physical runways. The main runway, 14/32, is 8,187 feet long with a hard surface and runway lighting, suitable for large freight and passenger aircraft. The secondary runway, 18/36, is shorter at 3,279 feet, also hard-surfaced and lit. There is no ILS approach at the field.
Pilots should monitor the CTAF on 119.9 MHz for traffic and circuit information. A Flight Service frequency of 118.6 MHz is also published for the aerodrome, and the airport falls under Melbourne Centre for area air traffic services.
The airport has long served as a vital link for the Pilbara's resources workforce and as a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. In July 2015 the Town of Port Hedland agreed to lease the airport for fifty years to AMP Capital (since acquired by Dexus) and Infrastructure Capital Group, transferring operation to the PHIA Group of Companies. Significant infrastructure upgrades followed, including a nine million dollar improvement programme completed in 2013 and further works finished in 2019 that added a second taxiway and an asphalt overlay of the main runway. A major redevelopment of the passenger terminal, begun in 2020, was completed in 2023, reflecting the airport's growing role as it moved into the top rank of Western Australian airports by passenger numbers.
Port Hedland International Airport today functions as a busy regional and international aerodrome supporting the Pilbara's resources industry, with on-site refuelling, aviation rescue firefighting, charter operators and a passenger flight network linking the Kimberley and Pilbara regions. It hosts a Royal Flying Doctor Service superbase and a dedicated heliport supporting offshore oil and gas operations, including simultaneous parking and ground handling for up to six helicopters serving the Dorado field. The airport terminal opens ninety minutes before the first scheduled flight of the day.