Nonstop flight route between Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(40°2'21"N by 88°16'41"W)
Arrival Airport:
(51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W)
Distance from CMI to FFD:
3,989.23 miles (6,420.02 km)
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- About this route
- CMI Airport Information
- FFD Airport Information
- Facts about CMI
- Facts about FFD
- Map of Nearest Airports to CMI
- List of Nearest Airports to CMI
- Map of Furthest Airports from CMI
- List of Furthest Airports from CMI
- Map of Nearest Airports to FFD
- List of Nearest Airports to FFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from FFD
- List of Furthest Airports from FFD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI), Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,989 miles (or 6,420 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between University of Illinois Willard Airport and RAF Fairford, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between University of Illinois Willard Airport and RAF Fairford. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | CMI / KCMI |
| Airport Name: | University of Illinois Willard Airport |
| Location: | Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 40°2'21"N by 88°16'41"W |
| Area Served: | Champaign-Urbana, Illinois |
| Operator/Owner: | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 754 feet (230 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 4 |
| View all routes: | Routes from CMI |
| More Information: | CMI Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FFD / EGVA |
| Airport Name: | RAF Fairford |
| Location: | Fairford, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from FFD |
| More Information: | FFD Maps & Info |
Facts about University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI):
- On January 28, 1998 President Bill Clinton was in Champaign-Urbana for a speaking engagement at Assembly Hall and arrived at Willard Airport on Air Force One.
- Because of University of Illinois Willard Airport's relatively low elevation of 754 feet, planes can take off or land at University of Illinois Willard Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- The closest airport to University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) is Decatur Airport (DEC), which is located 34 miles (55 kilometers) WSW of CMI.
- University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) has 4 runways.
- The terminal has five gates.
- The furthest airport from University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,084 miles (17,838 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):
- The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.
- The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
- On 12 May 2005, USAFE activated the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Alconbury, to provide support to its GSUs in the United Kingdom.
- In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 34.19 miles (55.02 km) WSW | Decatur Airport (DEC) | Decatur, Illinois, United States |     |
| 2 | 37.72 miles (60.70 km) ENE | Vermilion Regional Airport (DNV) | Danville, Illinois, United States | |
| 3 | 38.77 miles (62.39 km) S | Coles County Memorial Airport (MTO) | Mattoon/Charleston, Illinois, United States | |
| 4 | 45.24 miles (72.81 km) NW | Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI) | Bloomington, Illinois, United States | |
| 5 | 65.63 miles (105.63 km) SE | Terre Haute International Airport Hulman Field (HUF) | Terre Haute, Indiana, United States | |
| 6 | 66.86 miles (107.60 km) NE | Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT) | Kentland, Indiana, United States | |
| 7 | 74.83 miles (120.43 km) NNE | Greater Kankakee Airport (IKK) | Kankakee, Illinois, United States | |
| 8 | 75.30 miles (121.18 km) ENE | Purdue University Airport (LAF) | West Lafayette, Indiana, United States | |
| 9 | 75.38 miles (121.31 km) W | Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) | Springfield, Illinois, United States | |
| 10 | 77.67 miles (124.99 km) SE | Sullivan County Airport (SIV) | Sullivan, Indiana, United States | |
| 11 | 85.17 miles (137.07 km) NE | Jasper County Airport (RNZ) | Rensselaer, Indiana, United States | |
| 12 | 86.13 miles (138.61 km) WNW | General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA) | Peoria, Illinois, United States | |
| 13 | 91.98 miles (148.02 km) SSE | Ed-Air Airport (OTN) | Oaktown, Indiana, United States | |
| 14 | 95.13 miles (153.09 km) SSE | Lawrenceville–Vincennes International Airport (LWV) | Lawrenceville, Illinois, United States | |
| 15 | 100.87 miles (162.34 km) SSE | O'Neal Airport (OEA) | Vincennes, Indiana, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,083.92 miles (17,837.80 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,061.18 miles (17,801.20 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,039.25 miles (17,765.90 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,037.54 miles (17,763.16 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,000.46 miles (17,703.48 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,986.07 miles (17,680.33 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,976.39 miles (17,664.74 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,969.73 miles (17,654.02 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,963.47 miles (17,643.94 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,944.07 miles (17,612.72 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,920.51 miles (17,574.81 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,894.80 miles (17,533.44 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,872.65 miles (17,497.79 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,867.84 miles (17,490.04 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,844.34 miles (17,452.22 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10.00 miles (16.09 km) ENE | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 15.02 miles (24.17 km) SW | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.77 miles (36.64 km) ENE | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) E | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 36.28 miles (58.38 km) WSW | Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) | Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 42.33 miles (68.12 km) E | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 44.98 miles (72.38 km) WSW | Bristol Airport (BRS) | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 47.23 miles (76.02 km) SE | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 47.50 miles (76.44 km) ESE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 47.84 miles (76.99 km) SE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 49.48 miles (79.64 km) NNE | Coventry Airport (CVT) | Coventry, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 50.42 miles (81.15 km) ENE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 51.85 miles (83.45 km) ESE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 53.35 miles (85.85 km) N | Birmingham Airport (BHX) | Birmingham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 53.92 miles (86.78 km) SSE | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,897.99 miles (19,147.91 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,874.86 miles (19,110.69 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,869.65 miles (19,102.31 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,860.18 miles (19,087.07 km) SE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,839.51 miles (19,053.79 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,834.41 miles (19,045.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,833.87 miles (19,044.72 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,822.95 miles (19,027.15 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,812.41 miles (19,010.18 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,804.61 miles (18,997.63 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,803.98 miles (18,996.62 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,782.42 miles (18,961.92 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,774.40 miles (18,949.02 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,761.76 miles (18,928.67 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,760.44 miles (18,926.54 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |