About Rust's Flying Service
Rust's Flying Service has been family-owned and operated since 1963, making it one of the longest-running bush plane operators in Alaska. Based at Lake Hood — the world's busiest seaplane base — just minutes from downtown Anchorage, Rust's runs a fleet of floatplanes and wheeled aircraft that connect visitors with some of Alaska's most remote and spectacular landscapes.
Their flagship offerings include bear viewing day trips to Lake Clark National Park and Katmai National Park, Denali flightseeing tours, glacier landings, fly-in fishing excursions, and custom charter flights to remote lodges and cabins. The Redoubt Bay bear viewing trip is a standout — a 50-minute scenic flight followed by guided time watching brown bears fish for salmon in one of the state's densest bear populations. All trips are led by experienced bush pilots who double as naturalist guides.
Six decades of flying Alaska's backcountry means Rust's knows the weather windows, the best landing spots, and the seasonal patterns that put you in the right place at the right time. Their Lake Hood base is less than two miles from Anchorage International Airport, so you can literally step off your flight and be airborne over glaciers within an hour. For many visitors, a Rust's day trip is the single most memorable experience of their Alaska vacation.
