In 1941, at the beginning of World War II, the U.S. built an air force base in King Salmon. The base was a major military installation in western Alaska up until the recent closure. King Salmon developed as a government, transportation, and service center. Economy Government jobs, transportation and fishing-related employment are the mainstays of the King Salmon economy. The King Salmon Air Force Base was self- contained and did not contribute substantially to the local economy.
Air services employ a large portion of the community.
Transportation King Salmon has a 8,700-foot paved, lighted runway. There is also a 4,995 - foot crosswind runway and an apron for aircraft storage. A 3,000-foot straight stretch of the Naknek River is used by float planes. The Federal Aviation Administration provides air traffic control. Daily passenger and freight service with Anchorage and Dillingham is provided by Markair, Peninsula Airways, and Northern Cargo.