# Ekati Airport (YOA)

> Ekati, CA · IATA: YOA · ICAO: CYOA · Medium Airport · Cargo Hub

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `YOA` |
| ICAO | `CYOA` |
| City | Ekati |
| Country | CA |
| Type | Medium Airport |
| Elevation | 468 m |
| Cargo | ✅ |
| GPS | 64.69890, -110.61500 |

## Description

Diamonds leave by air; almost everything else arrives on ice. Ekati Airport (YOA/CYOA) is a private mine aerodrome in the Lac de Gras region of the Northwest Territories, roughly 300 km north-east of Yellowknife, operated by Arctic Canadian Diamond Company for the Ekati diamond mine. Landing requires prior permission except in emergencies, blasting takes place nearby, and barren-ground caribou on the runway are a genuine operational hazard. The air link carries fly-in fly-out crews plus urgent spares and consumables, while bulk goods, fuel and plant equipment arrive during the annual resupply campaign over the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road, an ice road usable for only about eight weeks a year. No customs or forwarding services exist on site: international consignments route through Yellowknife (YZF) as the regional gateway and Edmonton (YEG) for southern connections. The commercial position is fragile — after a CAD 115 million federal loan in 2025 the operator filed for creditor protection in May 2026, leaving the future of both mine and airfield open, so confirm current operating status before planning any movement.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ekati-airport-yoa](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ekati-airport-yoa)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/ekati-airport-yoa](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/ekati-airport-yoa)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/ekati-airport-yoa/llm-summary*