Nonstop flight route between Arlington County, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), United States and West Lafayette, Indiana, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DCA to LAF:
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- About this route
- DCA Airport Information
- LAF Airport Information
- Facts about DCA
- Facts about LAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCA
- List of Nearest Airports to DCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCA
- List of Furthest Airports from DCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to LAF
- List of Nearest Airports to LAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAF
- List of Furthest Airports from LAF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Arlington County, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), United States and Purdue University Airport (LAF), West Lafayette, Indiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 537 miles (or 865 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 relatively short distance between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Purdue University Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCA / KDCA |
Airport Name: | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport |
Location: | Arlington County, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°51'7"N by 77°2'16"W |
Area Served: | Washington Metropolitan Area |
Operator/Owner: | Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 15 feet (5 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from DCA |
More Information: | DCA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | LAF / KLAF |
Airport Name: | Purdue University Airport |
Location: | West Lafayette, Indiana, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°24'43"N by 86°56'12"W |
Area Served: | Lafayette, Indiana |
Operator/Owner: | Purdue University |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 606 feet (185 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from LAF |
More Information: | LAF Maps & Info |
Facts about Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA):
- On February 6, 1998 President Bill Clinton signed legislation changing the airport's name from Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, to honor the former president on his 87th birthday.
- Service to the airport's Metro station began in 1977.
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has 3 runways.
- Reagan National only has United States immigration and customs facilities for corporate jet traffic.
- Because of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport's relatively low elevation of 15 feet, planes can take off or land at Ronald Reagan Washington National 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.
- In 1999, Senator John McCain of Arizona introduced legislation to remove the 1,250-statute-mile restriction, infuriating some local residents concerned about noise and traffic from increased service by larger, long-haul aircraft.
- Reagan National Airport has noise restrictions that are some of the most restrictive in the country.
- Given Reagan National Airport's proximity to the city and high-security facilities, Reagan National has extra security precautions required by the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone that have been in place since the airport began operations.
- The furthest airport from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,682 miles (18,800 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is Bolling Air Force Base (BOF), which is located only 1 miles (2 kilometers) ESE of DCA.
Facts about Purdue University Airport (LAF):
- Purdue University Airport (LAF) has 2 runways.
- The original hangar, now referred to as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, still stands and is used by Purdue University's department of Aviation Technology for offices, classrooms, and laboratories.
- As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 1,959 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 1,518 enplanements in 2009, and 1,405 in 2010.
- Because of Purdue University Airport's relatively low elevation of 606 feet, planes can take off or land at Purdue University 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.
- President Ronald Reagan and Air Force One visited Purdue University Airport on April 9, 1987.
- FedEx donated a 727 to Purdue, which is taxied through the airport every once in a while.
- Hundreds of members of the U.S.
- The furthest airport from Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,148 miles (17,941 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NW of LAF.
- Evergreen International maintained a short-lived cargo operation at the Airport in the late 1970s using Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft.