The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport, a unique facility known for its runway that straddles the border between the United States and Canada, will be closing after more than 70 years of operation. Located near Roseau, Minnesota, and Piney, Manitoba, this small airport has served as a point of connection between the two countries for decades. However, despite its historical significance, the airport will cease operations permanently on Friday.
The closure follows an announcement from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), which explained that the airport had experienced very low usage in recent years. Additionally, the airport faced significant maintenance challenges, including the need for costly runway repairs, apron upgrades, and terminal reconstruction. These financial burdens, coupled with the expiration of the international agreement required to operate the airport, led to the decision to close the facility.
The agreement that allowed the airport to operate across the international border was set to expire on December 26, and neither the U.S. nor Canadian airport authorities have opted to renew it. This marks the end of an era for a site that had long served as a small but vital gateway for cross-border travel, albeit with limited traffic.
The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport’s closure represents not only the end of a distinctive airport but also highlights the challenges faced by small regional airports that struggle with low traffic and high maintenance costs. While the airport’s closing will likely have little impact on major air travel routes, it marks a significant change for the local communities on both sides of the border that have relied on it for the past several decades. The airport’s history, which spans seven decades, will remain a curious chapter in the story of U.S.-Canada border crossings.