Edward G. Pitka Sr Airport — Galena, United States

Edward G. Pitka Sr Airport (GAL) serves Galena, a small community on the Yukon River in Alaska's remote interior. Named for a longtime local leader, the airport has a notably long runway for its size, a legacy of its Cold War-era use as an Air Force base and forward operating location. Today GAL functions primarily as a vital transportation hub for surrounding roadless villages, handling cargo, mail, medical evacuations, and passenger service that many residents depend on for basic access to the outside world. Scheduled flights connect Galena to Fairbanks and Anchorage. Because no road network reaches the area, the airport is effectively the community's lifeline year-round, especially during harsh winter months.