Nonstop flight route between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States and West Lafayette, Indiana, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MDT to LAF:
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- About this route
- MDT Airport Information
- LAF Airport Information
- Facts about MDT
- Facts about LAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MDT
- List of Nearest Airports to MDT
- Map of Furthest Airports from MDT
- List of Furthest Airports from MDT
- 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 Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States and Purdue University Airport (LAF), West Lafayette, Indiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 536 miles (or 863 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 Harrisburg International 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: | MDT / KMDT |
Airport Name: | Harrisburg International Airport |
Location: | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°11'35"N by 76°45'47"W |
Area Served: | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 310 feet (94 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MDT |
More Information: | MDT 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 Harrisburg International Airport (MDT):
- Because of Harrisburg International Airport's relatively low elevation of 310 feet, planes can take off or land at Harrisburg International 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 furthest airport from Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,654 miles (18,755 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- A new 360,000 square-foot terminal was completed in 2004.
- The closest airport to Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is Capital City Airport (HAR), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) WNW of MDT.
- Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) currently has only 1 runway.
- Despite the closure of Olmsted AFB in 1969, the US Air Force continues an Air National Guard presence at Harrisburg in the form of Harrisburg Air National Guard Station and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 193rd Special Operations Wing, an Air Force Special Operations Command -gained unit flying the EC-130 Commando Solo aircraft.
- The Middletown Air Depot at Olmsted provided logistical and maintenance support of military aircraft until it closed in 1969.
Facts about Purdue University Airport (LAF):
- The closest airport to Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NW of LAF.
- 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.
- Purdue University Airport has an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower and is the second busiest tower in Indiana.
- Purdue University Airport (LAF) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- FedEx donated a 727 to Purdue, which is taxied through the airport every once in a while.
- 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.