Lafayette, Indiana: Airport Availability And Accessibility

Lafayette, Indiana is served by the Purdue University Airport, a public-use airport located 2 nautical miles from the city's central business district in West Lafayette. The airport is one of the busiest in Indiana, second only to the Indianapolis International Airport, with 3,161 passenger boardings recorded in 2022. It offers daily round-trip flights to Chicago and over 240 connecting destinations, providing a local gateway to the world for the Greater Lafayette community.

Purdue University Airport

Amelia Earhart, an adjunct faculty member at the time, prepared her Lockheed Model 10 Electra airplane for her around-the-world flight attempt in Hangar 1 at the airport. The Purdue Research Foundation purchased the aircraft for her. During World War II, hundreds of members of the U.S. Army, Navy, and War Training Service were trained at Purdue Airport, as were several commercial pilots from Latin America. In 1955, the airport became home to the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps flight training program. The original hangar, now known as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, is still used by Purdue University's Department of Aviation Technology for offices, classrooms, and laboratories.

From the 1950s until the mid-2000s, Purdue University Airport received regularly scheduled commercial air service. The airport saw as many as 45,000 enplanements in 1979. It was subsidized through the Essential Air Service until June 1999 when funding was cut as Indianapolis International Airport was only 61 miles away. In late 2022, the airport received a state grant to fund projects associated with restoring commercial air service. In December 2023, a formal partnership with Southern Airways Express was announced, and passenger service to Chicago O'Hare began on May 15, 2024. Purdue University Airport offers 24 weekly round-trip flights from West Lafayette to Chicago and over 240 connecting destinations.

The airport covers an area of 527 acres (213 ha) at an elevation of 606 feet (185 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt-paved runways: 10/28 and 5/23. Runway 10 has a Category 1 ILS approach, and both runways 10 and 28 are served by GPS WAAS approaches. A VOR-A approach is also available. Runway 10 is sometimes used in a shortened configuration, where aircraft land at the beginning of the runway but do not use its full length, allowing both runways to be used simultaneously.

Lafayette's nearest airports

Lafayette, Indiana's closest airport is Purdue University Airport (IATA: LAF, ICAO: KLAF, FAA LID: LAF), which is around 3 to 4 miles from the city centre. The airport is owned by Purdue University and is located in West Lafayette, 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of Lafayette's central business district. Purdue University Airport is one of Indiana's busiest airports, second only to Indianapolis International Airport. It offers 24 weekly round-trip flights to Chicago and over 240 connecting destinations.

Other nearby airports include Frankfort Municipal Airport (23 miles away), Jasper County Airport (47 miles away), and Indianapolis Executive Airport (48 miles away). The nearest major airport is Indianapolis International Airport, which is approximately 61 to 69 miles from Lafayette and offers both international and domestic flights.

Historically, Lafayette has been served by several airlines, including Indiana Airways, Air Wisconsin, and Britt Airways. Purdue University Airport itself has a rich history in aviation, with Amelia Earhart preparing her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt at the airport. The airport was also designated as an emergency landing strip in 1930 and played a significant role in training during World War II.

History of Lafayette air travel

Lafayette, Indiana, does not have a major airport of its own. The closest airport to Lafayette is the Indianapolis International Airport, which is 61 miles away from the city. However, Lafayette does have an airport, the Purdue University Airport (LAF), which is located in Tippecanoe County, about 2 nautical miles from the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette.

The history of air travel in Lafayette is closely tied to Purdue University Airport, which has played a significant role in aviation in the region. The airport has a rich history that dates back to the early days of aviation. The airport was designated as an emergency landing strip by the U.S. government in 1930, and it became a hub for aviation pioneers like Amelia Earhart, who prepared her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt at the airport. During World War II, the airport trained hundreds of members of the U.S. Army, Navy, and War Training Service, as well as several commercial pilots from Latin America.

From the 1950s until the mid-2000s, Purdue University Airport received regularly scheduled commercial air service. Lake Central Airlines began serving Lafayette around 1950, offering flights on a Chicago-Gary IN-Lafayette-Indianapolis route. In 1955, the airport became the home of the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps flight training program. Indiana Airways, a local commuter airline, operated from the airport from 1977 to 1980, offering direct flights to Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Cincinnati.

In the 1980s, Air Wisconsin and Britt Airways operated direct flights to Chicago O'Hare and Fort Wayne. Britt also flew as Piedmont Commuter to Dayton, Ohio, from 1985 to 1986. After being bought out by People Express in 1985 and then merged into Continental Airlines in 1987, Britt began operating as Continental Express. Purdue University Airport saw as many as 45,000 enplanements in 1979. However, the airport lost its regularly scheduled airline service in 2004, and commercial airline service resumed in May 2024.

Today, the Purdue University Airport is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, offering daily round-trip flights to Chicago and over 240 connecting destinations. The airport is served by Southern Airways Express and is known for its lower parking rates and convenient location for those in the Greater Lafayette area.

Lafayette's busiest airports

Lafayette, Indiana, is served by the Purdue University Airport (IATA: LAF, ICAO: KLAF, FAA LID: LAF). The airport is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 mi) southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. It is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, second only to the Indianapolis International Airport. Purdue University Airport had 3,161 passenger boardings in 2022 and offers 24 weekly round-trip flights from West Lafayette to Chicago, with over 240 connecting destinations. The airport covers 527 acres of land at an elevation of 606 feet above sea level and has two asphalt runways.

Historically, the airport has been a hub for aviation, with Amelia Earhart preparing her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt at the airport. During World War II, hundreds of members of the U.S. military were trained at the airport, along with several commercial pilots from Latin America. Purdue University Airport also housed the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps flight training program in 1955.

Another airport associated with Lafayette is the Lafayette Regional Airport (IATA: LFT, ICAO: KLFT, FAA LID: LFT). However, this airport is located in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is owned and operated by the City Parish of Lafayette. This airport primarily serves the greater Lafayette metropolitan area and nearby population centers in south-central Louisiana. In 2019, the Lafayette Regional Airport had its highest passenger traffic, with 527,460 passengers. The airport covers 746 acres of land and has two asphalt runways and one helipad.

Lafayette's international airports

Lafayette, Indiana, is served by Purdue University Airport (IATA: LAF, ICAO: KLAF, FAA LID: LAF), a public-use airport located 4 miles from West Lafayette, Indiana. The airport is owned by Purdue University and is situated 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 mi) southwest of downtown Lafayette.

Purdue University Airport is one of Indiana's busiest airports, second only to Indianapolis International Airport. It features an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower and covers an area of 527 acres at an elevation of 606 feet above mean sea level. The airport has two asphalt runways: 10/28, which is 6,600 by 150 feet, and 5/23, which is 4,225 by 100 feet. Runway 10 has a Category 1 ILS approach, and both runways 10 and 28 are served by GPS WAAS approaches. Runway 5/23 is occasionally used in a shortened configuration through a land and hold short operation (LAHSO) procedure, which allows both runways to be utilised simultaneously.

The airport offers daily round-trip flights to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago through its partnership with Southern Airways Express. It provides 24 weekly round-trip flights to Chicago and connections to over 240 destinations. Purdue University Airport has a rich history in aviation, with Amelia Earhart preparing her around-the-world flight attempt from Hangar 1. During World War II, the airport trained hundreds of U.S. Army, Navy, and War Training Service personnel, as well as commercial pilots from Latin America.

While Lafayette does not have a dedicated international airport, there are several nearby options for travellers seeking international or domestic flights. The closest major airport is Indianapolis International Airport (IND/KIND), located 69 miles from Lafayette. It offers both international and domestic flights. Another option is the University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI/KCMI) in Champaign, Illinois, which is 106 miles away and provides domestic flights. Additionally, Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA/KFWA) and South Bend International Airport (SBN/KSBN) are within a 108-113 mile radius and offer domestic flights from their respective cities in Indiana.

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