Where to Use the Spaceport Trench Tower Key in ARC Raiders
Keys in ARC Raiders unlock some of the game’s most valuable loot, and the Spaceport Trench Tower Key is among the most sought-after. Unlike standard locked doors requiring puzzle solving (like the Ancient Fort cellar door), the Spaceport Trench Tower Key provides direct access to a two-story tower on the north section of the Spaceport map, packed with high-tier weapons, blueprints, and rare components. This key is specifically designed for the North Trench Tower location, where tech components, Rocketeer Drives, and weapon caches await—making it a critical farming tool for endgame progression.
Finding and using the Spaceport Trench Tower Key requires both knowledge and strategy. The key spawns randomly across the Dam Battlegrounds map (particularly at Ruby Residence and the Research & Administration building), but knowing where to use it is equally important. This guide covers the exact location of the North Trench Tower door, what valuable loot you’ll find inside, the fastest farming routes to obtain the key, and pro strategies to maximize your rewards while surviving PvP threats. Whether you’re a new player seeking your first key-locked loot or a veteran farmer optimizing your runs, this complete walkthrough ensures you never waste extraction space again.
North Trench Tower Door – Acerra Spaceport Location
The door you’re looking for is located at the North Trench Tower in the Spaceport map. This tower sits in the northern section of Spaceport, positioned between the West and East Hangars—you can’t miss it once you’re in the general area.
Getting There:
Spaceport is one of the larger maps in ARC Raiders, so be prepared for a substantial journey from your spawn point. The trek to North Trench Tower typically involves:
- Navigating through open areas with limited cover
- Encountering multiple ARC machines (Sentinels, Leapers, and sometimes Barons)
- Potential PvP encounters with other players hunting the same loot
Pro tip: If you’re playing solo, consider taking a longer route that avoids the main traffic areas around the hangars. Squad players should designate one person as lookout while others handle navigation.
South Trench Tower Door – Location & How to Reach It
The South Trench Tower sits in the northern section of Acerra Spaceport, directly north of the Launch Towers and between the West and East Hangars. It stands right next to the North Trench Tower — both buildings share nearly identical layouts and loot tables, so the choice between them usually comes down to your spawn position and which side of the map has less player activity when you drop in.
To reach it, head north from your spawn toward the Hangar area. The South Trench Tower is the slightly more southerly of the two twin structures — approach from the southwest side of the building where you’ll find the entrance stairs. Climb the staircase to reach the locked door and interact with the keypad to use your Spaceport Trench Tower Key.
One important rule: a single key only opens one door. Use it on the South Tower and it’s consumed — you won’t be able to open the North Tower with the same key. If you’re running with a teammate who also holds a key, you can split and clear both towers in the same raid.
What’s Inside the North Trench Tower? (Loot Breakdown)
Once you use the Spaceport Trench Tower Key on the keypad, you’ll gain access to a two-level tower with some genuinely impressive loot distribution.
Ground Floor Loot:
- Multiple lootable containers and drawers
- High chance of Epic rarity resources (crafting materials, Mechanical Components, etc.)
- Various consumables and utility items
Upper Floor Loot:
- One weapon crate (guaranteed weapon blueprint or fully-built weapon)
- Additional smaller crates with high probability of Epic quality items
- Possible Tier 4 weapons (some of the best equipment in the game)
The upper floor is where the real prize sits. Tier 4 weapons and Epic blueprints are exactly what you need to dominate both PvE and PvP encounters. If you’re working on upgrading your weapons through the Gunsmith system, the blueprints from this tower are invaluable.
Important: Always store your best find in your Safe Pocket immediately after looting. North Trench Tower is a hotspot for player ambushes since everyone knows what’s inside.
Best Time to Use the Spaceport Trench Tower Key
Timing your key use correctly can dramatically increase the value of what you pull from the Trench Towers. The two best conditions are Night Raid and Electromagnetic Storm — both are Major Map Conditions in ARC Raiders that apply an increased loot value modifier to all containers on the map. Opening a Trench Tower during either of these events significantly boosts your chances of pulling Epic-rarity resources and Tier 4 weapons from the crates inside.
Using the key during a standard daytime raid is technically possible, but most experienced players consider it a waste — the same containers roll lower on average without the modifier active.
A few things to keep in mind for these conditions:
- Night Raid increases key spawn rates across the map, which means more competition around high-value loot rooms like the Trench Towers. Approach with caution and clear the area before committing your key.
- Electromagnetic Storm offers similar loot bonuses but adds lightning strikes as a hazard. Avoid standing in open areas on your way to the towers and move quickly once inside.
- Both conditions reduce available extraction points and disable Raider Hatches, so plan your exit route before you open the door — not after.
If you’re using the key as part of the Switching the Supply or Turnabout quests, the timing advice still applies. If you can wait for a Night Raid to start before deploying to Spaceport, the extra loot value is well worth the short delay.
How to Get the Spaceport Trench Tower Key in ARC Raiders
There are two main ways to obtain the Spaceport Trench Tower Key: random world drops or quest completion. Let’s break down both methods.
Method 1: Random Loot Drops – Best Farming Locations
The Spaceport Trench Tower Key can spawn as random loot in high-value residential and administrative buildings across all maps. That’s right—you don’t need to be on Spaceport to find this key, which actually makes farming more flexible.
Best Locations to Farm the Key:
Dam Battlegrounds:
- Ruby & Pale Apartment Complex
- Research & Administration Building
Blue Gate:
- The Village
- Reinforced Reception
Buried City:
- Santa Maria Houses
- Space Travel Building
- Grandioso Apartments
These locations are all classified as high-tier loot zones, meaning you’ll face stiff competition from other players. The key spawns in the same loot pool as other valuable items, so it’s really a matter of checking multiple containers and hoping RNG is on your side.
Farming Tips:
- Hit residential areas first—they tend to have more searchable containers per square meter
- Check filing cabinets, lockers, and drawers thoroughly
- If you’re farming coins fast, you can recycle or sell items you don’t need while hunting for the key
Method 2: Complete the “Switching the Supply” Quest (Guaranteed Key Drop)
If RNG farming isn’t your style, there’s a much more reliable way to get the Spaceport Trench Tower Key: complete the Switching the Supply quest given by Celeste.
Quest Overview:
This is a relatively straightforward quest that takes place in the Spaceport underground tunnels. Your objective is to locate and turn several valves in the tunnel system. The quest doesn’t take long—maybe 10-15 minutes if you know where you’re going—and rewards you with the Spaceport Trench Tower Key upon completion.
For a detailed walkthrough of this quest, check out our Switching the Supply complete guide.
Why This Method is Better:
- Guaranteed reward (no RNG involved)
- Quest can be completed relatively quickly
- You’ll gain XP and quest progression alongside the key
- Safer than repeatedly raiding high-traffic loot zones
If you’re working through Celeste’s quest line anyway, this is absolutely the route I’d recommend. The tunnels can be tricky to navigate, but once you learn the layout, subsequent runs become much faster.
Don’t Confuse It With Other Spaceport Keys
Spaceport has several keys with similar-sounding names, and picking up the wrong one mid-raid is a common mistake. Here’s a quick reference so you know exactly what you’re holding:
| Key Name | Where It’s Used |
|---|---|
| Spaceport Trench Tower Key | North or South Trench Tower, northern Spaceport |
| Spaceport Control Tower Key | Control Tower A6, center of the map near Vehicle Maintenance |
| Spaceport Container Storage Key | Container Storage building, upper-level locked room |
| Spaceport Warehouse Key | Shipping Warehouse, locked room inside the warehouse |
| Spaceport Outskirts Bunker Key | Bunker on the outer edge of the Spaceport map |
The most common mix-up is between the Trench Tower Key and the Control Tower Key — both are Spaceport keys, both drop randomly, and the names look similar at a glance in your inventory. The key difference: the Control Tower Key is used at Control Tower A6 in the center of the map and is tied to the Lost in Transmission quest given by Shani. The Trench Tower Key is tied to the Switching the Supply and Turnabout quests and is used in the northern section.
Before deploying to Spaceport, open your inventory and read the full item name carefully. If it doesn’t say “Trench Tower” specifically, it won’t open the Trench Tower doors — no matter how similar it looks.
Spaceport Trench Tower Key – Tips & Strategy
Timing Matters: Don’t rush to North Trench Tower immediately after spawning. Wait until the mid-to-late game when player populations have thinned out. Early-game traffic around Spaceport is brutal.
Go in Prepared: Bring adequate healing items, shield recharges, and ammunition. You’ll likely fight ARC machines on the way, and there’s always a chance of player encounters.
Loot Efficiently: Once inside, grab the upper floor weapon crate first (it’s the most valuable), then work your way down. Don’t spend more than 2-3 minutes inside the tower.
Plan Your Extraction: Before entering the tower, identify your nearest extraction point. If you have a Raider Hatch Key, even better—you’ll have a guaranteed escape route.
Squad Coordination: If playing with teammates, position one player outside as overwatch while others loot. The tower entrance is a natural chokepoint that’s easy to camp.
How to Use High-Tier Loot from the North Trench Tower
Once you’ve successfully looted North Trench Tower and extracted, you’ll want to make the most of your haul:
For Blueprints:
- Take them to your Gunsmith for weapon upgrades
- Consider which blueprints are worth farming for future runs
For Resources:
- Use Epic materials to upgrade your workbench
- Store excess materials in your expanded stash space
For Weapons:
- Equip immediately if it’s better than your current loadout
- Alternatively, sell or recycle for coins to purchase other gear
Related Quest Content & Key Guides
Looking for more key locations and quest guides? Check these out:
- Dam Control Tower Key Location & Uses
- Dam Surveillance Key Location & Uses
- Blue Gate Confiscation Room Key Location
- Hatch Repairs Quest – Raider Hatch Locations
- All Quests & Missions Complete List
For additional map-specific content:
Is the Spaceport Trench Tower Key Worth It? – Final Verdict
The Spaceport Trench Tower Key is absolutely worth pursuing, whether through random farming or quest completion. The loot inside North Trench Tower can significantly boost your loadout, especially if you’re still building up your arsenal in the early-to-mid game.
My personal recommendation? Complete the Switching the Supply quest for the guaranteed drop, then use the key during a quieter moment in your next Spaceport run. The Epic weapons and Tier 4 gear inside can be game-changers, but only if you survive long enough to extract with them.
Available Now:
Happy raiding, and remember—always check your surroundings before using that key. Nothing ruins a perfect loot run like getting ambushed at the extraction point!
