Aurora State Airport

KUAO Aurora, OR

KUAO is the ICAO code for Aurora State Airport, located in Aurora, OR.

General aviation airport in the Willamette Valley, 22 miles south of Portland and a practical alternative to PDX for charter passengers traveling to Salem, wine country, or the southern Portland suburbs.

Airport guide

Aurora State Airport is owned and operated by the Oregon Department of Aviation. It sits in the Willamette Valley floor with easy road access from I-5, making it a workable option for passengers whose destination is south of Portland rather than the city itself. The airport has no airline traffic, so the ramp and terminal experience is quieter and faster than PDX or even Hillsboro.

The airport has a single runway and is uncontrolled, with a fixed base operator on site providing fuel and basic services. It does not have customs or international arrival capability, so it is domestic-only. There are no slot requirements or congestion issues. For passengers arriving by private charter, the process is straightforward: land, deplane, and go.

Getting there

Aurora is on I-5, about 22 miles south of downtown Portland (roughly 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic) and 28 miles north of Salem (about 30 minutes). The Woodburn Premium Outlets and Woodburn city center are 5 miles away. Car rentals are not available at the airport itself, so most passengers arrange car service or a rental pickup from a nearby location. The Willamette Valley wine region, including the Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs, is 25 to 35 miles to the northwest.