← Home / Airports / Canada

Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Halifax / Stanfield International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada)

IATA: YHZ ICAO: CYHZ

Longest Active Runway

10,500 ft

3,200 meters

Field Elevation

477 ft

145 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

44.8808°, -63.5086°

LARGE AIRPORT

🏆

Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #449 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#722 of 7558

Top 9.6% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (Canada)

#7 of 8 in CA

#11 of 411 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+5%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 YHZ in numbers: 10,500 ft longest runway · tied #449 of 650 published · #722 of 7,558 worldwide (top 9.6%) · #7 in Canada.

🛫

Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Halifax Stanfield International Airport is Atlantic Canada's intercontinental anchor. Positioned on an elevated plateau 477 ft above sea level, YHZ experiences severe Atlantic maritime weather fronts, dense freezing fog, and winter blizzards. Its 10,500 ft primary runway 05/23 features high-intensity centerline lighting and Category II ILS, making it a critical strategic safety valve for international aircraft transiting North Atlantic tracks.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual non-parallel runway configuration: primary Runway 05/23 (10,500 ft / 3,200 m) and secondary Runway 14/32 (7,700 ft / 2,347 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1960 replacing Kelly Lake airfield. Named Halifax Stanfield International in 2007; runway 05/23 was extended to 10,500 ft to support heavy transoceanic cargo and diversion emergencies.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Largest and most capable airport in Atlantic Canada, capable of accommodating widebody diversions that cannot land at Moncton (YQM) or St. John's (YYT).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Key eastern North American emergency ETOPS alternate airfield for transatlantic airliners encountering en-route depressurization, engine failure, or medical alerts.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Transport Canada & NAV CANADA · Canada Flight Supplement (CFS) & NAV CANADA AIP

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

⛰️

Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

YHZ lies at 145 m (477 ft), #281 of 650 published airports by elevation and 50.9 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 46 ft below the Canada median (523 ft, 8 airports); YYC is highest at 3,557 ft, 3,080 ft higher than YHZ.

🧭

Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

No published neighbour with a paved runway of 5,000 ft or more within 100 NM of YHZ. Nearest published airport: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), 359 NM, 10,083 ft (417 ft shorter than YHZ); none other within 250 NM.

✈️

Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

YHZ runways: 05/23 10,500 × 200 ft asphalt (asp); 14/32 7,700 × 200 ft asphalt (asp). National standing: #7 of 8 in Canada; YYC leads by 3,500 ft (14,000 ft). +5% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
05/23	10,500 ft (3200 m / 3.200 km)	200 ft (61m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
14/32	7,700 ft (2347 m / 2.347 km)	200 ft (61m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →