Fairbanks, Alaska · field elev 439 ft
Density Altitude at Fairbanks International (PAFA)
Fairbanks International sits at 439 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (72 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,387 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −8.8 | −4,286 ft | −2.3 | −3,784 ft |
| February | 0.6 | −3,562 ft | 10.1 | −2,849 ft |
| March | 11.9 | −2,716 ft | 24.6 | −1,794 ft |
| April | 34.0 | −1,131 ft | 45.6 | −333 ft |
| May | 49.5 | −70 ft | 62.0 | 756 ft |
| June | 59.4 | 586 ft | 71.0 | 1,336 ft |
| July | 61.6 | 730 ft | 71.8 | 1,387 ft |
| August | 55.5 | 330 ft | 65.0 | 951 ft |
| September | 44.1 | −435 ft | 53.6 | 204 ft |
| October | 25.1 | −1,758 ft | 32.3 | −1,249 ft |
| November | 3.3 | −3,358 ft | 9.9 | −2,864 ft |
| December | −5.3 | −4,015 ft | 1.2 | −3,517 ft |
▲ above 5,000 ft · ⚠ above 8,000 ft. These are planning references at standard pressure and dry air — afternoon humidity and low pressure both push the real number higher. Run today's values below.
Run today’s numbers for PAFA
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 439 ft — the air behaves like 1,400 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 440 ft
- ISA DEVIATION
- —
- RULE-OF-THUMB DA
- —
- AIR DENSITY INDEX
- —
- AIR DENSITY
- —
- WATER · GRAINS/LB
- —
For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment
Nearby Alaska fields
- 95Z — Bradley Sky-Ranch
North Pole · elev 483 ft
- PANN — Nenana Municipal
Nenana · elev 368 ft
- PAAN — Gold King Creek
Fairbanks · elev 1,720 ft
- PAAF — Minto Al Wright
Minto · elev 500 ft
- 4AK — Livengood Camp
Livengood · elev 428 ft
- PACL — Clear
Clear · elev 559 ft
- 2AN — Tischner Air
Anderson · elev 647 ft
- 9AK — Totatlanika River
Totatlanika River · elev 2,717 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at PAFA in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 72 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Fairbanks International reaches roughly 1,387 ft at standard pressure. Hotter-than-normal days, low pressure, and humidity all push it higher, so run the day's actual numbers before flying.
What is the density altitude at PAFA on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −4,286 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 730 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 439 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Fairbanks International?
439 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is PAFA (ICAO) / FAI (FAA), in Fairbanks, Alaska.