Country guide

Flying private to the United States: permits, paperwork and handling

the United States requires foreign private and business aircraft to obtain authorization from US CBP and FAA before landing or overflying. This guide covers what you need, how far in advance to ask, and which airports accept international arrivals, using live data from the i-Handler airport directory, sourced from the country AIP.

Authority: US CBP and FAA · Reviewed: 2026-09-27

Permits: who issues them and when to apply

Landing and overflight permits for foreign civil aircraft are handled by US CBP and FAA. Private non-revenue flights do not need a landing permit, but US CBP requirements are strict: eAPIS passenger data transmitted before departure to and from the US, arrival at a CBP airport of entry with advance notice, and a current CBP user fee decal for the aircraft.

Reference the approved permit in your ICAO flight plan (item 18) and file the plan only once the permit is confirmed. Private non-revenue and charter (revenue) flights follow different tracks; charter requires additional commercial documentation, so start earlier.

Crews and passengers need valid US visas or ESTA eligibility with a carrier agreement; private flights are not part of the Visa Waiver Program by default. Overflight of the US without landing still requires eAPIS in some cases; check CBP guidance.

Documents you will be asked for

Aircraft: certificate of airworthiness, certificate of registration, international insurance certificate with coverage valid for the United States, and noise certificate.

Crew: pilot licenses and current medical certificates.

Passengers: passports (6 months validity is the safe standard) and a General Declaration (GENDEC) for arrival.

The i-Handler App generates the GENDEC, passenger manifests and the ICAO flight plan from your trip data, so the paperwork above is produced in minutes instead of retyped per flight.

Airports of entry

Plan your first landing at an airport of entry. Other fields may show customs in the AIP data, but use them as onward stops after clearing in, unless the authority authorizes otherwise. The live table below marks entry, customs, mandatory handling, slots and fuel per airport.

the United States airports at a glance (live from the i-Handler directory)

Airport	Entry	Customs	Handling	Slots	Fuel	Providers
K5T9Maverick County Memorial International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	0
KADWAndrews AFB	Yes	Yes	No	No	JET	0
KALBAlbany International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KARTWatertown International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KATLHartsfield Jackson Atlanta International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KBFIKing County International Boeing Field	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	3
KBGRBangor International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KBLIBellingham International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KBNANashville International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KBOSBoston Logan International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KBROBrownsville/South Padre Island International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KBTVBurlington International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KBWIBaltimore/Washington Intl Thurgood Marshall	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KCARCaribou Municipal	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS ONLY	1
KCLECleveland/Hopkins International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KCMHJohn Glenn International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KCTBCut Bank International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KDENDenver International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KDFWDallas-Fort Worth International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KDOVDover AFB	Yes	Yes	No	No	JET	0
KDTWDetroit Metro Wayne County	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KDUGBisbee Douglas International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KEWRNewark Liberty International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KEYWKey West International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KFARHector International Fargo	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KFATFresno Yosemite International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KFLLFort Lauderdale Hollywood International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	5
KFOETopeka Regional	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KGFKGrand Forks International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KGTFGreat Falls, MT/Great Falls International Airport	Yes	Yes	No	No	100LL JET-A	0
KHULHoulton International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KIADWashington Dulles International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KIAGNiagara Falls International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KIAHGeorge Bush Intercontinental Houston	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KICTWichita Eisenhower National	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KINDIndianapolis International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KINLFalls Intl-Einarson Field	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KLANCapital Region International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KLRDLaredo International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	3
KMFEMcAllen Miller International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KMIAMiami International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	3
KMKEMilwaukee General Mitchell International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KMOTMinot International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KMSPMinneapolis St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KMSSMassena International/Richards Field	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KMSYLouis Armstrong New Orleans International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KNYLYuma MCAS /Yuma International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KOAKMetropolitan Oakland International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KOLSNogales International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KONTOntario International	Yes	No	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KPAESnohomish County/Paine Field	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KPBIPalm Beach International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	3
KPDXPortland International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KPITPittsburgh International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KPMBPembina Municipal	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS ONLY	1
KROCGreater Rochester International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KSANSan Diego International/Lindbergh Field	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KSATSan Antonio International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	5
KSCKStockton Metropolitan	Yes	No	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KSEASeattle Tacoma International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KSFOSan Francisco International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KSJCNorman Y Mineta San Jose International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KSLCSalt Lake City International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KSMFSacramento International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KSTLLambert St Louis International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KSYRSyracuse Hancock International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
KT65Mid Valley	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	0
KTEBTeterboro	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	5
KTOLToledo Express	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	3
KTPATampa International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
KTUSTucson International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	6
KTXWMid Valley	Yes	No	No	No	AVGAS JET	0
ME16Loring International	Yes	Yes	No	No	NO FUEL	0
PACDCold Bay	Yes	No	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
PAEDElmendorf AFB	Yes	No	No	No	JET	0
PAJNJuneau International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
PAWGWrangell	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	1
PHOGKahului	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
PHTOHilo International	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	2
TJSJSan Juan/Isla Verde/Luis Munoz Marin Intl	Yes	Yes	No	No	AVGAS JET	4

Live data from the i-Handler directory; each ICAO links to the airport page with contacts, frequencies and live METAR/TAF.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a landing permit for a private flight to the United States?

Yes. Foreign private and business aircraft need authorization from US CBP and FAA. Private non-revenue flights do not need a landing permit, but US CBP requirements are strict: eAPIS passenger data transmitted before departure to and from the US, arrival at a CBP airport of entry with advance notice, and a current CBP user fee decal for the aircraft. The permit goes in item 18 of your ICAO flight plan.

Which airports in the United States accept international arrivals?

The US has hundreds of CBP airports of entry; along the southern tier, common ones for Latin America traffic include Houston Hobby (KHOU), Fort Lauderdale (KFLL/KFXE), Miami (KMIA/KOPF), Brownsville (KBRO) and San Juan (TJSJ). The table on this page shows entry, customs and handling status per airport, live from the i-Handler directory.

How do I find a handler or FBO in the United States?

The i-Handler airport directory lists ground handlers and FBOs per airport with phone numbers, and pilots contact them by chat through the free i-Handler App.

What paperwork does a flight to the United States require?

Aircraft certificates, insurance, crew licenses, passports and a General Declaration. The i-Handler App generates the GENDEC, manifests and ICAO flight plan automatically from your trip.

Do I need eAPIS for a private flight to the US?

Yes. Electronic passenger and crew data must be transmitted to CBP before departure to and from the United States, and you must arrive at a CBP airport of entry with the required advance notice and a current user fee decal.

Do the paperwork once, not per flight

The free i-Handler App organizes the trip, generates the GENDEC, manifests and ICAO flight plan, and connects you by chat with the handlers and FBOs listed at your destination. Create your pilot account at i-handler.app.

Create your free pilot account

Last reviewed 2026-09-27 against operational sources. Requirements change: always confirm current rules with US CBP and FAA or your handler before the flight. This page is operational guidance, not legal advice.